Majjhima Nikāya 50

The Middle-Length Suttas Collection 50

Māratajjanīyasutta

The Rebuke of Māra

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye.

So I have heard. At one time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was staying in the land of the Bhaggas on Crocodile Hill, in the deer park at Bhesakaḷā’s Wood.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahāmoggallāno abbhokāse caṅkamati.

At that time Moggallāna was walking mindfully in the open air.

Tena kho pana samayena māro pāpimā āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa kucchigato hoti koṭṭhamanupaviṭṭho. Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi: “kiṁ nu kho me kucchi garugaro viya? Māsācitaṁ maññe”ti. Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno caṅkamā orohitvā vihāraṁ pavisitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno paccattaṁ yoniso manasākāsi.

Now at that time Māra the Wicked had got inside Moggallāna’s belly. Moggallāna thought, “Why now is my belly so very heavy, like I’ve just eaten a load of beans?” Then he stepped down from the walking path, entered his dwelling, sat down on the seat spread out, and investigated inside himself.

Addasā kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno māraṁ pāpimantaṁ kucchigataṁ koṭṭhamanupaviṭṭhaṁ. Disvāna māraṁ pāpimantaṁ etadavoca: “nikkhama, pāpima; nikkhama, pāpima. Mā tathāgataṁ vihesesi, mā tathāgatasāvakaṁ. Mā te ahosi dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāyā”ti.

He saw that Māra the Wicked had got inside his belly. So he said to Māra, “Come out, Wicked One, come out! Do not harass the Realized One or his disciple. Don’t create lasting harm and suffering for yourself!”

Atha kho mārassa pāpimato etadahosi: “ajānameva kho maṁ ayaṁ samaṇo apassaṁ evamāha: ‘nikkhama, pāpima; nikkhama, pāpima. Mā tathāgataṁ vihesesi, mā tathāgatasāvakaṁ. Mā te ahosi dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāyā’ti. Yopissa so satthā sopi maṁ neva khippaṁ jāneyya, kuto pana¹ maṁ ayaṁ sāvako jānissatī”ti?

Then Māra thought, “This ascetic doesn’t really know me or see me when he tells me to come out. Not even the Teacher could recognize me so quickly, so how could a disciple?”

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno māraṁ pāpimantaṁ etadavoca: “evampi kho tāhaṁ, pāpima, jānāmi, mā tvaṁ maññittho: ‘na maṁ jānātī’ti. Māro tvamasi, pāpima; tuyhañhi, pāpima, evaṁ hoti: ‘ajānameva kho maṁ ayaṁ samaṇo apassaṁ evamāha—nikkhama, pāpima; nikkhama, pāpima. Mā tathāgataṁ vihesesi, mā tathāgatasāvakaṁ. Mā te ahosi dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāyāti. Yopissa so satthā sopi maṁ neva khippaṁ jāneyya, kuto pana maṁ ayaṁ sāvako jānissatī’”ti?

Then Moggallāna said to Māra, “I know you even when you’re like this, Wicked One. Do not think, ‘He doesn’t know me.’ You are Māra the Wicked. And you think, ‘This ascetic doesn’t really know me or see me when he tells me to come out. Not even the Teacher could recognize me so quickly, so how could a disciple?’”

Atha kho mārassa pāpimato etadahosi: “jānameva kho maṁ ayaṁ samaṇo passaṁ evamāha: ‘nikkhama, pāpima; nikkhama, pāpima. Mā tathāgataṁ vihesesi, mā tathāgatasāvakaṁ. Mā te ahosi dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāyā’”ti.

Then Māra thought, “This ascetic really does know me and see me when he tells me to come out.”

Atha kho māro pāpimā āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa mukhato uggantvā paccaggaḷe aṭṭhāsi. Addasā kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno māraṁ pāpimantaṁ paccaggaḷe ṭhitaṁ; disvāna māraṁ pāpimantaṁ etadavoca: “etthāpi kho tāhaṁ, pāpima, passāmi; mā tvaṁ maññittho ‘na maṁ passatī’ti. Eso tvaṁ, pāpima, paccaggaḷe ṭhito.

Then Māra came up out of Moggallāna’s mouth and stood against the door bar. Moggallāna saw him there and said, “I see you even there, Wicked One. Do not think, ‘He doesn’t see me.’ That’s you, Wicked One, standing against the door bar.

Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, pāpima, dūsī nāma māro ahosiṁ, tassa me kāḷī nāma bhaginī. Tassā tvaṁ putto. So me tvaṁ bhāgineyyo ahosi.

Once upon a time, Wicked One, I was a Māra named Dūsī, and I had a sister named Kāḷī. You were her son, which made you my nephew.

Tena kho pana, pāpima, samayena kakusandho bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho loke uppanno hoti. Kakusandhassa kho pana, pāpima, bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa vidhurasañjīvaṁ nāma sāvakayugaṁ ahosi aggaṁ bhaddayugaṁ. Yāvatā kho pana, pāpima, kakusandhassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa sāvakā. Tesu na ca koci āyasmatā vidhurena samasamo hoti yadidaṁ dhammadesanāya. Iminā kho evaṁ, pāpima, pariyāyena āyasmato vidhurassa vidhuroteva² samaññā udapādi.

At that time Kakusandha, the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha arose in the world. Kakusandha had a fine pair of chief disciples named Vidhura and Sañjīva. Of all the disciples of the Buddha Kakusandha, none were the equal of Venerable Vidhura in teaching Dhamma. And that’s how he came to be known as Vidhura.

Āyasmā pana, pāpima, sañjīvo araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi appakasireneva saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajjati. Bhūtapubbaṁ, pāpima, āyasmā sañjīvo aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpanno nisinno hoti. Addasaṁsu kho, pāpima, gopālakā pasupālakā kassakā pathāvino āyasmantaṁ sañjīvaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpannaṁ nisinnaṁ; disvāna tesaṁ etadahosi: ‘acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata, bho. Ayaṁ samaṇo nisinnakova kālaṅkato. Handa naṁ dahāmā’ti. Atha kho te, pāpima, gopālakā pasupālakā kassakā pathāvino tiṇañca kaṭṭhañca gomayañca saṅkaḍḍhitvā āyasmato sañjīvassa kāye upacinitvā aggiṁ datvā pakkamiṁsu.

But when Venerable Sañjīva had gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, he easily attained the cessation of perception and feeling. Once upon a time, Sañjīva was sitting at the root of a certain tree having attained the cessation of perception and feeling. Some cowherds, shepherds, farmers, and passers-by saw him sitting there and said, ‘Oh, how incredible, how amazing! This ascetic passed away while sitting. We should cremate him.’ They collected grass, wood, and cow-dung, heaped it all on Sañjīva’s body, set it on fire, and left.

Atha kho, pāpima, āyasmā sañjīvo tassā rattiyā accayena tāya samāpattiyā vuṭṭhahitvā cīvarāni papphoṭetvā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Addasaṁsu kho te, pāpima, gopālakā pasupālakā kassakā pathāvino āyasmantaṁ sañjīvaṁ piṇḍāya carantaṁ; disvāna nesaṁ etadahosi: ‘acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata, bho. Ayaṁ samaṇo nisinnakova kālaṅkato, svāyaṁ paṭisañjīvito’ti. Iminā kho evaṁ, pāpima, pariyāyena āyasmato sañjīvassa sañjīvoteva³ samaññā udapādi.

Then, when the night had passed, Sañjīva emerged from that attainment, shook out his robes, and, since it was morning, he robed up and entered the village for alms. Those cowherds, shepherds, farmers, and passers-by saw him wandering for alms and said, ‘Oh, how incredible, how amazing! This ascetic passed away while sitting, and now he has come back to life!’ And that’s how he came to be known as Sañjīva.

Atha kho, pāpima, dūsissa mārassa etadahosi: ‘imesaṁ kho ahaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ sīlavantānaṁ kalyāṇadhammānaṁ neva jānāmi āgatiṁ vā gatiṁ vā. Yannūnāhaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāviseyyaṁ—etha, tumhe bhikkhū sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme akkosatha paribhāsatha rosetha vihesetha. Appeva nāma tumhehi akkosiyamānānaṁ paribhāsiyamānānaṁ rosiyamānānaṁ vihesiyamānānaṁ siyā cittassa aññathattaṁ, yathā taṁ dūsī māro labhetha otāran’ti. Atha kho te, pāpima, dūsī māro brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāvisi: ‘etha, tumhe bhikkhū sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme akkosatha paribhāsatha rosetha vihesetha. Appeva nāma tumhehi akkosiyamānānaṁ paribhāsiyamānānaṁ rosiyamānānaṁ vihesiyamānānaṁ siyā cittassa aññathattaṁ, yathā taṁ dūsī māro labhetha otāran’ti.

Then it occurred to Māra Dūsī, ‘I don’t know the course of rebirth of these ethical bhikkhus of good character. Why don’t I take possession of these brahmins and householders and say, “Come, all of you, abuse, attack, harass, and trouble the ethical bhikkhus of good character. Hopefully by doing this we can upset their minds so that Māra Dūsī can find a vulnerability.”’ And that’s exactly what he did.

Atha kho te, pāpima, brāhmaṇagahapatikā anvāvisiṭṭhā dūsinā mārena bhikkhū sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme akkosanti paribhāsanti rosenti vihesenti: ‘ime pana muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā⁴ bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyanti. Seyyathāpi nāma ulūko rukkhasākhāyaṁ mūsikaṁ maggayamāno jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati; evamevime muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyanti. Seyyathāpi nāma kotthu nadītīre macche maggayamāno jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati; evamevime muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyanti. Seyyathāpi nāma biḷāro sandhisamalasaṅkaṭīre mūsikaṁ maggayamāno jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati; evamevime muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyanti. Seyyathāpi nāma gadrabho vahacchinno sandhisamalasaṅkaṭīre jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati; evamevime muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyantī’ti.

Then those brahmins and householders abused, attacked, harassed, and troubled the ethical bhikkhus of good character: ‘These shavelings, fake ascetics, primitives, black spawn from the feet of our kinsman, say, “We practice jhāna meditation! We practice jhāna meditation!” Slouching, downcast, and dopey, they meditate and concentrate and contemplate and ruminate. They’re just like an owl on a branch, which meditates and concentrates and contemplates and ruminates as it hunts a mouse. They’re just like a jackal on a river-bank, which meditates and concentrates and contemplates and ruminates as it hunts a fish. They’re just like a cat by an alley or a drain or a dustbin, which meditates and concentrates and contemplates and ruminates as it hunts a mouse. They’re just like an unladen donkey by an alley or a drain or a dustbin, which meditates and concentrates and contemplates and ruminates. In the same way, these shavelings, fake ascetics, primitives, black spawn from the feet of our kinsman, say, “We practice jhāna meditation! We practice jhāna meditation!” Slouching, downcast, and dopey, they meditate and concentrate and contemplate and ruminate.’

Ye kho pana, pāpima, tena samayena manussā kālaṁ karonti yebhuyyena kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjanti.

Most of the people who died at that time—when their body broke up, after death—were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Atha kho, pāpima, kakusandho bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho bhikkhū āmantesi: ‘anvāviṭṭhā kho, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇagahapatikā dūsinā mārena—etha, tumhe bhikkhū sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme akkosatha paribhāsatha rosetha vihesetha, appeva nāma tumhehi akkosiyamānānaṁ paribhāsiyamānānaṁ rosiyamānānaṁ vihesiyamānānaṁ siyā cittassa aññathattaṁ, yathā taṁ dūsī māro labhetha otāran’ti. Etha, tumhe, bhikkhave, mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharatha. Karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe… muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe… upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharatha, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā viharathā’ti.

Then Kakusandha the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, addressed the bhikkhus: ‘Bhikkhus, the brahmins and householders have been possessed by Māra Dūsī. He told them to abuse you in the hope of upsetting your minds so that he can find a vulnerability. Come, all of you bhikkhus, meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, spread a heart full of love to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Meditate spreading a heart full of compassion … Meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing … Meditate spreading a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.’

Atha kho te, pāpima, bhikkhū kakusandhena bhagavatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena evaṁ ovadiyamānā evaṁ anusāsiyamānā araññagatāpi rukkhamūlagatāpi suññāgāragatāpi mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihariṁsu, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā vihariṁsu. Karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe… muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe… upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā vihariṁsu, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyābajjhena pharitvā vihariṁsu.

When those bhikkhus were instructed and advised by the Buddha Kakusandha in this way, they went to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, where they meditated spreading a heart full of love … compassion … rejoicing … equanimity.

Atha kho, pāpima, dūsissa mārassa etadahosi: ‘evampi kho ahaṁ karonto imesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ sīlavantānaṁ kalyāṇadhammānaṁ neva jānāmi āgatiṁ vā gatiṁ vā, yannūnāhaṁ brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāviseyyaṁ: “etha, tumhe bhikkhū sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme sakkarotha garuṁ karotha mānetha pūjetha, appeva nāma tumhehi sakkariyamānānaṁ garukariyamānānaṁ māniyamānānaṁ pūjiyamānānaṁ siyā cittassa aññathattaṁ, yathā taṁ dūsī māro labhetha otāran”’ti.

Then it occurred to Māra Dūsī, ‘Even when I do this I don’t know the course of rebirth of these ethical bhikkhus of good character. Why don’t I take possession of these brahmins and householders and say, “Come, all of you, honor, respect, esteem, and venerate the ethical bhikkhus of good character. Hopefully by doing this we can upset their minds so that Māra Dūsī can find a vulnerability.”’

Atha kho te, pāpima, dūsī māro brāhmaṇagahapatike anvāvisi: ‘etha, tumhe bhikkhū sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme sakkarotha garuṁ karotha mānetha pūjetha, appeva nāma tumhehi sakkariyamānānaṁ garukariyamānānaṁ māniyamānānaṁ pūjiyamānānaṁ siyā cittassa aññathattaṁ, yathā taṁ dūsī māro labhetha otāran’ti. Atha kho te, pāpima, brāhmaṇagahapatikā anvāviṭṭhā dūsinā mārena bhikkhū sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti.

And that’s exactly what he did. Then those brahmins and householders honored, respected, esteemed, and venerated the ethical bhikkhus of good character.

Ye kho pana, pāpima, tena samayena manussā kālaṁ karonti yebhuyyena kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjanti.

Most of the people who died at that time—when their body broke up, after death—were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

Atha kho, pāpima, kakusandho bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho bhikkhū āmantesi: ‘anvāviṭṭhā kho, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇagahapatikā dūsinā mārena: “etha, tumhe bhikkhū sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme sakkarotha garuṁ karotha mānetha pūjetha, appeva nāma tumhehi sakkariyamānānaṁ garukariyamānānaṁ māniyamānānaṁ pūjiyamānānaṁ siyā cittassa aññathattaṁ, yathā taṁ dūsī māro labhetha otāran”ti. Etha, tumhe, bhikkhave, asubhānupassino kāye viharatha, āhāre paṭikūlasaññino, sabbaloke anabhiratisaññino, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassino’ti.

Then Kakusandha the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, addressed the bhikkhus: ‘Bhikkhus, the brahmins and householders have been possessed by Māra Dūsī. He told them to venerate you in the hope of upsetting your minds so that he can find a vulnerability. Come, all you bhikkhus, meditate observing the ugliness of the body, perceiving the repulsiveness of food, perceiving dissatisfaction with the whole world, and observing the impermanence of all conditions.’

Atha kho te, pāpima, bhikkhū kakusandhena bhagavatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena evaṁ ovadiyamānā evaṁ anusāsiyamānā araññagatāpi rukkhamūlagatāpi suññāgāragatāpi asubhānupassino kāye vihariṁsu, āhāre paṭikūlasaññino, sabbaloke anabhiratisaññino, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassino.

When those bhikkhus were instructed and advised by the Buddha Kakusandha in this way, they went to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, where they meditated observing the ugliness of the body, perceiving the repulsiveness of food, perceiving dissatisfaction with the whole world, and observing the impermanence of all conditions.

Atha kho, pāpima, kakusandho bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya āyasmatā vidhurena pacchāsamaṇena gāmaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

Then the Buddha Kakusandha robed up in the morning and, taking this bowl and robe, entered the village for alms with Venerable Vidhura as his second monk.

Atha kho, pāpima, dūsī māro aññataraṁ kumārakaṁ⁵ anvāvisitvā sakkharaṁ gahetvā āyasmato vidhurassa sīse pahāramadāsi; sīsaṁ vobhindi. Atha kho, pāpima, āyasmā vidhuro bhinnena sīsena lohitena gaḷantena kakusandhaṁyeva bhagavantaṁ arahantaṁ sammāsambuddhaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhi. Atha kho, pāpima, kakusandho bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho nāgāpalokitaṁ apalokesi: ‘na vāyaṁ dūsī māro mattamaññāsī’ti. Sahāpalokanāya ca pana, pāpima, dūsī māro tamhā ca ṭhānā cavi mahānirayañca upapajji.

Then Māra Dūsī took possession of a certain boy, picked up a rock, and hit Vidhura on the head, cracking it open. Then Vidhura, with blood pouring from his cracked skull, still followed behind the Buddha Kakusandha. Then the Buddha Kakusandha turned to gaze back, the way that elephants do, saying, ‘This Māra Dūsī knows no bounds.’ And with that look Māra Dūsī fell from that place and was reborn in the Great Hell.

Tassa kho pana, pāpima, mahānirayassa tayo nāmadheyyā honti—chaphassāyataniko itipi, saṅkusamāhato itipi, paccattavedaniyo itipi. Atha kho maṁ, pāpima, nirayapālā upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ: ‘yadā kho te, mārisa, saṅkunā saṅku hadaye samāgaccheyya. Atha naṁ tvaṁ jāneyyāsi: “vassasahassaṁ me niraye paccamānassā”’ti.

Now that Great Hell is known by three names: ‘The Six Fields of Contact’ and also ‘The Impaling With Spikes’ and also ‘Individually Painful’. Then the wardens of hell came to me and said, ‘When spike meets spike in your heart, you will know that you’ve been roasting in hell for a thousand years.’

So kho ahaṁ, pāpima, bahūni vassāni bahūni vassasatāni bahūni vassasahassāni tasmiṁ mahāniraye apacciṁ. Dasavassasahassāni tasseva mahānirayassa ussade apacciṁ vuṭṭhānimaṁ nāma vedanaṁ vediyamāno. Tassa mayhaṁ, pāpima, evarūpo kāyo hoti, seyyathāpi manussassa. Evarūpaṁ sīsaṁ hoti, seyyathāpi macchassa.

I roasted for many years, many centuries, many millennia in that Great Hell. For ten thousand years I roasted in the annex of that Great Hell, experiencing the pain called ‘this is emergence’. My body was in human form, but I had the head of a fish.

Kīdiso nirayo āsi, yattha dūsī apaccatha; Vidhuraṁ sāvakamāsajja, kakusandhañca brāhmaṇaṁ.

What kind of hell was that, where Dūsī was roasted after attacking the disciple Vidhura along with the brahmin Kakusandha?

Sataṁ āsi ayosaṅkū, sabbe paccattavedanā; Īdiso nirayo āsi, yattha dūsī apaccatha; Vidhuraṁ sāvakamāsajja, kakusandhañca brāhmaṇaṁ.

There were 100 iron spikes, each one individually painful. That’s the kind of hell where Dūsī was roasted after attacking the disciple Vidhura along with the brahmin Kakusandha.

Yo etamabhijānāti, bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako; Tādisaṁ bhikkhumāsajja, kaṇha dukkhaṁ nigacchasi.

Dark One, if you attack a bhikkhu who directly knows this, a disciple of the Buddha, you’ll fall into suffering.

Majjhe sarassa tiṭṭhanti, vimānā kappaṭṭhāyino; Veḷuriyavaṇṇā rucirā, accimanto pabhassarā; Accharā tattha naccanti, puthu nānattavaṇṇiyo.

There are mansions that last for an eon standing in the middle of a lake. Sapphire-colored, brilliant, they sparkle and shine. Dancing there are nymphs shining in all different colors.

Yo etamabhijānāti, bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako; Tādisaṁ bhikkhumāsajja, kaṇha dukkhaṁ nigacchasi.

Dark One, if you attack a bhikkhu who directly knows this, a disciple of the Buddha, you’ll fall into suffering.

Yo ve buddhena codito, bhikkhu saṅghassa pekkhato; Migāramātupāsādaṁ, pādaṅguṭṭhena kampayi.

I’m the one who, urged by the Buddha, shook the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother with his big toe as the Saṅgha of bhikkhus watched.

Yo etamabhijānāti, bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako; Tādisaṁ bhikkhumāsajja, kaṇha dukkhaṁ nigacchasi.

Dark One, if you attack a bhikkhu who directly knows this, a disciple of the Buddha, you’ll fall into suffering.

Yo vejayantaṁ pāsādaṁ, pādaṅguṭṭhena kampayi; Iddhibalenupatthaddho, saṁvejesi ca devatā.

I’m the one who shook the Palace of Victory with his big toe owing to psychic power, inspiring deities to awe.

Yo etamabhijānāti, bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako; Tādisaṁ bhikkhumāsajja, kaṇha dukkhaṁ nigacchasi.

Dark One, if you attack a bhikkhu who directly knows this, a disciple of the Buddha, you’ll fall into suffering.

Yo vejayantapāsāde, sakkaṁ so paripucchati; Api vāsava jānāsi, taṇhākkhayavimuttiyo; Tassa sakko viyākāsi, pañhaṁ puṭṭho yathātathaṁ.

I’m the one who asked Sakka in the Palace of Victory: ‘Vāsava, do you know the freedom that comes with the ending of craving?’ And I’m the one to whom Sakka admitted the truth when asked.

Yo etamabhijānāti, bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako; Tādisaṁ bhikkhumāsajja, kaṇha dukkhaṁ nigacchasi.

Dark One, if you attack a bhikkhu who directly knows this, a disciple of the Buddha, you’ll fall into suffering.

Yo brahmaṁ paripucchati, sudhammāyābhito sabhaṁ; Ajjāpi tyāvuso diṭṭhi, yā te diṭṭhi pure ahu; Passasi vītivattantaṁ, brahmaloke pabhassaraṁ.

I’m the one who asked Brahmā in the Hall of Justice before the assembly: ‘Friend, do you still have the same view that you had in the past? Or do you see the radiance transcending the Brahmā realm?’

Tassa brahmā viyākāsi, anupubbaṁ yathātathaṁ; Na me mārisa sā diṭṭhi, yā me diṭṭhi pure ahu.

And I’m the one to whom Brahmā truthfully admitted his progress: ‘Good sir, I don’t have that view that I had in the past.

Passāmi vītivattantaṁ, brahmaloke pabhassaraṁ; Sohaṁ ajja kathaṁ vajjaṁ, ahaṁ niccomhi sassato.

I see the radiance transcending the Brahmā realm. So how could I say today that I am permanent and eternal?’

Yo etamabhijānāti, bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako; Tādisaṁ bhikkhumāsajja, kaṇha dukkhaṁ nigacchasi.

Dark One, if you attack a bhikkhu who directly knows this, a disciple of the Buddha, you’ll fall into suffering.

Yo mahāmeruno kūṭaṁ, vimokkhena aphassayi; Vanaṁ pubbavidehānaṁ, ye ca bhūmisayā narā.

I’m the one who touched the peak of Mount Meru using the power of meditative liberation. I’ve visited the forests of the people who dwell in the Eastern Continent.

Yo etamabhijānāti, bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako; Tādisaṁ bhikkhumāsajja, kaṇha dukkhaṁ nigacchasi.

Dark One, if you attack a bhikkhu who directly knows this, a disciple of the Buddha, you’ll fall into suffering.

Na ve aggi cetayati, ‘ahaṁ bālaṁ ḍahāmī’ti; Bālo ca jalitaṁ aggiṁ, āsajja naṁ sa ḍayhati.

Though a fire doesn’t think, ‘I’ll burn the fool!’ Still the fool who attacks the fire gets burnt.

Evameva tuvaṁ māra, āsajja naṁ tathāgataṁ; Sayaṁ ḍahissasi attānaṁ, bālo aggiṁva samphusaṁ.

In the same way, Māra, in attacking the Realized One, you’ll only burn yourself, like a fool touching the flames.

Apuññaṁ pasavī māro, āsajja naṁ tathāgataṁ; Kiṁ nu maññasi pāpima, na me pāpaṁ vipaccati.

Māra’s done a bad thing in attacking the Realized One. Wicked One, do you imagine that your wickedness won’t bear fruit?

Karoto cīyati pāpaṁ, cirarattāya antaka; Māra nibbinda buddhamhā, āsaṁ mākāsi bhikkhusu.

Your deeds heap up wickedness that will last a long time, terminator! Forget about the Buddha, Māra! And give up your hopes for the bhikkhus!”

Iti māraṁ atajjesi, bhikkhu bhesakaḷāvane; Tato so dummano yakkho, tatthevantaradhāyathā”ti.

That is how, in the Bhesekaḷā grove, the bhikkhu rebuked Māra. That spirit, downcast, disappeared right there!

Māratajjanīyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dasamaṁ.

Cūḷayamakavaggo niṭṭhito pañcamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sāleyya verañjaduve ca tuṭṭhi, Cūḷamahādhammasamādānañca; Vīmaṁsakā kosambi ca brāhmaṇo, Dūsī ca māro dasamo ca vaggo.

Idaṁ vaggānamuddānaṁ

Mūlapariyāyo ceva, sīhanādo ca uttamo; Kakaco ceva gosiṅgo, sāleyyo ca ime pañca.

Mūlapaṇṇāsakaṁ samattaṁ.