SN 4.5

Dutiyamārapāsasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ viharati isipatane migadāye. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti. “Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

Māra’s Snares (2nd)

At one time the Buddha was staying near Varanasi in the deer park at Isipatana. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Muttāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sabbapāsehi ye dibbā ye ca mānusā. Tumhepi, bhikkhave, muttā sabbapāsehi ye dibbā ye ca mānusā. Caratha, bhikkhave, cārikaṁ bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ. Mā ekena dve agamittha. Desetha, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsetha. Santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti. Bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro. Ahampi, bhikkhave, yena uruvelā senānigamo tenupasaṅkamissāmi dhammadesanāyā”ti. Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Mendicants, I am freed from all snares, both human and heavenly. You are also freed from all snares, both human and heavenly. Wander forth, mendicants, for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans. Let not two go by one road. Teach the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. There are beings with little dust in their eyes. They’re in decline because they haven’t heard the teaching. There will be those who understand the teaching! I will travel to the town of Senā in Uruvelā in order to teach the Dhamma.” Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

“Baddhosi sabbapāsehi, ye dibbā ye ca mānusā; Mahābandhanabaddhosi, na me samaṇa mokkhasī”ti.

“You’re bound by all snares, both human and heavenly. You’re bound by the great bond: you won’t escape me, ascetic!”

“Muttāhaṁ sabbapāsehi, Ye dibbā ye ca mānusā; Mahābandhanamuttomhi, Nihato tvamasi antakā”ti.

“I’m freed from all snares, both human and heavenly. I’m freed from the great bonds; You’re beaten, terminator!”

Atha kho māro pāpimā …pe… tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then Māra … vanished right there.