梵語阿修羅，即是西方世界的泰坦（Titan），漢譯作非天、非類、不端正。據說每當阿修羅吃到最後一口時，嘴裡的食物總是變成泥巴。雖福報鄰天，卻無德享受，故曰非天。修羅果報甚勝，鄰次諸天；但從煩惱來說，尤甚於人，故在三善道中被列為人趣之下。修羅趣人好諍、好戰鬥，怕怖無極。（注，諍是好意勸諫義，是一切暴亂的起因。）

Sanskrit word Asura is Titan of Western world, translated in Chinese as Non-Sky, Non-Category, and No-Decency. It is said that whenever Asura takes his last bite, the food in his mouth always turns into mud. Although their fortunate recompenses are just next to sky, they have no virtue to enjoy, therefore name of non-Sky. Asura’s fruit recompenses are very victorious, just below skies, but in terms of annoyances, are greater than human, so it is listed under human interest in the Three Benevolent Paths. Asuras like to expostulate, are good at fighting, extremely fearsome. (Annotation, expostulation means remonstrance, earnest, and kindly protest; but it is the cause of all riots.)

在因之時，懷猜忌心，雖能行善，為欲勝他。作下品十善，感此道生。辨別下品十善，亦約境、約心、約事說。

At the time of reason, with suspicious heart, although they can do good, are desiring more victorious than others. Deeds of Ten Benevolences of the low grade inductively give births on the path. Here, to differentiate Ten Benevolences of the low grade, also associating with environment, associating with heart, and associating with affair to say:

一、對境增上，僅能於順境保護身口意行為。

二、約心來說，悠悠緩緩，或夾雜貪、嗔、痴等煩惱。

三、約事來說，偶爾為善，不廣大，不久積。

以要言之，雖能行十善戒，煩惱尚多，故是阿修羅趣的因。

1. Associating with environments of heart to distinguish: Asuras only can protect their own bodily karma, oral karma and intentional (i.e., mental) karma in enjoyable environment. (Karma means habits, means bodily orally and intentionally behaviors.)

2. Associating with heart to discern: Asuras are leisurely, slowly, or interlaces with annoyances.

3. Associating with affair to discern: Asuras occasionally do goods, not broadly, not continually to accumulate goods.

Generally, even though Asuras do goods and hold ten good precepts, but they are with impure purposes, and with many annoyances, hence reason of Asura.

阿修羅種類頗難細列，茲以四類別之。

一、畜修羅，從卵而生，畜生趣攝。

二、鬼修羅，從濕氣有，鬼趣所攝。

三、人修羅，從胎而出，人趣所攝。

四、天修羅，從變化有，天趣所攝。

The types of Asuras are difficult to enumerate, here using four rough categories to differentiate them.

1. Livestock Asuras, born from eggs, are assimilated by Livestock Interest.

2. Ghost Asuras, which come from moisture and are assimilated by Hungry Ghost Interest.

3. Human Asuras, comes out of wombs, and are assimilated by Human Interest.

4. Sky Asuras, from conversion to have, are assimilated by Sky Interest.

注，佛悉知是人，悉見是人，這濕生、卵生、化生，都是何物？答：人神契約（參見16.2節）中釋迦摩尼有說，“皇室王族是從虱子卵出生的，穢血；吝嗇的富貴家族是濕氣出生的，泥血。” 另外我舉例來說化生，世間人懂得了四聖諦，發菩提心，皈依我佛，就成為了初地菩薩（參見16.1節），以至於七地。一地至七地的菩薩發起金剛喻定（參見第17章），出塵後就成為了八地的大菩薩，即佛，以至於十地，金血。是中，菩薩和佛都是從皈依，從異生性的變化而有，是乃化生。

Annotation, Buddha all knowing are people, Buddha all seeing are humans, what are the wet-born, egg-born things? Answer: in Covenant Ark, (see Section 16.2), Shakyamuni said, “miserly rich family are born from moisture, with mud blood; royal families are born from lice eggs, with filth blood.” In addition, let me give an example of rebirth. Mundane people understand the Four Cruxes, arouse Bodhi Heart (see section 16.1), then become first land bodhisattva (i.e., real human), up to seventh land Bodhisattva. First to seventh land Bodhisattvas arouse “Philosopher-Stone Metaphor Stillness” (see chapter 17 Philosopher-Stone Sutra), to oust dusts, then become eighth land Bodhisattva which is Buddha, up to tenth land, with gold blood. Among which, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas are born from conversion, from mutant nature changes, those are conversion-born.

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