asura

Asuras have a violent nature,
Laden with blessings, lacking power.
Absolutely determined to fight,
They bob along in karma's tow.
(TD 42)

The path of the asuras is one of the Six Paths of Rebirth (see entry); asuras are also one of the Eightfold Division of Ghosts and Spirits (see entry).

Asura is a Sanskrit word that is explained as meaning either a) one without heavenly beer, or b) ugly one, or c) not a god.

"They are without intoxicants because after drinking heavenly beer offered by Sakra, they became extremely drunk and were hurled out of heaven onto the slopes of Mount Sumeru on Sakra's (Shakra Indra) command. Upon regaining their awareness, they vowed never again to drink the heavenly beer (sura). Therefore, they were called asura 'without intoxicant'." (DPPN 214-215)

Asura is said to mean 'not a god' because the asuras have the blessings to be reborn in the heavens but not the virtue of the gods and so are defeated by them.

"The category of asuras includes all beings who like to fight. Asuras who use their pugnacious natures beneficially join the armed forces and protect their countries. Asuras who use their propensity to fight in a bad way end up as thieves, robbers, and gunmen. Asuras may live in the heavens, among people, in the animal realm, or as ghosts..." (SS V 135)

"Male asuras are extremely ugly; the females are beautiful. It is the nature of the male asura to initiate fights. The female asura also is naturally fond of fighting, but wages covert wars, unlike the overt physical battles of the males. She uses weapons of the mind such as jealousy, obstructiveness, ignorance, and affliction. . . . The world is full of asuras who are constantly battling with one another, and they will keep on fighting forever. During the Age Strong in Fighting, that is, the present Dharma Ending Age (see entry), we should vow not to fight. If we do that, every place we go will become a place of genuine Dharma. If everyone fulfilled this vow, the Dharma Ending Age would become the Age of Proper Dharma." (TD 43-44)

(Source: Epstein, 2003: p. 11)

1) Chinese Mandarin: a xiu luo , 2) Sanskrit: asura, 3) Pali: asura, 4) Alternate Translations: a fallen angel, a Titan.

See also: Six Paths of Rebirth, Ten Dharma Realms.

Buddhist Text Translation Society (http://www.BTTSonline.org) References: TD 42-44; SS IV 239-242; SS V 135; TT 47, 57-58; VBS (May 1970) "The Kennedys Request a Lecture", pp. 34-37.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asura

Asura: (Sanskrit) (Japanese, ashura) A class of contentious demons in Indian mythology who fight continually with the god Indra (Japanese, Taishaku). They are said to live at the bottom of the ocean surrounding Mt. Sumeru. In Buddhism the constitute one of the eight kinds of lowly beings and represent the world of Anger among the Ten Worlds.
Source: Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and Concepts

Asura: A class of contentious demons in Indian mythology who fight continually with the god Indra. In Buddhism the asuras constitute one of the eight kinds of nonhuman beings who protect Buddhism.
Source: Lotus Sutra Glossary

Source: http://www.sgi-usa.org/cgi-bin/lexicon.cgi?exact=on&term=Asura

Asura: "Brave, violent, back-biter, having supremacy, deceitful, fierce, cruel, self-praising."

Source: Charaka Samhita, Sarirasthana On-the-Body Section 4#37.1, The 6 Rajasic (Agitated) Personality Types
Charaka Samhita, Sarirasthana On-the-Body Section 4#37.2

(NOTE: Numerous corrections and enhancements have been made under Shastra tradition and "Fair Use" by an Anonymous Buddhist Monk Redactor (Compiler) of this Online Buddhist Encyclopedia Compilation)

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These Good and Wise Advisors (Kaliyanamitra) Dharma Master teachers include Arya Venerables Nagarjuna, Ashvaghosha, Aryasura, Kumarajiva, Shantideva, Chandrakirti, Chandragomin, Vasubandhu, Asanga, Hui Neng, Atisha, Kamalashila, Dharmarakshita, Tsong Khapa, Thogme Zangpo, Patanjali, Sushruta, Charaka, Vagbhata, Nichiren, Hsu Yun, Hsuan Hua, Shen Kai, Tenzin Gyatso, Kyabje Zopa, Ajahn Chah, Vasant Lad, and other modern day masters. We consider them to be in accord with Master Hsuan Hua’s "Seven Guidelines for Recognizing Genuine Teachers"

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See also: Tripitaka (1. Sutras, 2. Vinaya, 3. Shastras or Abhidharma, or Tantra), Taisho Catalog Numbering System, Dharma, and names of individual sutras (such as Shurangama Sutra, Avatamsaka Sutra [Flower Adornment Sutra], Lotus Sutra [Wonderful Dharma Flower Sutra], Earth Store Sutra, Dharani Sutra, Brahma Net Sutra, Medicine Master Buddha Sutra, Sixth Patriarch Platform Sutra, Sutra in 42 Sections, Sutra on the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching, et al.

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Compilation Sources for the Above Material on the Teachings of the Buddha:

Primary Compilation Source: Epstein, Ronald B., Ph.D, compiler, Buddhist Text Translation Society's Buddhism A to Z, Burlingame, California: Buddhist Text Translation Society, 2003. ISBN: 0881393533 Paperback: 284 pages. www.BTTSOnline.org www.Amazon.com
http://www.bttsonline.org/product.aspx?pid=118 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881393533/ref=ase_medicinebuddh-20

Secondary Compilation Source: The Seeker’s Glossary of Buddhism, 2nd ed., San Francisco, California: Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada, 1998: www.budaedu.org.tw

Secondary Compilation Source: Muller, Charles, editor, Digital Dictionary of Buddhism [DDB], Toyo Gakuen University, Japan, 2007: Username is "guest", with no password.
http://buddhism-dict.net/ddb - Based in large part on the Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms with Sanskrit and English Equivalents (by Soothill and Hodous) Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass, 1997.

Secondary Compilation Source: Ehrhard, Diener, Fischer, et al, The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen, Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, 1991. 296 pages. ISBN 978-0-87773-520-5 www.Shambhala.com, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0877735204/ref=ase_medicinebuddh-20,
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-0-87773-520-5.cfm

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Updated July 17, 2008