Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c32.1

v2.c32.1

Yakkha.—A class of non-human beings generally described as *amanussā*. They are mentioned with *Devas*, *Rakkhasas*, *Dānavas*, *Gandhabbas*, *Kinnaras*, and *Mahoragas* (? *Nāgas*).¹ In other lists² they range immediately above the Petas; in fact, some of the happier Petas are called Yakkhas. Elsewhere³ they rank, in progressive order, between *manussā* and *gandhabbā*. They are of many different kinds: spirits, ogres, dryads, ghosts, spooks. In the early records, yakkha, like nāgā, as an appelative, was anything but depreciative. Thus not only is Sakka, king of the gods, so referred to,⁴ but even the Buddha is spoken of as a yakkha in poetic diction.⁵ Many gods, such as Kakudha, are so addressed.⁶ According to a passage in the Vimānavatthu Commentary,⁷ which gives illustrations, the term is used for Sakka, the Four Regent Gods (Mahārājāno), the followers of Vessavaṇa, and also for purisa (individual soul ?). In the scholiast to the Jayadissa Jātaka,⁸ the figure of the hare in the moon is also called yakkha. Of these above named, the followers of Vessavaṇa appear to be the Yakkhas proper. The term yakkha as applied to purisa is evidently used in an exceptionally philosophical sense as meaning “soul” in such passages as *ettāvatā yakkhassa suddhi*,⁹ or *ettāvat’ aggam no vadanti h’ ekā, yakkhassa suddhim idha pāṇḍitāse*.¹⁰ In the Niddesa,¹¹ yakkha is explained by satta, nara, mānava, posa, puggala, jīva, jagu, jantu, indagu, manuja. The last term is significant as showing that yakkha also means “man.”