Asura (Buddhism)

An asura (Sanskrit/Pali: असुर, असुरो; Tibetan; Chinese: 阿修羅; pinyin: Āxiūluō; Japanese pronunciation: ashura; Korean: 아수라; Vietnamese: A tu la) in Buddhism is the lowest ranks of the deities or demigods of the Kāmadhātu. They are described as having three heads with three faces each and either four or six arms.

The Buddhist asuras are broadly derived, in general character, from the wicked asuras of Hinduism, but have acquired some very distinctive myths which are only found in Buddhist texts.

In its Buddhist context, the word is sometimes translated "Titan" (suggesting the wars of the Greek gods and Titans), "demigod", or "antigod".

While all the gods of the Kāmadhātu are subject to the passions to some degree, the Asuras above all of them have become addicted to them, especially wrath, pride, envy, insincerity, falseness, boasting, and bellicosity.

Because of their passions, rebirth as an Asura is considered to be one of the four unhappy births (together with rebirth as an animal, a preta, or a being in Naraka). The state of an Asura reflects the mental state of a human being obsessed with ego, force and violence, always looking for an excuse to get into a fight, angry with everyone and unable to maintain calm or solve problems peacefully.

Beings may go to the Asura realm because in human form they had good intentions, but committed bad actions such as harming others.

Concerning Asuras, the Great Calm-Observation by Zhiyi says: “Always desiring to be superior to others, having no patience for inferiors and belittling strangers; like a hawk, flying high above and looking down on others, and yet outwardly displaying justice, worship, wisdom, and faith — this is raising up the lowest order of good and walking the way of the Asuras.”

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