masculine · asura 1 · asura 2
Asura [Vedic asura in more comprehensive meaning; connected with Avesta ahuro Lord, ahuro mazdā°; perhaps to Avesta anhuṣ and Latin erus mastery — a fallen angel, a Titan; plural asurā the Titans, a class of mythological beings. Dhammapāla at Pv-a 272 and the commentary on Ja V 186 define them as kāḷakañjaka-bhedā asurā. The are classed with other similar inferior deities, e.g. with garuḷā, nāgā, yakkhā at Miln 117; with supaṇṇā, gandhabbā, yakkhā at Sv I 51. — The fight between Gods and Titans is also reflected in the oldest books of the Pāli Canon and occurs in identical description at the following passages under the title of devāsura-saṅgāma: D II 285; S I 222 (cf. 216 f. ), IV 201 f., V 447; M I 253; A IV 432. — Rebirth as an Asura is considered as one of the four unhappy rebirths or evil fates after death (apāyā; viz. Niraya, tiracchāna-yoni, petā or pettivisaya, asurā), e.g. at It 93; Ja V 186; Pv IV 11 1 , see also apāya. — Other passages in general: S I 216 f. (fight of Devas and Asuras); IV 203; A II 91; IV 198 f., 206; Snp 681; Nidd I 89, 92, 448; Dhp-a I 264 (°kaññā); Saddh 366, 436. -inda Chief or king of the Titans. Several Asuras are accredited with the role of leaders, most commonly Vepacitti (S I 222; IV 201 f. ) and Rāhu (A II 17, 53; III 243). Besides these we find Pahārāda (gloss Mahābhadda) at A IV 197; -kāya the body or assembly of the Asuras A I 143; Ja V 186; Thig-a 285; -parivāra a retinue of Asuras A II 91; -rakkhasā Asuras and Rakkhasas (Rakāsasas) Snp 310 (defined by Buddhaghosa at Pj II 323 as pabbata-pāda-nivāsino dānava-yakkha-saññitā).
one of a class of supernatural beings, opposed to the devas; a titan
【陽】 阿修羅。~kāya,【陽】 阿修羅王國， 阿修羅集會。asurinda,【陽】 阿修羅的國王。
<b> <c c="#a00149">Asura</c> </b> <br>In Pali Literature the Asuras are classed among the inferior deities together with the supaṇṇas, gandhabbas, yakkhas, garuḍas and nāgas. Rebirth as an Asura is considered as one of the four unhappy rebirths or evil states (apāya), the others being hell, animal, and ghost realms. <c c="#3b6bd3">It.93</c> <br>The fight between the Devas and the Asuras is mentioned even in the oldest books of the Tipitaka and is described in identical words in several passages. <c c="#3b6bd3">DN.ii.285</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">SN.i.222</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">SN.iv.201ff.</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">SN.v.447</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">MN.i.253</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">DN.ii.2851</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">DN.ii.2853</c> <br>A chief or king of the Asuras is often referred to as Asurinda, several Asuras being credited with the role of leader, most commonly, however, Vepacitti <c c="#3b6bd3">SN.i.222</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">SN.iv.201ff.</c> and Rāhu. <c c="#3b6bd3">AN.ii.17</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">AN.ii.53</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">AN.iii.243</c> Besides these we find Pahārāda, <c c="#3b6bd3">AN.iv.197</c> <c c="#3b6bd3">AN.iv.200</c> Sambara, <c c="#3b6bd3">SN.i.227</c> Verocana, <c c="#3b6bd3">SN.i.225</c> Bali, <c c="#3b6bd3">DN.ii.259</c> Sucitti, <c c="#3b6bd3">DN.ii.269</c> and Namucī. <c c="#3b6bd3">DN.ii.269</c> <br>There were evidently several classes of Asuras, and two are mentioned in the Pitakas, the Kālakañjakas and the Dānaveghasas. The Dānaveghasas carried bows in their hands. The Kālakañjakas were of fearsome shape, <c c="#3b6bd3">DN.ii.259</c> and were considered the lowest among the Asuras. <c c="#3b6bd3">DN.iii.7</c> <br>A story is told by the Buddha <c c="#3b6bd3">SN.v.446</c> of a man who once saw a whole army with its four divisions enter a lotus stalk and the man thought he was mad. But the Buddha says that it was an Asura army in flight. Here the Asuras would seem to be fairies or nature spirits.<br> <br> </deftext>
asura a. [ asu-ra Uṇ. 1. 42 ] 1 Living, alive, spiritual. 2 An epithet of the Supreme Spirit or Varuṇa. 3 Incorporeal, superhuman, divine. — raH [According to Nir. a suratAH sTAnezu na suzWu ratAH sTAnezu capalA ityarTaH ; or astAH pracyAvitA devEH sTAneByaH ; or from asu; asuH prARaH tena tadvaMto BavaMti ro matvarTe ; or sordevAnasfjata tatsurARAM suratvaM , asoH asurAnasfjata tadasurARAmasuratvaM; soH = praSastAdAtmanaH pradeSAt ] 1 An evil spirit, a demon; the Rām. thus accounts for the name:- surApratigrahAddevAH surA ityaBiviSrutAH . apratigrahaRAttasyA dEteyAScAsurAstaTA [In the oldest parts of the Ṛgveda the term asura is used for the Supreme spirit and in the sense of ‘god’, ‘divine’; it was applied to several of the chief deities such as Indra, Agni, and Varuṇa. It afterwards acquired an entirely opposite meaning, and came to signify a demon or an enemy of the gods. The Brāhmaṇas state that Prajāpati created asuras with the breath ( asu ); particularly from the lower breath. The Vāyu P. says that Asuras were first produced as sons from Prajāpati's groin; cf. also Nir. above]. 2 A general name for the enemies of gods, Daityas and Dānavas, distinguished from Rākṣasas descended from Pulastya. 3 A ghost or spectre. 4 The sun (said to be from as to shine). 5 An elephant. 6 An epithet of Rāhu. 7 A cloud. 8 N. of a warrior tribe. — rA 1 Night. 2 A zodiacal sign. 3 A prostitute. — rI 1 A female demon, wife of an Asura. 2 N. of the plant Sinapis Racemosa Roxb. ( pb ) Comp. — aDipaH, -rAj, -jaH 1 the lord of the Asuras. 2 an epithet of Bali, grandson of Prahlāda. — AcAryaH , — guruH 1 N. of the preceptor of the Asuras, Śukrācārya. 2 the planet Venus. — AhvaM bell-metal. — kzayaRa , — kziti a. destroying the Asuras. — dviz m. an enemy of the Asuras, i. e. a god. — mAyA demoniacal magic. — rakzas n. ( pl. ) the Asuras and Rākṣasas. — (saM) a demoniacal being partaking of the qualities of both the classes. — ripuH, -sUdanaH ‘destroyer of Asuras’, an epithet of Viṣṇu. — han m. 1 one who destroys the Asuras, an epithet of Agni, Indra &c. 2 N. of Viṣṇu.
(masc, masc) titan; anti-god; enemy of the devas Titan, Assyrian [lit.] anti-hero Construction: na > a + √sur + a
(adj, adj) of the titans; of the asuras [lit.] anti-hero Construction: na > a + √sur + a