User blog:Metatoron/Celestial Hierarchies

Celestial Hierarchies and Similar Stuff
唯一神 (Yuiitsukami/Yui Itsu Kami) – Monotheist God (One and Only True God)

女神 (Megami) – Goddess, the eponymous one usually gets translated as “Goddess Illiad”, I wonder if it’s a nod to that, or the “Palutena” (sic) rather?

ヨヘワヘ (YHVH) – Was told that would be direct transliteration of Y(o/u)d Heh Vav Heh, but I’d need to look up onto Bleach’s Quincy Emperor.

天使 (Tenshi) – Angel (Heavenly Messenger), basically a generic one.

大天使 (Daitenshi) – Archangel (lit. Big Heavenly Messenger/Heavenly Herald?), the one of the higher rank. Usually refers to the “Main Four”, which is an ignorant use often.

堕天使 (Datenshi) – Fallen Angel (Fallen Heavenly Messenger) ie. Devil, you know like Satan or Lucifer. Can be of dubious loyalty towards the Divine, some may co-operate like Mastema tempting Abraham or Satan doing that with Job. Nevermind the plagues and killing people as the Malach haMavet.

熾天使 (Shitenshi) – Fiery Messenger, ie Seraphim. Got translated as “Hallel” in the English version of Megaten, likely something close to Uriel (Fire) or Phanuel (Flame?). Now we could probably make a Cherubim just by saying “Mighty Tenshi”.

悪魔 (Akuma) – Devil (or Evil Demon), 99% cases it means just that. Was told it’s just some “Very Evil Spirit”, remember Gouki from Street Fighter II? Devils re the Fallen Angels, those words are synonyms. They lead those more or less malevolent spirits.

魔人 (Majin) – Demon, usually same as the monotheist use. The demons are what is more commonly known as the Genies (Djinni) or Shedim, likely cognated to the Daemons (Daimons) and Genii/Junonas (Roman take). They’re usually mischievous, but can bind under authority of the higher being, often cheting people of being one. See the “St.” King Solomon “the Exorcist” and take of his story by all 3 major Abrahamic religions.

魔王 Mao(u)/Maou Daimao – Demon Lord/Demon King, likely not synonymous but have seen in that use most of the time. Remember that proto-Spices and Wolf, or title of the Dragon Ball Piccolo? Here he got called the “Heart Satan”, we thought due to confusion with “Hercule” (Mr. Satan). Generally a cognate to the “Archdemon”.

Those are the “nativist” terms, likely used by the Syriac Christians (Assyrian Nestorians) before and in China/Korea too. There the term for the Supreme Deity was Tian (Heavens itself) or Huangdi (I think later use). You can also write it like Enjeru/Debiru, but it’s just an import in that case. Look up Putto/Putti and Houri too!

There are also terms like Shura (you can clearly see it refered to the Indic take of Ahuras-Asuras like Mitra), Youma/Yourei/Youkai, etc… Now the “Oni” was mostly known as the unfamous “Ogre Mage” due to the purism of Pathfinder/Early D&D.

The Angels in general aside the Abrahamic or Semito-Hamitic use are also present in the Aryan religions, in the form of Ahuras and Devis (Iranic) or Daevas and Asuras (Indic), or even as the Gnostic Aeons and Archons who in general formed those syzygiums. Rehashed as the “Archaias” in the New Age use (the names most of we’ve generally lost).

Putting that sorta stuff into one place, might be useful later. Mostly for fanart and artwork searching (one guy on Pixi did those major Angels and Devils after the “72+ Goetic Demons”, I will also put up more detailed info on the hierarchies, names, and how the Orientals may render it or counterparts of those. Will format it into a better form too soon!