Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated)

(Grace) #1
 

e Realm of the Asuras is populated by ‘jealous gods’ or Demi-
gods’ who should be as happy as the Devas, but their minds
are clouded with anger and envy over the better fortunes of the
Devas. A close look at the picture will reveal that there is a tree
growing from this realm to that of the Devas. is is a ‘wish-
fulfilling tree’ whose fruits and flowers can fulfill every desire
which they are unable to get hold of. is causes them great frus-
tration, anger and jealousy and they therefore constantly wage
wars against the gods to claim the fruits of their tree. However
they are always defeated because the gods are far more powerful
due to their karmic legacy. Despite being a heavenly realm the
Asuras live in great suffering due to the delusion of anger and
jealousy. e suffering is further increased by their being born
with monstrous looks while their women are exquisitively beau-
tiful. is situation causes their females to yearn for the love of
the handsome gods and rejecting their own advances. Life in this
realm is always filled with quarrels, fighting and great violence.


e Human Realm is where we are. It is filled with the ups and
downs of life and we should be grateful for these conditions to be
around. ey bring about the awareness of the bliss of happiness
and the misery of suffering and therefore become the very causes
that lead to spiritual practice. It is therefore the most fortunate
realm to take rebirth into, the world where one is able to listen to
the Dharma and practise it to attain Buddhahood. In the heav-
enly realm the Gods are far too happily engrossed with their
pleasures to bother about further cultivation while the Asuras
are too much affected by anger, jealousy and dissatisfactions of
their existence. ose who are born into the lower or suffering

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