sutta » sn » sn4 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.25

Māradhītusutta

Māra’s Daughters Māra’s Daughters

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.
Then Māra the Evil One, having spoken these verses of disappointment in the presence of the Blessed One, went away from that spot and sat down cross-legged on the ground not far from the Blessed One, silent, dismayed, with his shoulders drooping, downcast, brooding, unable to speak, scratching the ground with a stick.
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.

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena māro pāpimā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsiṁsu:
Then Māra’s daughters—Taṇhā, Aratī, and Ragā—approached Māra the Evil One and addressed him in verse:
Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Delight, and Lust went up to Māra the Wicked, and addressed him in verse:

“Kenāsi dummano tāta,
“Why are you despondent, father?
“Why so downhearted, dad?

purisaṁ kaṁ nu socasi;
Who’s the man for whom you grieve?
What man are you upset about?

Mayaṁ taṁ rāgapāsena,
We’ll catch him with the snare of lust
We’ll catch him with the snare of lust,

āraññamiva kuñjaraṁ;
As they catch the forest elephant.
like an elephant in the wild.

Bandhitvā ānayissāma,
We’ll bind him tightly and bring him back,
We’ll tie him up and bring him back—

vasago te bhavissatī”ti.
And he’ll be under your control. ”
he’ll fall under your sway!”

“Arahaṁ sugato loke,
“The Arahant, the Fortunate One in the world,
“In this world he is the perfected one, the Holy One.

na rāgena suvānayo;
Is not easily drawn by means of lust.
He’s not easily seduced by lust.

Māradheyyaṁ atikkanto,
He has gone beyond Māra’s realm:
He has slipped free of Māra’s sway;

tasmā socāmahaṁ bhusan”ti.
Therefore I sorrow so bitterly. ”
that’s why I’m so upset.”

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then Māra’s daughters—Taṇhā, Aratī, and Ragā—approached the Blessed One and said to him:
Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Delight, and Lust went up to the Buddha, and said to him,

“pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti.
“We serve at your feet, ascetic. ”
“We serve at your feet, ascetic.”

Atha kho bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.
But the Blessed One paid no attention, as he was liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of acquisitions.
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:
Then Māra’s daughters—Taṇhā, Aratī, and Ragā—went off to the side and took counsel:
Then Craving, Delight, and Lust withdrew to one side to think up a plan.

“uccāvacā kho purisānaṁ adhippāyā.
“Men’s tastes are diverse.
“Men have a diverse spectrum of tastes.

Yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ kumārivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā”ti.
Suppose we each manifest ourselves in the form of a hundred maidens. ”
Why don’t we each manifest in the form of a hundred young maidens?”

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekasataṁ ekasataṁ kumārivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then Māra’s three daughters, each manifesting herself in the form of a hundred maidens, approached the Blessed One and said to him:
So that’s what they did. Then they went up to the Buddha and said to him,

“pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti.
“We serve at your feet, ascetic. ”
“We serve at your feet, ascetic.”

Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.
But the Blessed One paid no attention, as he was liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of acquisitions.
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:
Then Māra’s daughters went off to the side and again took counsel:
Then Craving, Delight, and Lust withdrew to one side to think up a plan.

“uccāvacā kho purisānaṁ adhippāyā.
“Men’s tastes are diverse.
“Men have a diverse spectrum of tastes.

Yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ avijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā”ti.
Suppose we each manifest ourselves in the form of a hundred women who have never given birth. ”
Why don’t we each manifest in the form of a hundred women who have never given birth?”

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekasataṁ ekasataṁ avijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then Māra’s three daughters, each manifesting herself 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,

“pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti.
“We serve at your feet, ascetic.”
“We serve at your feet, ascetic.”

Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.
But the Blessed One paid no attention, as he was liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of acquisitions.
But the Buddha still ignored them, since he was freed with the supreme ending of attachments.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…
Then Craving, Delight, and Lust …

yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ sakiṁ vijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti.
in the form of a hundred women who have given birth once …

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

sakiṁ vijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
each manifested in the form of a hundred women who have given birth once …

“pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti.

Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ duvijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti.
in the form of a hundred women who have given birth twice …

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

duvijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā …pe…
women who have given birth twice …

yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

majjhimitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā”ti.
in the form of a hundred women of middle age …

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

majjhimitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā …pe…
middle-aged women …

anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

mahitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti.
in the form of a hundred old women, approached the Blessed One and said to him:

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

mahitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā …pe…
old women …

anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.
as he was liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of acquisitions.
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 etadavocuṁ:
Then Māra’s daughters—Taṇhā, Aratī, and Ragā—went off to the side and said:
Then Craving, Delight, and Lust withdrew to one side and said,

“saccaṁ kira no pitā avoca:
“What our father told us is true:
“What our father said is true:

‘Arahaṁ sugato loke,
“‘The Arahant, the Fortunate One in the world …
‘In this world he is the perfected one, the Holy One.

na rāgena suvānayo;
He’s not easily seduced by lust.

Māradheyyaṁ atikkanto,
He has slipped free of Māra’s sway;

tasmā socāmahaṁ bhusan’ti.
Therefore I sorrow so bitterly.
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.
’“If we had assailed with such tactics any ascetic or brahmin who was not devoid of lust, either his heart would have burst, or he would have vomited hot blood from his mouth, or he would have gone mad or become mentally deranged;
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 and lose his mind.

Seyyathā vā pana naḷo harito luto ussussati visussati milāyati;
Just as a green reed that has been mowed down would dry up and wither away and become shrivelled.
He’d dry up, wither away, and shrivel up like a green reed that was mowed down.”

evameva ussusseyya visusseyya milāyeyyā”ti.
In the same way, he would have dried up and withered away and become shrivelled.”

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
Then Māra’s daughters—Taṇhā, Aratī, and Ragā—approached the Blessed One and stood to one side.
Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Delight, and Lust went up to the Buddha, and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho taṇhā māradhītā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Standing to one side, Māra’s daughter Taṇhā addressed the Blessed One in verse:
Māra’s daughter Craving addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Sokāvatiṇṇo nu vanamhi jhāyasi,
“Is it because you are sunk in sorrow that you meditate in the woods?
“Are you swamped by sorrow <j>that you meditate in the forest?

Vittaṁ nu jīno uda patthayāno;
Because you’ve lost wealth or pine for it,
Have you lost a fortune, or do you long for one?

Āguṁ nu gāmasmimakāsi kiñci,
Or committed some crime in the village?
Or perhaps you’ve committed <j>some crime in the village?

Kasmā janena na karosi sakkhiṁ;
Why don’t you make friends with people?
Why don’t you get too close to people?

Sakkhī na sampajjati kenaci te”ti.
Why don’t you form any intimate ties?”
And why does no-one get close to you?”

“Atthassa pattiṁ hadayassa santiṁ,
The attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart.
“I’ve reached the goal, peace of heart.

Jetvāna senaṁ piyasātarūpaṁ;
“Having conquered the army of the pleasant and agreeable,
Having conquered the army <j>of the likable and pleasant,

Ekohaṁ jhāyaṁ sukhamanubodhiṁ,
Meditating alone, I discovered bliss,
alone, practicing absorption, I awakened to bliss.

Tasmā janena na karomi sakkhiṁ;
Therefore I don’t make friends with people,
That’s why I don’t get too close to people,

Sakkhī na sampajjati kenaci me”ti.
Nor will I form any intimate ties. ”
and no-one gets too close to me.”

Atha kho arati māradhītā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then Māra’s daughter Aratī addressed the Blessed One in verse:
Then Māra’s daughter Delight addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Kathaṁvihārībahulodha bhikkhu,
“How does a bhikkhu here often dwell
“How does a mendicant who has crossed five floods

Pañcoghatiṇṇo atarīdha chaṭṭhaṁ;
That, five floods crossed, he here has crossed the sixth?
usually meditate here while crossing the sixth?

Kathaṁ jhāyiṁ bahulaṁ kāmasaññā,
How does he meditate so sensual perceptions
How do they usually practice absorption <j>so that sensual perceptions

Paribāhirā honti aladdha yo tan”ti.
Are kept at bay and fail to grip him?”
are kept out and don’t get hold of them?”

“Passaddhakāyo suvimuttacitto,
“Tranquil in body, in mind well liberated,
“With tranquil body and mind well freed,

Asaṅkharāno satimā anoko;
Not generating, mindful, homeless,
without making plans, mindful, homeless;

Aññāya dhammaṁ avitakkajhāyī,
Knowing Dhamma, meditating thought-free,
understanding the teaching, <j>they practice absorption without placing the mind;

Na kuppati na sarati na thino.
He does not erupt, or drift, or stiffen.
they’re not shaking or drifting or rigid.

Evaṁvihārībahulodha bhikkhu,
“When a bhikkhu here often dwells thus,
That’s how a mendicant who has crossed five floods

Pañcoghatiṇṇo atarīdha chaṭṭhaṁ;
With five floods crossed, he here has crossed the sixth.
usually meditates here while crossing the sixth.

Evaṁ jhāyiṁ bahulaṁ kāmasaññā,
When he meditates thus, sensual perceptions
That’s how they usually practice absorption <j>so that sensual perceptions

Paribāhirā honti aladdha yo tan”ti.
Are kept at bay and fail to grip him. ”
are kept out and don’t get hold of them.”

Atha kho ragā māradhītā bhagavato santike gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then Māra’s daughter Ragā addressed the Blessed One in verse:
Then Māra’s daughter Lust addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Acchejja taṇhaṁ gaṇasaṅghacārī,
“He has cut off craving, faring with his group and order;
“He lives with his community after cutting off craving,

Addhā carissanti bahū ca saddhā;
Surely many other beings will cross and lead them away .
and many of the faithful will cross over for sure.

Bahuṁ vatāyaṁ janataṁ anoko,
Alas, this homeless one will snatch many people beyond the King of Death. ”
Alas, this homeless one will snatch many men away,

Acchejja nessati maccurājassa pāran”ti.
and lead them past the King of Death!”

“Nayanti ve mahāvīrā,
Truly, lead by the the great heroes,
“The great heroes they lead

saddhammena tathāgatā;
“and the true Dhamma, the Tathāgatas
by means of the true teaching.

Dhammena nayamānānaṁ,
are leading by means of the Dhamma,
When the Realized Ones are leading by the teaching,

kā usūyā vijānatan”ti.
What envy can there be in those who understand?”
how could anyone who knows be jealous?”

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena māro pāpimā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu.
Then Māra’s daughters—Taṇhā, Aratī, and Ragā—approached Māra the Evil One.
Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Delight, and Lust went up to Māra the Wicked.

Addasā kho māro pāpimā taṇhañca aratiñca ragañca māradhītaro dūratova āgacchantiyo.
Māra saw them coming in the distance
Māra the Wicked saw them coming off in the distance,

Disvāna gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
and addressed them in verse:
and addressed them in verse:

“Bālā kumudanāḷehi,
“Fools! With the stalks of lotus flowers,
“Fools! You drill into a mountain

pabbataṁ abhimatthatha;
You tried to batter a mountain
with lotus stalks!

Giriṁ nakhena khanatha,
To dig up a mountain with your nails,
You dig up a hill with your nails!

ayo dantehi khādatha.
To chew iron with your teeth.
You chew iron with your teeth!

Selaṁva sirasūhacca,
“As if, having lifted a rock with your head,
You seek a footing in the deeps, as it were,

pātāle gādhamesatha;
You sought a foothold in the abyss;
while lifting a rock with your head!

Khāṇuṁva urasāsajja,
As if you struck a stump with your breast,
After attacking a stump with your breast, as it were,

nibbijjāpetha gotamā”ti.
You part from Gotama disappointed. ”
you leave Gotama disappointed.”

“Daddallamānā āgañchuṁ,
They had come to him glittering with beauty—
“They came in their splendor—

taṇhā ca aratī ragā;
Taṇhā, Aratī, and Ragā—
Craving, Delight, and Lust.

Tā tattha panudī satthā,
But the Teacher swept them away right there
But the Teacher brushed them off right there,

tūlaṁ bhaṭṭhaṁva māluto”ti.
As the wind, a fallen cotton tuft.
like the breeze, a fallen tuft.”

Tatiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sambahulā samiddhi ca,

Godhikaṁ sattavassāni;

Dhītaraṁ desitaṁ buddha,

Seṭṭhena imaṁ mārapañcakanti.

Mārasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.
The Linked Discourses with Māra are complete.