釋氏要覽 2.376

2.376

又云阿須倫○海龍王經。此云無善神○大毘婆沙論云。阿素洛此云非天。又素洛。是端正義。阿是非義。謂身形不端正故○楞嚴經云若於鬼道以護法力。成通入空。從卵而生鬼趣攝。若天中降德貶墜其所卜居隣於日月。從胎而生人趣所攝。若執持世界力。洞無畏能與梵王及天帝釋四天爭權。因變化有天趣所攝。有一類下劣。生大海心。沈水穴口。旦遊虛空。暮歸水宿。因濕氣生。畜生趣攝。

They are also called *asura*. The *Sāgara-nāgarāja-paripṛcchā-sūtra* says: 'Here this means spirits without goodness.' The *Mahāvibhāṣā-śāstra* states: '*Asura* here means "non-god" (*feitian*). Furthermore, *sura* means handsome, and *a* means non-; this refers to their bodily forms not being handsome.' The *Śūraṅgama-sūtra* states: 'If, within the ghost destiny, through the power of protecting the Dharma they attain supernormal powers and enter into space, being born from eggs, they are subsumed under the ghost destiny. If their virtue declines from among the gods and they fall, taking up residence adjacent to the sun and moon, being born from wombs, they are subsumed under the human destiny. If through the power of sustaining the world, with penetrating fearlessness, they are able to contend for power with Brahmā, Śakra, and the Four Heavenly Kings, existing by transformation, they are subsumed under the divine destiny. There is a low and inferior kind that is born in the depths of the great ocean, submerged in the mouths of watery caves, wandering in empty space by morning and returning to roost in the water by evening; born from moisture, they are subsumed under the animal destiny.'