帝释天（梵文：Śakro devānām indraḥ）全名为释提桓因陀罗，简称因陀罗，意译为能天帝。本为印度教神明，司职雷电与战斗。后被佛教吸收为护法神。 在梵文中，释迦（Śakra），意为”能够、有能力”；提婆（deva）意为“天人，神明”；因罗陀（Indra）意为“王者、征服者、最胜者”。其全名释提桓因陀罗（Śakro devānām indraḥ）合意即为“能够为天界诸神的主宰者“，即“能天帝”或“释天帝”。汉译时为了符合汉语语序就将原语序反转，译作“帝释天”; 是佛教28层天中第二层天，忉利天Trayastrimsa之天主。也称为三十三天(此层天界共有33天王)之天主，是第一层天即是四天王天之统帅。 祂相等于道教神仙体系里的“玉皇大帝”，或是民间每年庆祝农历正月初九神诞而称之“天公”或“天官赐福”。

 

Śakra (Sankrit: शक्र) or Sakka (Pali) is the ruler of the Trayastrima Heaven(the second layer) according to Buddhist cosmology. His full title is Śakro devānām indraḥ (शक्रो देवानं इन्द्रः; Pāli: Sakko devānaṃ indo), “Śakra, Lord of the  Devas” . In Buddhist texts, Śakra is the proper name and not an epithet of this deity; conversely, Indra in Sanskrit and Inda in Pali are sometimes used as an epithet for Śakra as “lord”.

In East Asian traditions, Śakra is known asDìshìtiān (帝釋天) or Shìtí Huányīn (釋提桓因) in Chinese, and also asTaishakuten (帝釈天) in Japan. In China, Śakra is sometimes compared to the Taoist Jade Emperor (Yùhuáng Dàdì 玉皇大帝 often simplified in Yùhuáng 玉皇); both share a birthday on the ninth day of the first lunar month of the Chinese Calender (usually in February).

The name Śakra “powerful” as an epithet of Indra is found in several verses of the Rigveda. In Buddhist texts, Śakra’s myth and character are very different from those of the Vedic Indra. According to G.P. Malalasekara, “Sakka and Indra are independent conceptions. None of the personal characteristics of Sakka resemble those of Indra. Some epithets are identical but are evidently borrowed, though they are differently explained.”

虽然有传言说帝释天也相等于基督教的上帝(God)，然而我个人的理解中持有不同见解。本人认为帝释天是学习天界神秘知识的榜样，但决不是膜拜的对象。虽然帝释天寿命长有360万年人间寿命，然而寿终之时，依然堕入六道轮回。

【帝释天人的寿命】

帝释天1昼夜 = 人间百年
帝释天1年 = 人间36000年（360昼夜*100年） 
帝释天寿命（为1千岁）= 人间 36，000,000年

Although there are some sayings mentioned that Śakro devānām indraḥ is equivalent to The God of Christianity, yet, I do have different idea personally from my understanding. Sakra Deva is a role model for us to disclose the metaphysical myths in first & second layer havens. He is not the god we pray to. Although His life span is as long as 3.6 millions human years, yet, Sakra Deva is still mortal. Upon his mortality, he is still subjected to Samsara and reincarnation.   

帝释天所居之忉利天（第二层天)，处于须弥山顶上。须弥山腰为四天王天(第一层天) ; 第一层天和第二层天是依靠于具体的须弥山,而不是在虚空中；合称为地居天。第三层天开始处于虚空中，故有称为空居天。这里隐约说明了第二层和第三层天以上的明显差距。也说明了第一、二层为何相对的比较参与人间的事务。 

帝释天常带领其他32天王与阿修罗大战，所谓的天人大战。一般上帝释天与天王可以轻易的将阿修罗击败。当帝释天死亡之后，忉利天主之位将由新帝释天取代。

The Trayastrimsa heaven that Śakra rules is located on the top of Mount Sumeru (cf. Meru), imagined to be the polar center of the physical world, around which the Sun and Moon revolve. Trāyastriṃśa is the highest of the heavens in direct contact with Earth. Like the other deities of this heaven, Śakra is long-lived but mortal. When one Śakra dies, his place is taken by another deity who becomes the new Śakra. Buddhist stories about Śakra (past or present) are found in the Jataka stories and in several suttas, particularly in the Saṃyutta Nikāya.

Śakra is married to Suja, daughter of the chief of the Asura, Vemacitrin (Pāli Vepacitti). Despite this relationship, a state of war generally exists between the thirty-three gods and the Asuras, which Śakra manages to resolve with minimal violence and no loss of life.

帝释天与第九层天主大梵天王并列为佛教护法天王，时常向佛陀请教轮回涅般真理。

Śakra is mentioned in many Buddhist sutras, and is often shown consulting the Budhha on questions of morality. Together with Brahma, he is considered a protector of the Buddhist religion.