also: すら
Figurative use derived from the mythological Asura; describes intense, bloody conflict or a scene of brutal struggle. Often used in literary or dramatic contexts.
sledge; stone boat
A heavy-duty sledge used for transporting large rocks, logs, or other heavy materials, often in construction or logging.
The battlefield instantly turned into a scene of carnage.
Asura are considered one of the guardian deities in Buddhism.
The Asura realm is one of the six realms, a world of constant conflict.
The battlefield presented a scene of carnage.
He has lived a life of constant strife.
In the past, they used sledges to transport huge stones.
They sent the timber down the mountain using a log slide to the river.
戦 is the general word for battle or war, whereas 修羅 stresses the brutal, chaotic carnage of a conflict.
滑道 is the modern, everyday term for a log slide, while 修羅 is the older, more traditional word for the same structure.
修羅 is a shortened, less specific term that can mean either the Asura realm or a scene of carnage, while 修羅場 specifically denotes the place or situation of that carnage.
Used for Ashura (修羅) figures/statues, as 体 counts humanoid or deity-like figures such as statues of gods and Buddhas.
Standard kanji spelling; used for all senses.
Rare reading; mostly found in older or literary contexts.
Abbreviation of 阿修羅 (ashura), from Sanskrit 'asura'. The figurative sense of 'carnage' derives from the combative nature of Asura in Buddhist mythology. The sledge and log slide senses are unrelated, possibly from a different origin, but the exact derivation is uncertain.