SN 4.25

Māradhītusutta

Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato santike imā nibbejanīyā gāthāyo abhāsitvā tamhā ṭhānā apakkamma bhagavato avidūre pathaviyaṁ pallaṅkena nisīdi tuṇhībhūto maṅkubhūto pattakkhandho adhomukho pajjhāyanto appaṭibhāno kaṭṭhena bhūmiṁ vilikhanto. Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena māro pāpimā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsiṁsu:

Māra’s Daughters

And then Māra the Wicked, after reciting these verses of disillusionment in the Buddha’s presence, left that place. He sat cross-legged on the ground not far from the Buddha, silent, dismayed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say, scratching the ground with a stick. Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Malignancy, and Lust went up to Māra the Wicked, and addressed him in verse:

“Kenāsi dummano tāta, purisaṁ kaṁ nu socasi; Mayaṁ taṁ rāgapāsena, āraññamiva kuñjaraṁ; Bandhitvā ānayissāma, vasago te bhavissatī”ti.

“Why so downhearted, dad? What man are you upset about? We’ll catch him with the snare of lust, like an elephant in the wild. We’ll tie him up and bring him back— he’ll fall under your sway!”

“Arahaṁ sugato loke, na rāgena suvānayo; Māradheyyaṁ atikkanto, tasmā socāmahaṁ bhusan”ti.

“In this world he is the perfected one, the Holy One. He’s not easily seduced by lust. He has slipped free of Māra’s dominion; that’s why I’m so upset.”

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti. Atha kho bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Malignancy, and Lust went up to the Buddha, and said to him, “We serve at your feet, ascetic.” But the Buddha ignored them, since he was freed with the supreme ending of attachments.

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekamantaṁ apakkamma evaṁ samacintesuṁ: “uccāvacā kho purisānaṁ adhippāyā. Yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ kumārivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā”ti. Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekasataṁ ekasataṁ kumārivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti. Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Then Craving, Malignancy, and Lust withdrew to one side to think up a plan. “Men have a diverse spectrum of tastes. Why don’t we each manifest in the form of a hundred young maidens?” So that’s what they did. Then they went up to the Buddha and said to him, “We serve at your feet, ascetic.” But the Buddha still ignored them, since he was freed with the supreme ending of attachments.

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekamantaṁ apakkamma evaṁ samacintesuṁ: “uccāvacā kho purisānaṁ adhippāyā. Yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ avijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā”ti. Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekasataṁ ekasataṁ avijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti. Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Then Craving, Malignancy, and Lust withdrew to one side to think up a plan. “Men have a diverse spectrum of tastes. Why don’t we each manifest in the form of a hundred women who have never given birth?” So that’s what they did. Then they went up to the Buddha and said to him, “We serve at your feet, ascetic.” But the Buddha still ignored them, since he was freed with the supreme ending of attachments.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe… yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ sakiṁ vijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti. Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe… sakiṁ vijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti. Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Then Craving, Malignancy, and Lust … each manifested in the form of a hundred women who have given birth once …

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe… yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ duvijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti. Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe… duvijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā …pe… yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto. Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe… majjhimitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā”ti. Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe… majjhimitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā …pe… anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

women who have given birth twice … middle-aged women …

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe… mahitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti. Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe… mahitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā …pe… anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto. Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekamantaṁ apakkamma etadavocuṁ: “saccaṁ kira no pitā avoca:

old women … But the Buddha still ignored them, since he was freed with the supreme ending of attachments. Then Craving, Malignancy, and Lust withdrew to one side and said, “What our father said is true:

‘Arahaṁ sugato loke, na rāgena suvānayo; Māradheyyaṁ atikkanto, tasmā socāmahaṁ bhusan’ti.

‘In this world he is the perfected one, the Holy One. He’s not easily seduced by lust. He has slipped free of Māra’s dominion; that’s why I’m so upset.’

Yañhi mayaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā avītarāgaṁ iminā upakkamena upakkameyyāma hadayaṁ vāssa phaleyya, uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ vā mukhato uggaccheyya, ummādaṁ vā pāpuṇeyya cittakkhepaṁ vā. Seyyathā vā pana naḷo harito luto ussussati visussati milāyati; evameva ussusseyya visusseyya milāyeyyā”ti.

For if we had come on to any ascetic or brahmin like this who was not free of lust, his heart would explode, or he’d spew hot blood from his mouth, or he’d go mad or lose his mind. He’d dry up, wither away, and shrivel up like a green reed that was mowed down.”

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho taṇhā māradhītā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Malignancy, and Lust went up to the Buddha, and stood to one side. Māra’s daughter Craving addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Sokāvatiṇṇo nu vanamhi jhāyasi, Vittaṁ nu jīno uda patthayāno; Āguṁ nu gāmasmimakāsi kiñci, Kasmā janena na karosi sakkhiṁ; Sakkhī na sampajjati kenaci te”ti.

“Are you swamped by sorrow that you meditate in the forest? Have you lost a fortune, or do you long for one? Or perhaps you’ve committed some crime in the village? Why don’t you get too close to people? And why does no one get close to you?”

“Atthassa pattiṁ hadayassa santiṁ, Jetvāna senaṁ piyasātarūpaṁ; Ekohaṁ jhāyaṁ sukhamanubodhiṁ, Tasmā janena na karomi sakkhiṁ; Sakkhī na sampajjati kenaci me”ti.

“I’ve reached the goal, peace of heart. Having conquered the army of the likable and pleasant, alone, practicing absorption, I awakened to bliss. That’s why I don’t get too close to people, and no one gets too close to me.”

Atha kho arati māradhītā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Māra’s daughter Malignancy addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Kathaṁvihārībahulodha bhikkhu, Pañcoghatiṇṇo atarīdha chaṭṭhaṁ; Kathaṁ jhāyiṁ bahulaṁ kāmasaññā, Paribāhirā honti aladdha yo tan”ti.

“How does a mendicant who has crossed five floods usually meditate here while crossing the sixth? How do they usually practice absorption so that sensual perceptions are blocked out and don’t get hold of them?”

“Passaddhakāyo suvimuttacitto, Asaṅkharāno satimā anoko; Aññāya dhammaṁ avitakkajhāyī, Na kuppati na sarati na thino.

“With tranquil body and mind well freed, without making choices, mindful, homeless; understanding the teaching, they practice absorption without placing the mind; they’re not shaking or drifting or rigid.

Evaṁvihārībahulodha bhikkhu, Pañcoghatiṇṇo atarīdha chaṭṭhaṁ; Evaṁ jhāyiṁ bahulaṁ kāmasaññā, Paribāhirā honti aladdha yo tan”ti.

That’s how a mendicant who has crossed five floods usually meditates here while crossing the sixth. That’s how they usually practice absorption so that sensual perceptions are blocked out and don’t get hold of them.”

Atha kho ragā māradhītā bhagavato santike gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Māra’s daughter Lust addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Acchejja taṇhaṁ gaṇasaṅghacārī, Addhā carissanti bahū ca saddhā; Bahuṁ vatāyaṁ janataṁ anoko, Acchejja nessati maccurājassa pāran”ti.

“He lives with his community after cutting off craving, and many of the faithful will cross over for sure. Alas, this homeless one will snatch many men away, and lead them past the King of Death!”

“Nayanti ve mahāvīrā, saddhammena tathāgatā; Dhammena nayamānānaṁ, kā usūyā vijānatan”ti.

“The great heroes they lead by means of the true teaching. When the Realized Ones are leading by the teaching, how could anyone who knows be jealous?”

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena māro pāpimā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu. Addasā kho māro pāpimā taṇhañca aratiñca ragañca māradhītaro dūratova āgacchantiyo. Disvāna gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Malignancy, and Lust went up to Māra the Wicked. Māra the Wicked saw them coming off in the distance, and addressed them in verse:

“Bālā kumudanāḷehi, pabbataṁ abhimatthatha; Giriṁ nakhena khanatha, ayo dantehi khādatha.

“Fools! You drill into a mountain with lotus stalks! You dig up a hill with your nails! You chew iron with your teeth!

Selaṁva sirasūhacca, pātāle gādhamesatha; Khāṇuṁva urasāsajja, nibbijjāpetha gotamā”ti.

You seek a footing in the abyss, as it were, while lifting a rock with your head! After attacking a stump with your breast, as it were, you leave Gotama disappointed.”

“Daddallamānā āgañchuṁ, taṇhā ca aratī ragā; Tā tattha panudī satthā, tūlaṁ bhaṭṭhaṁva māluto”ti.

They came dazzling— Craving, Malignancy, and Lust. But the Teacher brushed them off right there, like the gale, a fallen tuft.