翻譯名義集 2.47

2.47

[Asura] Formerly translated as "not upright"—the males being ugly and the females upright and handsome. Newly translated as "non-god" (asura). The Commentary on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa states: "The retribution of these spirits is the most superior, ranked next to the gods, yet they are not gods." The new Vibhāṣā-śāstra states: "The correct pronunciation in the Sanskrit text is sura. Sura means 'god'; because they are not gods, they are called asuras. Furthermore, sura means 'upright and handsome'; because they are not upright, they are called asuras." The Datang Xiyu Ji states: "Asura—formerly called axiuluo, axulun, or axuluo—are all corruptions." "Kumārajīva said: 'In the language of Qin, it means "not drinking liquor"; the causes and conditions for not drinking liquor are found in the Samyuktaratnapiṭaka.'" The Commentary on the Lotus Sūtra states: "The asuras gather flowers from the four continents and brew them in the great ocean. Due to the karmic power of dragons and fish, the flavor does not ferment. Becoming enraged and jealous, they vowed to give it up, and so it is said they have no liquor." The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states: "Since the Buddha's passing was long ago, after the sūtras and teachings had been transmitted for five hundred years, many discrepancies arose. Some spoke of five destinies, and some spoke of six destinies. Examining the meaning of the various sūtras, there should be six destinies. Because wholesome karma has superior, middling, and inferior grades, there are three wholesome destinies. Because evil karma has superior, middling, and inferior grades, there are three evil destinies. Were it not so, evil would have three retributions while good would have only two retributions, which would be contradictory; if there are six destinies, there is no contradiction in meaning. Therefore, when these asuras were in their causal stage, they harbored suspicion and jealousy; although they practiced the five constants, because they wished to surpass others, they performed the inferior grade of the ten wholesome deeds, thus inducing the body of this destiny." The Avataṃsaka states: "For example, the Asura King Rāhu's original body is seven hundred yojanas tall, and his transformed body is one hundred and sixty-eight thousand yojanas tall. Emerging with half his body out of the great ocean, he stands exactly level with Mount Sumeru." The Śūraṅgama Sūtra states: "Furthermore, there are four kinds of asura classes: If among the ghost destiny, by the power of protecting the Dharma, they ride their supernormal powers into empty space, these asuras are born from eggs and are subsumed under the ghost destiny. If among the gods, their virtue declines and they are degraded and fall, taking up a dwelling adjacent to the sun and moon, these asuras emerge from the womb and are subsumed under the human destiny. There are asuras who sustain worlds, whose power is profound and fearless, and who can contend for authority with King Brahmā, Śakra Devānāmindra, and the Four Heavenly Kings; these asuras exist through transformation and are subsumed under the divine destiny. Then there is an inferior class of asuras born in the heart of the great ocean, submerged at the mouths of underwater caverns, roaming the empty sky in the morning and returning to lodge in the water in the evening; these asuras exist through moisture and are subsumed under the animal destiny." Jingjue asked: "Since these four kinds of asuras are subsumed under the four destinies, should they not lack a common realm of distinctive retribution?" The answer: "Although they belong to the four destinies, they are not without distinctive retribution. Now, saying that they 'take up a dwelling adjacent to the sun and moon,' and so forth, refers precisely to their common realms." Furthermore, the Dīrghāgama states: "In the southern continent there is the Vajra Mountain, within which is the palace of the asuras; the realm governed is six thousand yojanas, with railings, rows of trees, and the like. Yet throughout a day and night, they suffer torment at the three times, as instruments of torment come and enter their palace." The Lokasthiti Sūtra states: "The palaces, cities, and utensils where the asuras dwell are one grade lower than those of the earth-dwelling gods. They also have codes and rites for marriage, male and female, roughly like the human realm." The Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra states: "Asuras are roughly of two kinds: the first are subsumed under the ghost destiny, being hungry ghosts with demonic bodies that possess supernormal powers; the second are subsumed under the animal destiny, dwelling at the bottom of the great ocean, beside Mount Sumeru." Question: "Are the four kinds of asuras listed in the Lotus Sūtra the same as or different from the four in the Śūraṅgama?" Answer: "Zizhong says they are the same. Jingjue says: 'Those four can only be subsumed within these four; they cannot be assigned sequentially to these categories.' Master Jingxi says: 'The four kinds in the Lotus Sūtra all wage war against Śakra. Broadly considered, they correspond only to the third category in the present sūtra.'"