Demonology

Across countless cultures and millennia, humanity has grappled with the unseen forces that seem to shape our world—beings we often call demons. Demonology is the fascinating, intricate study of these spirits, exploring their origins, characteristics, and influence within religious beliefs and myths. From ancient Mesopotamian underworld dwellers to Christian fallen angels and Islamic jinn, we'll journey through diverse traditions to understand the enduring power of these enigmatic entities. Demonology is a diverse field, examining spirits that range from malevolent to benevolent across global cultures. The categorization and roles of demons vary significantly, from fallen angels in Abrahamic faiths to nature spirits and ancestral entities. Ancient beliefs, particularly from Mesopotamia, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, have profoundly shaped our understanding of these supernatural beings over millennia.

Source: Wikipedia

AI Summary

Demonology is a diverse field, examining spirits that range from malevolent to benevolent across global cultures.
The categorization and roles of demons vary significantly, from fallen angels in Abrahamic faiths to nature spirits and ancestral entities.
Ancient beliefs, particularly from Mesopotamia, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, have profoundly shaped our understanding of these supernatural beings over millennia.

The Study of the Unseen

Demonology is essentially the systematic study of demons within various religious beliefs, myths, and occult practices. It delves into their nature, origins, and their often complex relationships with humanity, frequently outlining elaborate hierarchies and classifications.

Demons themselves can be understood in different ways. Some traditions see them as non-human, separable souls, while others describe them as discarnate spirits that have never inhabited a physical body. Cultures like the Melanesians and many African groups often draw a clear distinction between these two types, emphasizing their unique characteristics, much like the Islamic jinn are distinct from modified human souls.

A World Full of Spirits

Many ancient and indigenous religions hold that the entire universe is governed by spirits—each presiding over specific elements, objects, or even entire landscapes. These spirits are often interconnected, with smaller entities sometimes subject to greater ones.

Consider the Inuit, who traditionally believed in spirits of the sea, earth, sky, winds, and every aspect of nature. Every cove, island, and prominent rock had its own guardian spirit. Similarly, traditional Korean belief posits that countless demons inhabit the natural world, filling household objects, lurking in all locations, and even accompanying travelers on their journeys.

Philosophers like Porphyry of Tyre, influenced by Platonism, and early Christian Church fathers, shared a common view: that the world was utterly pervaded by spirits. The Church Fathers, in particular, advanced the controversial belief that the gods worshipped by pagans were, in fact, demons masquerading as deities.

Not All Evil

It's important to remember that not all spirits across all cultures are considered malevolent. In Central Africa, the Mpongwe people, for instance, regard their local spirits as mostly inoffensive, prompting passers-by to make small offerings rather than fear. Even mischievous acts, like a tree falling, were sometimes attributed to specific spirits like the Ombuiri, while many spirits tied to natural processes were seen as neutral or benevolent—such as the ancient European 'corn-spirit' or the revered Petara of the Dyaks, invisible guardians of humanity.

Categorizing the Demonic

Demons are generally classified as spirits believed to interact directly with the human race. This broad definition encompasses a surprisingly diverse array of entities, reflecting the multifaceted ways different cultures perceive the spirit world.

While this classification typically excludes souls conceived as inhabiting another world, the lines can sometimes blur. Demons are not always purely spiritual either; some traditions describe them as corporeal beings.

Fallen angels in Christian tradition
Malevolent genii or familiar spirits
Spirits that receive a cult, such as those in ancestor worship
Ghosts or other malevolent revenants

Consider the chilling accounts of vampires, sometimes depicted as disembodied human heads with entrails, emerging from tombs to attack the living. Or the incubi and succubi of the Middle Ages, often regarded as spiritual beings yet believed to physically interact with humans, even producing offspring—albeit often deformed. Belief in these compelling entities stretches back many millennia.

Mesopotamia's Underworld Denizens

The ancient Mesopotamians believed their underworld, known as Kur, was teeming with demons. These terrifying beings were sometimes called the 'offspring of arali' and were capable of leaving the underworld to torment mortals on Earth.

One fearsome class was the 'galla,' whose primary purpose seemed to be dragging unfortunate mortals back to Kur. Often described as numbering seven, they feature prominently in magical texts. Famously, several poems recount the galla dragging the god Dumuzid into the underworld. Yet, even galla could sometimes be benevolent, as evidenced by a hymn from King Gudea of Lagash, where a minor god, Ig-alima, is called 'the great galla of Girsu.' Interestingly, Mesopotamian demons rarely received cult worship, as they were thought to 'know no food, know no drink'.

Demons in Jewish Lore

Judaism, unlike some other Abrahamic faiths, does not possess a codified demonology or a formal set of doctrines regarding demons. The very name 'Lucifer,' often associated with Satan, originates from a passage in Isaiah 14:3–20, which actually refers to the defeat of a Babylonian king, using the title 'Day Star' or 'Morning Star' (Latin: lucifer, 'light-bearer').

However, Jewish medieval myth and folklore are rich with tales of demonic entities. These include the fallen Grigori angels, the story of Lilith leaving Adam, and unsettling figures like the dybbuk—a malevolent possessing spirit—and various forms of vampires, highlighting a vibrant, if informal, tradition of demonic belief.

Christian Perspectives on Evil

Christian demonology is a comprehensive study of demons, primarily drawing from the Bible—both Old and New Testaments—as well as scriptural exegesis, the writings of early Christian philosophers and hermits, established tradition, and legends integrated from other beliefs.

Scholars suggest that early Greek Old Testament demonology has two distinct, sometimes competing, mythological origins of evil: the Adamic and the Enochic traditions. The Adamic tradition links demons to the Fall of Man, attributing evil to the serpent's beguiling of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This narrative often portrays Satan's transgression and his refusal to worship and submit to God as the root cause of his demotion and the subsequent human fall.

In contrast, the early Enochic tradition ties demons to the fall of angels during the antediluvian period. This perspective focuses on the story of the fallen Watchers, led by figures like Azazel. These two enigmatic figures—Azazel and Satan—were foundational in shaping early Jewish demonology, though historical Judaism never formalized specific doctrines.

Interestingly, in later Jewish and Christian lore, these figures often blend, with Satanael sometimes leading fallen angels, and Azazel depicted as a seducer of Adam and Eve. Some scholars believe post-exilic Jewish concepts of eschatology, angelology, and demonology were influenced by Zoroastrianism, while others credit the Kabbalistic tradition.

Throughout Christian history, numerous authors have explored demonology. Theologians like Thomas Aquinas discussed demonic behaviors Christians should be aware of, while witch hunters such as Heinrich Kramer wrote grim guides on identifying and dealing with suspected demon-worshippers. Other texts, like the 'Lesser Key of Solomon,' purported to offer instructions for summoning demons, though these were widely rejected by the Church.

In modern times, some Christian authors continue to write on demonology, often echoing Aquinas in explaining demonic effects and how faith can mitigate them. Conversely, figures like Jack Chick and John Todd make more radical claims, asserting active demonic influence in contemporary society, even linking it to phenomena like Christian rock music. It is also worth noting that not all Christians believe in the literal existence of demons, with some interpreting New Testament exorcisms as treatments for what we now understand as epilepsy or mental illness.

The Diverse World of Jinn

In Islamic demonology, many demonic or demon-like entities are not purely spiritual; they are often physical in nature and closely related to animals—so much so that some scholars describe Islamic demonology as inherently zoological. The prominent scholar al-Jahiz provided a fascinating classification of jinn, highlighting their varied roles and characteristics.

Zakariya al-Qazwini's 'Aja'ib al-Makhluqat' further details that jinn are a type of 'animal' composed of fire, capable of appearing in many forms. He distinguishes angels as created from the light of fire, jinn from a blaze of fire, and devils from the smoke of fire, with Satan himself counted among these fiery beings who inhabited the Earth before mankind.

Amir: Jinn who live among humans. Angels: Benevolent and good jinn. Devils: Malicious and evil jinn. Marid: Strong jinn who steal information from Heaven. Ifrit: The most powerful jinn.

German orientalist Almut Wieland-Karimi further classified the jinn based on folklore, presenting ten common categories. These include the ordinary Jinn or Jann, the malevolent Shaitan who cause illness, the powerful and often bad Ifrit, and the haughty Marid. There are also the Bu'bu who frighten children, the seductive female Si'lah, and the household-dwelling Amir. The Ghul lives in the desert and is generally evil, while the Qarînah is a personal demon or doppelgänger. Finally, the Hatif is a mysterious phenomenon, a voice that can be heard but never seen.

Demonic Influences in Buddhism

Traditionally, Buddhism affirms the existence of various hells populated by demons who torment sinners and tempt mortals to sin, or who actively seek to thwart their path to enlightenment. Central among these is Mara, often described in Sanskrit sources as the chief tempter, 'prince of darkness,' or 'Evil One'.

Mara's followers, also called mara, are frequently associated with causing disease or representing mental obstructions that hinder spiritual progress. When Buddhism reached China in the first century A.D., these 'mara' became fully assimilated into the Chinese worldview, where they were known as 'mo'.

Michel Strickmann notes that the idea of Buddhism's imminent decline amid a 'great cacophony of demonic influences' was already a significant component of the faith. For some writers of the time, this challenging state of affairs was seen as a divine ordinance—a 'preliminary cleansing' meant to purge humanity in preparation for an ultimate, messianic renewal. Medieval Chinese Buddhist demonology was heavily influenced by Indian Buddhism, even leading to Indian demons finding permanent places in Taoist ritual texts, demonstrating a rich cross-cultural exchange.

Chinese Buddhism also profoundly influenced Taoism, particularly with its beliefs about hell, eventually leading Taoists to develop their own elaborate demonology. This fusion created unique folk beliefs about spirits in hell, blending elements from both religions. Unlike the 'pure evil' portrayal in Abrahamic faiths, demons in Buddhist-influenced hell are often viewed more as guards or enforcers, albeit malicious ones. They are ruled by Yama, a figure derived from Buddhism's Hindu influences, with some traditions speaking of eighteen different Yamas, each commanding an army of demons and undead.

The 'Śūraṅgama Sūtra,' a major Mahayana Buddhist text, describes fifty 'demonic states,' known as the fifty skandha maras. These are seen as 'negative' mirror reflections or deviations from correct meditative absorption. In this context, demons are understood as beings possessing supernatural powers who, having practiced the Dharma incorrectly in the past, failed to develop true wisdom and compassion. Accounts from Tibetan Buddhist masters, like Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, describe encounters with such beings, indicating that in Buddhism, 'demons' can refer to both disturbed mind states and actual, powerful entities.

Hinduism's Realm of Spirits

Vedic scriptures detail a variety of spirits, such as Vetalas, Rakshasas, Bhutas, and Pishachas, which can be categorized as demons. These spirits are often depicted as the souls of beings who committed specific sins, condemned to roam without a physical form as a purging punishment until their eventual rebirth. Those who died with unfulfilled desires or intense anger are also said to 'linger' until their issues are resolved.

Ancient texts like the 'Atharvaveda' provide accounts of the nature and habitats of such spirits, even detailing methods on how to persuade or control them. There are established occult traditions within Hinduism that seek to harness these spirits for various purposes. Furthermore, the 'Garuda Purana' elaborates on the numerous punishments and judgments meted out in Hindu hells, offering insights into how spirits journey through various nether worlds.

Zoroastrianism's Cosmic Struggle

In the ancient Zoroastrian tradition, the universe is locked in a cosmic battle between two primal forces. Ahura Mazda, representing the benevolent Spenta Mainyu, champions truth and light, destined for ultimate victory. Opposing him is Angra Mainyu, also known as Ahriman—the destructive spirit and source of all evil, leading a host of malevolent entities.

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Demonology

The Nightmare (1800) by Nicolai Abildgaard depicting a demon

Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or occultism. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may be nonhuman separable souls, or discarnate spirits which have never inhabited a body. A sharp distinction is often drawn between these two classes, notably by the Melanesians, several African groups, and others. The jinns, for example, are not reducible to modified human souls. At the same time, these classes are frequently conceived as producing identical results, e.g., diseases.

Prevalence of demons

Demonology

According to some religions, all the affairs of the universe are supposed to be under the control of spirits, each ruling a certain "element" or even object, and themselves in subjection to a greater spirit. For example, the Inuit are said to believe in spirits of the sea, earth and sky, the winds, the clouds, and everything in nature. Every cove of the seashore, every point, every island, and prominent rock has its guardian spirit. Some are potentially of the malignant type, to be propitiated by an appeal to knowledge of the supernatural. Traditional Korean belief posits that countless demons inhabit the natural world; they fill household objects and are present in all locations. By the thousands, they accompany travellers, seeking them out from their places in the elements.

Greek philosophers such as Porphyry of Tyre (who claimed influence from Platonism), as well as the fathers of the Christian Church, held that the world was pervaded with spirits, the latter of whom advanced the belief that demons received the worship directed at pagan gods.

Characterization of spirits

Demonology

Not all spirits across all cultures are considered malevolent. In Central Africa, the Mpongwe believe in local spirits, just as the Inuit do; but they are regarded as inoffensive in the main. Passers-by must make some nominal offering as they near the spirits' residence. The occasional mischievous act, such as the throwing down of a tree on a passer-by, is believed by the natives to be perpetuated by the class of spirits known as Ombuiri.

Many spirits, especially those regarding natural processes, are often considered neutral or benevolent; ancient European peasant fears of the corn-spirit would crop up during irritation, as a result of the farmer infringing on the domain of said spirit, and taking his property by cutting the corn; similarly, there is no reason why the less significant pantheon should be regarded as malevolent, and historical evidence has shown that the Petara of the Dyaks are viewed as invisible guardians of mankind rather than hostile malefactors.

Types

Demonology

Demons are generally classified as spirits that are believed to enter into relations with the human race. As such, the term includes:

• angels that, in Christian tradition, fell from grace; • malevolent genii or familiars; • spirits such as receive a cult (e.g., ancestor worship); • ghosts or other malevolent revenants.

Excluded are souls conceived as inhabiting another world. Yet just as gods are not necessarily spiritual, demons may also be regarded as corporeal; vampires, for example, are sometimes described as human heads with appended entrails, which issue from the tomb to attack the living during the night watches. The incubi and succubi of the Middle Ages are sometimes regarded as spiritual beings; but they were held to give proof of their bodily existence, such as offspring (though often deformed). Belief in demons goes back many millennia.

Ancient Mesopotamian religion

Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the underworld by galla demons

The ancient Mesopotamians believed that the underworld (Kur) was home to many demons, which are sometimes referred to as "offspring of arali". These demons could sometimes leave the underworld and terrorize mortals on earth. One class of demons that were believed to reside in the underworld was known as galla; their primary purpose appears to have been to drag unfortunate mortals back to Kur. They are frequently referenced in magical texts, and some texts describe them as being seven in number. Several extant poems describe the galla dragging the god Dumuzid into the underworld. Like other demons, however, galla could also be benevolent and, in a hymn from King Gudea of Lagash (c. 2144 – 2124 BC), a minor god named Ig-alima is described as "the great galla of Girsu". Demons had no cult in Mesopotamian religious practice since demons "know no food, know no drink, eat no flour offering and drink no libation."

Judaism

Judaism does not have a demonology or any set of doctrines about demons. Use of the name "Lucifer" stems from Isaiah 14:3–20, a passage which does speak of the defeat of a particular Babylonian King, to whom it gives a title which refers to what in English is called the Day Star or Morning Star (in Latin, lucifer, meaning "light-bearer", from the words lucem ferre).

There is more than one instance in Jewish medieval myth and lore where demons are said to have come to be, as seen by the Grigori angels, of Lilith leaving Adam, of demons such as vampires, unrest spirits in Jewish folklore such as the dybbuk.

Christianity

Man being attacked by the 7 deadly devils

Christian demonology is the study of demons from a Christian point of view. It is primarily based on the Bible (Old Testament and New Testament), the exegesis of scriptures, the writings of early Christian philosophers and hermits, tradition, and legends incorporated from other beliefs.

Some scholars suggest that the origins of early Greek Old Testament demonology can be traced to two distinctive and often competing mythologies of evil— Adamic and Enochic. The first tradition — the Adamic tradition — ties demons to the fall of man caused by the serpent who beguiled Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Thus, the Adamic story traces the source of evil to Satan's transgression and the fall of man, a trend reflected in the Books of Adam and Eve which explains the reason for Satan's demotion by his refusal to worship and submit to God.

The other tradition — the early Enochic tradition — ties demons to the fall of angels in the antediluvian period. This tradition bases its understanding of the origin of demons on the story of the fallen Watchers led by Azazel. Scholars believe these two enigmatic figures—Azazel and Satan—exercised formative influence on early Jewish demonology. While in the beginning of their conceptual journeys, Azazel and Satan are posited as representatives of two distinctive and often rival trends tied to the distinctive etiologies of corruption, in later Jewish and Christian demonological lore, both antagonists can enter each other's respective stories in new conceptual capacities. In these later traditions Satanael is often depicted as the leader of the fallen angels while his conceptual rival Azazel is portrayed as a seducer of Adam and Eve. While historical Judaism never recognized any set of doctrines about demons, scholars believe its post-exilic concepts of eschatology, angelology, and demonology were influenced by Zoroastrianism. Some, however, believe these concepts were received as part of the Kabbalistic tradition. While many people believe today Lucifer and Satan are different names for the same being, not all scholars subscribe to this view.

Several authors throughout Christian history have written about demons for a variety of purposes. Theologians like Thomas Aquinas wrote concerning the behaviors of which Christians should be aware, while witch hunters like Heinrich Kramer wrote about how to find and what to do with people they believed were involved with demons. Some texts such as the Lesser Key of Solomon or The Grimoire of Pope Honorius (although these, the earliest manuscripts, were from well after these individuals had died) are written with instructions on how to summon demons in the name of God and often were claimed to have been written by individuals respected within the Church. These latter texts were usually more detailed, giving names, ranks, and descriptions of demons individually and categorically. Most Christians commonly reject these texts as either diabolical or fictitious. Catholics accused Lutherans of believing in diabolatry or that the devil had unlimited powers.

In modern times, some demonological texts have been written by Christians, usually in a similar vein to Thomas Aquinas, explaining their effects in the world and how faith may lessen or eliminate damage by them. A few Christian authors, such as Jack Chick and John Todd, write with intentions similar to Kramer, proclaiming that demons and their human agents are active in the world. These claims can stray from mainstream ideology, and may include such beliefs as that Christian rock is a means through which demons influence people. Not all Christians believe that demons exist in the literal sense. Some believe that the New Testament's exorcism language was originally part of curing ceremonies for what are now recognized as epilepsy, mental illness, etc.

Islam

Jinns gather to do battle with the hero Faramarz. Illustration in an illuminated manuscript of the Iranian epic Shahnameh

Many demonic or demon-like entities are not purely spiritual but physical in nature and related to animals. Julius Wellhausen states, that Islamic demonology is always zoology as well. One prominent classification is given by al-Jahiz, who classifies jinn as:

• Amir, jinn who live among humans. • Angels, benevolent and good jinn. • Devils, malicious and evil jinn. • Marid, strong jinn who steal information from Heaven. • Ifrit, the most powerful jinn.

Zakariya al-Qazwini's Aja'ib al-Makhluqat mentions seven types of animals. The jinn are classified as animals composed of fire and can appear in many forms. Among them, the angels are created from the light of fire, the jinn from a blaze of fire, and the devils from the smoke of fire. Satan is counted among these animals. They inhabited the earth before mankind. The German orientalist Almut Wieland-Karimi classified the Jinn in the ten most common categories mentioned in folklore literature:

• Jinn or Jann: ordinary jinn, a class apart from other jinn types, but also used as a collective to refer to invisible beings in general • Shaitan: Malevolent jinni, who causes illness and madness • Ifrit: delimitation to ordinary jinn remains unclear. Can be either a powerful, cunning Jinn or a strong Shaitan. Ifrits are generally bad. • Marid: a haughty and powerful Shaitan or very malevolent Ifrit. • Bu'bu: a jinn that frightens children. • Si'lah: a female demon who seduces men. • Amir: spirits dwelling in houses. • Ghul: generally evil, lives in the desert. • Qarînah: name for a specific demon or doppelgänger, a type of spirit that follows every human. • Hatif: a mysterious phenomenon, which can only be heard but never seen.

Buddhism

Traditionally, Buddhism affirms the existence of hells populated by demons who torment sinners and tempt mortals to sin, or who seek to thwart their enlightenment, with a demon named Mara as chief tempter, "prince of darkness", or "Evil One" in Sanskrit sources. The followers of Mara were also called mara, the devils, and are frequently cited as a cause of disease or representations of mental obstructions. The mara became fully assimilated into the Chinese worldview, and was called mo. The idea of the imminent decline and collapse of the Buddhist religion amid a "great cacophony of demonic influences" was already a significant component of Buddhism when it reached China in the first century A.D., according to Michel Strickmann. Demonic forces had attained enormous power in the world. For some writers of the time, this state of affairs had been ordained to serve the higher purpose of effecting a "preliminary cleansing" that would purge and purify humanity in preparation for an ultimate, messianic renewal.

Medieval Chinese Buddhist demonology was heavily influenced by Indian Buddhism. Indian demonology is also fully and systematically described in written sources, though during Buddhism's centuries of direct influence in China, "Chinese demonology was whipped into respectable shape," with several Indian demons finding permanent niches even in Taoist ritual texts. In the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra it states that heaven and hell change as the world changes and that many new hells with different demons can be created to fit the different ways that the human realm changes. Chinese Buddhism also influenced Taoism with beliefs of hell, and the Taoists eventually came up with their own demonology lore, which in turn created folk beliefs about spirits in hell, which was a combination of beliefs from the two religions. However, the demons in hell are viewed differently than Abrahamic faiths, who, instead of being pure evil, are more of guards of hell, although they are still viewed as malicious beings. They are ruled over by Yama, who came from Buddhism's Hindu influences, but certain scriptures and beliefs also state that there are 18 different Yamas in hell, which have an army of demons and undead at their side.

Also, the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, a major Mahayana Buddhist text, describes fifty demonic states: the so-called fifty skandha maras, which are "negative" mirror-like reflections of or deviations from correct samādhi (meditative absorption) states. In this context demons are considered by Buddhists to be beings possessing some supernatural powers, who, in the past, might have practiced Dharma, the Buddha's teaching, but due to practicing it incorrectly failed to develop true wisdom and true compassion, which are inseparable attributes of an enlightened being such as a Buddha or a Bodhisattva. In his autobiography, The Blazing Splendor, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, a prominent Tibetan Buddhist master of the 20th century, describes encounters with such beings. Therefore, depending on the context, in Buddhism, demons may refer to both disturbed mind states and actual beings.

Hinduism

Vedic scriptures include a range of spirits (Vetalas, Rakshasas, Bhutas, and Pishachas) that might be classified as demons. These spirits are the souls of beings that have committed certain specific sins. As a purging punishment, they are condemned to roam without a physical form for a length of time, until a rebirth. Beings that died with unfulfilled desires or anger are also said to "linger" until those issues are resolved. Hindu text Atharvaveda gives an account of nature and habitats of such spirits, including how to persuade/control them. There are occult traditions in Hinduism that seek to control such spirits to do their bidding. The Hindu text Garuda Purana details other kinds of punishments and judgments given out in Hell; it also gives an account of how spirits travel to various nether worlds.

Zoroastrianism

In the Zoroastrian tradition, Ahura Mazda, as the force of good Spenta Mainyu, will eventually be victorious in a cosmic battle with an evil force known as Angra Mainyu or Ahriman.