SN 4.14

Patirūpasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati ekasālāyaṁ brāhmaṇagāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivuto dhammaṁ deseti.

Appropriate

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Kosalans near the brahmin village of Ekasālā. Now, at that time the Buddha was teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly of laypeople.

Atha kho mārassa pāpimato etadahosi: “ayaṁ kho samaṇo gotamo mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivuto dhammaṁ deseti. Yannūnāhaṁ yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkameyyaṁ vicakkhukammāyā”ti. Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Māra thought, “The ascetic Gotama is teaching Dhamma, surrounded by a large assembly of laypeople. Why don’t I go and pull the wool over their eyes?” Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

“Netaṁ tava patirūpaṁ, yadaññamanusāsasi; Anurodhavirodhesu, mā sajjittho tadācaran”ti.

“It’s not appropriate for you to instruct others. As you engage in this, don’t get caught up in favoring and opposing.”

“Hitānukampī sambuddho, yadaññamanusāsati; Anurodhavirodhehi, vippamutto tathāgato”ti.

“The Buddha instructs others out of compassion for their welfare. The Realized One is liberated from favoring and opposing.”

Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The Buddha knows me! The Holy One knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.