SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 4 Connected Discourses With Māra – Mārasaṁyutta > SN 4.17 The Six Fields of Contact

Linked Discourses 4.17 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.17

2. Rule – 2. Dutiyavagga

SN 4.17 The Six Fields of Contact – Chaphassāyatanasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

Now at that time the Buddha was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the bhikkhū with a Dhamma talk on the topic of the six fields of contact.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ upādāya bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti.

And those bhikkhū were paying heed, paying attention, engaging wholeheartedly, and lending an ear.

Te ca bhikkhū aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasotā dhammaṁ suṇanti.

Then Māra thought,

Atha kho mārassa pāpimato etadahosi:

“This ascetic Gotama is educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the bhikkhū with a Dhamma talk on the topic of the six fields of contact.

“ayaṁ kho samaṇo gotamo channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ upādāya bhikkhūnaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sappahaṁseti.

And those bhikkhū are paying heed, paying attention, engaging wholeheartedly, and lending an ear.

Te ca bhikkhū aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasotā dhammaṁ suṇanti.

Why don’t I go and pull the wool over their eyes?”

Yannūnāhaṁ yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkameyyaṁ vicakkhukammāyā”ti.

Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and made a terrifyingly loud noise close by him. It seemed as if the earth were shattering, so that one of the bhikkhū said to another,

Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato avidūre mahantaṁ bhayabheravaṁ saddamakāsi, apissudaṁ pathavī maññe undrīyati. Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

“Bhikkhu, bhikkhu, it seems like the earth is shattering!”

“bhikkhu bhikkhu, esā pathavī maññe undrīyatī”ti.

When this was said, the Buddha said to that bhikkhu,

Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

“Bhikkhu, that’s not the earth shattering.

“nesā, bhikkhu, pathavī undrīyati.

That’s Māra the Wicked come to pull the wool over your eyes!”

Māro eso pāpimā tumhākaṁ vicakkhukammāya āgato”ti.

Then the Buddha, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, addressed him in verse:

Atha kho bhagavā “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Sights, sounds, tastes, smells,

“Rūpā saddā rasā gandhā,

touches, and thoughts, the lot of them—

phassā dhammā ca kevalā;

this is the dreadful bait

Etaṁ lokāmisaṁ ghoraṁ,

that the world’s infatuated by.

ettha loko vimucchito.

But a mindful disciple of the Buddha

Etañca samatikkamma,

has transcended all that.

sato buddhassa sāvako;

Having slipped free of Māra’s sway,

Māradheyyaṁ atikkamma,

they shine like the sun.”

ādiccova virocatī”ti.

Then Māra … vanished right there.

Atha kho māro pāpimā …pe… tatthevantaradhāyīti.