10.
The Discourse on the Rebuke to Māra
506.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was dwelling among the Bhaggas at Suṃsumāragira in the Bhesakaḷā Grove, in the Deer Park.
Now at that time the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was walking up and down in the open air.
Now at that time Māra the Evil One had entered the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna's belly, having gone into his abdomen.
Then this occurred to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna:
"Why indeed is my belly so very heavy?
As if stuffed with beans, methinks."
Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, having descended from the walking path, having entered the dwelling, sat down on the prepared seat.
Having sat down, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna attended to himself with wise attention.
The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna saw Māra the Evil One who had entered his belly, having gone into his abdomen.
Having seen Māra the Evil One, he said this:
"Get out, Evil One;
get out, Evil One!
Do not vex the Truth-finder, do not vex the Truth-finder's disciple.
Lest it be for your harm and suffering for a long time."
Then this occurred to Māra the Evil One:
"Not knowing me, not seeing me, this ascetic says thus -
'Get out, Evil One;
get out, Evil One!
Do not vex the Truth-finder, do not vex the Truth-finder's disciple.
Lest it be for your harm and suffering for a long time.'
Even his Teacher would not quickly know me, how then will this disciple know me?"
Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this to Māra the Evil One:
"Even thus I know you, Evil One; do not think -
'He does not know me.'
You are Māra, Evil One;
for you, Evil One, think thus -
'Not knowing me, not seeing me, this ascetic says thus -
get out, Evil One;
get out, Evil One!
Do not vex the Truth-finder, do not vex the Truth-finder's disciple.
Lest it be for your harm and suffering for a long time.
Even his Teacher would not quickly know me, how then will this disciple know me?'"
Then this occurred to Māra the Evil One: "Knowing me, seeing me, this ascetic says thus - 'Get out, Evil One; get out, Evil One! Do not vex the Truth-finder, do not vex the Truth-finder's disciple. Lest it be for your harm and suffering for a long time.'" Then Māra the Evil One, having come out from the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna's mouth, stood by the door-bolt.
507.
The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna saw Māra the Evil One standing by the door-bolt;
having seen Māra the Evil One, he said this -
'Even here I see you, Evil One;
do not think "He does not see me."
There you are, Evil One, standing by the door-bolt.
Once in the past, Evil One, I was a Māra named Dūsī, and I had a sister named Kāḷī.
You were her son.
So you were my nephew.
Now at that time, Evil One, the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had arisen in the world.
Now, Evil One, the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had a pair of disciples named Vidhura and Sañjīva, the foremost, the best pair.
As far as, Evil One, there were disciples of the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One.
Among them no one was equal to the Venerable Vidhura, that is to say, in expounding the Teaching.
In this way, Evil One, by this method, the designation "Vidhura" arose for the Venerable Vidhura.
"But, Evil One, the Venerable Sañjīva, whether gone to the forest or gone to the root of a tree or gone to an empty house, with little difficulty attained the cessation of perception and feeling. Once in the past, Evil One, the Venerable Sañjīva was seated at the root of a certain tree, having attained the cessation of perception and feeling. Evil One, cowherds, cattle herders, farmers, and wayfarers saw the Venerable Sañjīva seated at the root of a certain tree, having attained the cessation of perception and feeling; having seen him, this occurred to them - 'Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! This ascetic has died while sitting! Come, let us cremate him.' Then, Evil One, those cowherds, cattle herders, farmers, and wayfarers, having collected grass and wood and cow-dung, having piled it on the Venerable Sañjīva's body, having set fire to it, departed. Then, Evil One, the Venerable Sañjīva, after that night had passed, having emerged from that attainment, having shaken off his robes, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered the village for almsfood. Those cowherds, cattle herders, farmers, and wayfarers, Evil One, saw the Venerable Sañjīva going for almsfood; having seen him, this occurred to them - 'Wonderful indeed, friend, marvellous indeed, friend! This ascetic who died while sitting, he has come back to life.' In this way, Evil One, by this method, the designation "Sañjīva" arose for the Venerable Sañjīva.
508.
"Then, Evil One, this occurred to Dūsī Māra -
'I do not know the coming or going of these monks who are virtuous, of good character.
What if I were to take possession of the brahmins and householders -
Come, revile, abuse, irritate, and harass the monks who are virtuous, of good character.
Perhaps there might be an alteration of mind in those being reviled, being abused, being irritated, being harassed by you, so that Dūsī Māra might find an opportunity.'
Then, Evil One, Dūsī Māra took possession of the brahmins and householders -
'Come, revile, abuse, irritate, and harass the monks who are virtuous, of good character.
Perhaps there might be an alteration of mind in those being reviled, being abused, being irritated, being harassed by you, so that Dūsī Māra might find an opportunity.'
"Then, Evil One, those brahmins and householders, possessed by Dūsī Māra, revile, abuse, irritate, and harass the monks who are virtuous, of good character - 'These shavelings, these petty ascetics, these menials, these dark offspring of Brahmā's feet, saying "We are meditators, we are meditators," with drooping shoulders, with faces cast down, weak and stiff, they meditate, they brood, they ponder, they muse. Just as an owl on a tree branch, seeking a mouse, meditates, broods, ponders, muses; so too these shavelings, these petty ascetics, these menials, these dark offspring of Brahmā's feet, saying "We are meditators, we are meditators," with drooping shoulders, with faces cast down, weak and stiff, they meditate, they brood, they ponder, they muse. Just as a jackal on a riverbank, seeking fish, meditates, broods, ponders, muses; so too these shavelings, these petty ascetics, these menials, these dark offspring of Brahmā's feet, saying "We are meditators, we are meditators," with drooping shoulders, with faces cast down, weak and stiff, they meditate, they brood, they ponder, they muse. Just as a cat at a doorway, a sewer, or a rubbish heap, seeking a mouse, meditates, broods, ponders, muses; so too these shavelings, these petty ascetics, these menials, these dark offspring of Brahmā's feet, saying "We are meditators, we are meditators," with drooping shoulders, with faces cast down, weak and stiff, they meditate, they brood, they ponder, they muse. Just as a donkey with its load removed, at a doorway, a sewer, or a rubbish heap, meditates, broods, ponders, muses; so too these shavelings, these petty ascetics, these menials, these dark offspring of Brahmā's feet, saying "We are meditators, we are meditators," with drooping shoulders, with faces cast down, weak and stiff, they meditate, they brood, they ponder, they muse.'
"Now, Evil One, those human beings who died at that time, for the most part, upon the body's collapse at death, were reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
509.
"Then, Evil One, the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, addressed the monks -
'The brahmins and householders have been possessed by Dūsī Māra -
Come, revile, abuse, irritate, and harass the monks who are virtuous, of good character. Perhaps there might be an alteration of mind in those being reviled, being abused, being irritated, being harassed by you, so that Dūsī Māra might find an opportunity.'
Come, monks, dwell having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by friendliness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth.
Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, dwell having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by friendliness, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will.
With a mind accompanied by compassion... etc.
with a mind accompanied by altruistic joy... etc.
dwell having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth.
Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, dwell having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by equanimity, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will.'
"Then, Evil One, those monks, thus exhorted and instructed by the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, whether gone to the forest, or gone to the root of a tree, or gone to an empty house, dwelt having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by friendliness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, they dwelt having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by friendliness, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will. With a mind accompanied by compassion... etc. with a mind accompanied by altruistic joy... etc. they dwelt having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, they dwelt having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by equanimity, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will.
510.
"Then, Evil One, this occurred to Dūsī Māra -
'Even acting thus, I do not know the coming or going of these monks who are virtuous, of good character. What if I were to take possession of the brahmins and householders -
Come, honour, respect, revere, and venerate the monks who are virtuous, of good character. Perhaps there might be an alteration of mind in those being honoured, being respected, being revered, being venerated by you, so that Dūsī Māra might find an opportunity.'
Then, Evil One, Dūsī Māra took possession of the brahmins and householders -
'Come, honour, respect, revere, and venerate the monks who are virtuous, of good character. Perhaps there might be an alteration of mind in those being honoured, being respected, being revered, being venerated by you, so that Dūsī Māra might find an opportunity.'
Then, Evil One, those brahmins and householders, possessed by Dūsī Māra, honour, respect, revere, and venerate the monks who are virtuous, of good character.
"Now, Evil One, those human beings who died at that time, for the most part, upon the body's collapse at death, were reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world.
511.
"Then, Evil One, the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, addressed the monks -
'The brahmins and householders have been possessed by Dūsī Māra -
Come, honour, respect, revere, and venerate the monks who are virtuous, of good character. Perhaps there might be an alteration of mind in those being honoured, being respected, being revered, being venerated by you, so that Dūsī Māra might find an opportunity.'
Come, monks, dwell observing foulness in the body, perceiving repulsiveness in food, perceiving discontent in the whole world, observing impermanence in all activities.'
"Then, Evil One, those monks, thus exhorted and instructed by the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, whether gone to the forest, or gone to the root of a tree, or gone to an empty house, dwelt observing foulness in the body, perceiving repulsiveness in food, perceiving discontent in the whole world, observing impermanence in all activities.
512.
"Then, Evil One, the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, with the Venerable Vidhura as his attendant monk, entered the village for almsfood.
Then, Evil One, Dūsī Māra, having taken possession of a certain boy, having taken a stone, gave a blow on the head of the Venerable Vidhura;
he split his head.
Then, Evil One, the Venerable Vidhura, with his head split and blood flowing, followed closely behind the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One.
Then, Evil One, the Blessed One Kakusandha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, looked back with an elephant's gaze -
'This Dūsī Māra did not know the limit.'
And together with that looking back, Evil One, Dūsī Māra fell from that state and was reborn in the great hell.
"Now, Evil One, that great hell has three names - 'The Six-sense-base Hell' thus, 'The Stake-struck Hell' thus, 'The Individually-experienced Hell' thus. Then, Evil One, the guardians of hell approached me and said this - 'When, sir, stake meets stake in your heart, then you should know - "A thousand years have passed for me being tormented in hell."' So I, Evil One, for many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, was tormented in that great hell. For ten thousand years I was tormented in the subsidiary hell of that very great hell, experiencing the feeling called 'arising.' My body, Evil One, was of such a form, just as a human being's. My head was of such a form, just as a fish's.
513.
Having assaulted the disciple Vidhura, and the brahmin Kakusandha.
Such was the hell, where Dūsī was tormented;
Having assaulted the disciple Vidhura, and the brahmin Kakusandha.
Having assaulted such a monk, Dark One, you undergo suffering.
Lapis lazuli-coloured, beautiful, flaming, luminous;
Nymphs dance there, many of diverse colours.
Having assaulted such a monk, Dark One, you undergo suffering.
Shook the Migāramātu mansion with his big toe.
Having assaulted such a monk, Dark One, you undergo suffering.
Supported by the power of supernormal power, he stirred the deities.
Having assaulted such a monk, Dark One, you undergo suffering.
'Do you, Vāsava, know the liberation through the elimination of craving?'
To him Sakka answered, when asked the question, according to truth.
Having assaulted such a monk, Dark One, you undergo suffering.
'Do you still today, friend, have that view which you had before;
Do you see the radiance transcending in the Brahma world?'
'I do not have, sir, that view which I had before.
How could I today say, "I am permanent, I am eternal"?'
Having assaulted such a monk, Dark One, you undergo suffering.
The forest of the Eastern Videhas, and the men who sleep on the ground.
Having assaulted such a monk, Dark One, you undergo suffering.
And a fool, having approached a blazing fire, is burnt by it.
You will burn yourself, like a fool touching fire.
What do you think, Evil One, does not my evil ripen?
Māra, be wearied of the Buddha, do not have hope regarding the monks.
Then that unhappy demon disappeared right there."
The Discourse on the Rebuke of Māra is concluded as tenth.