SN 1–11 The Group of Connected Discourses With Verses – Sagāthāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 4 Connected Discourses With Māra – Mārasaṁyutta > SN 4.25 Māra’s Daughters

Linked Discourses 4.25 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 4.25

3. Māra – 3. Tatiyavagga

SN 4.25 Māra’s Daughters – Māradhītusutta

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, embarrassed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say, scratching the ground with a stick.

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’s daughters Craving, Delight, and Lust went up to Māra the Wicked, and addressed him in verse:

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena māro pāpimā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsiṁsu:

“Why so downhearted, dad?

“Kenāsi dummano tāta,

What man are you upset about?

purisaṁ kaṁ nu socasi;

We’ll catch him with the snare of lust,

Mayaṁ taṁ rāgapāsena,

like an elephant in the wild.

āraññamiva kuñjaraṁ;

We’ll tie him up and bring him back—

Bandhitvā ānayissāma,

he’ll fall under your sway!”

vasago te bhavissatī”ti.

“In this world he is the perfected one, the Holy One.

“Arahaṁ sugato loke,

He’s not easily seduced by lust.

na rāgena suvānayo;

He has slipped free of Māra’s sway;

Māradheyyaṁ atikkanto,

that’s why I’m so upset.”

tasmā socāmahaṁ bhusan”ti.

Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Delight, and Lust went up to the Buddha, and said to him,

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“We serve at your feet, ascetic.”

“pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti.

But the Buddha ignored them, since he was freed with the supreme ending of attachments.

Atha kho bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Then Craving, Delight, and Lust withdrew to one side to think up a plan.

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekamantaṁ apakkamma evaṁ samacintesuṁ:

“Men have a diverse spectrum of tastes.

“uccāvacā kho purisānaṁ adhippāyā.

Why don’t we each manifest in the form of a hundred young maidens?”

Yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ kumārivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā”ti.

So that’s what they did. Then they went up to the Buddha and said to him,

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekasataṁ ekasataṁ kumārivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“We serve at your feet, ascetic.”

“pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti.

But the Buddha still ignored them, since he was freed with the supreme ending of attachments.

Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Then Craving, Delight, and Lust withdrew to one side to think up a plan.

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekamantaṁ apakkamma evaṁ samacintesuṁ:

“Men have a diverse spectrum of tastes.

“uccāvacā kho purisānaṁ adhippāyā.

Why don’t we each manifest in the form of a hundred women who have never given birth?”

Yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ avijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā”ti.

So that’s what they did. Then they went up to the Buddha and said to him,

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekasataṁ ekasataṁ avijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“We serve at your feet, ascetic.”

“pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā”ti.

But the Buddha still ignored them, since he was freed with the supreme ending of attachments.

Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Then Craving, Delight, and Lust …

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ sakiṁ vijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

each manifested in the form of a hundred women who have given birth once …

sakiṁ vijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“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.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

women who have given birth twice …

duvijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā …pe…

yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

majjhimitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā”ti.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

middle-aged women …

majjhimitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā …pe…

anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

mahitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti.

Atha kho taṇhā ca …pe…

old women …

mahitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā …pe…

But the Buddha still ignored them, since he was freed with the supreme ending of attachments.

anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

Then Craving, Delight, and Lust withdrew to one side and said,

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekamantaṁ apakkamma etadavocuṁ:

“What our father said is true:

“saccaṁ kira no pitā avoca:

‘In this world he is the perfected one, the Holy One.

‘Arahaṁ sugato loke,

He’s not easily seduced by lust.

na rāgena suvānayo;

He has slipped free of Māra’s sway;

Māradheyyaṁ atikkanto,

that’s why I’m so upset.’

tasmā socāmahaṁ bhusan’ti.

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.

Yañhi mayaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā avītarāgaṁ iminā upakkamena upakkameyyāma hadayaṁ vāssa phaleyya, uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ vā mukhato uggaccheyya, ummādaṁ vā pāpuṇeyya cittakkhepaṁ vā.

He’d dry up, wither away, and shrivel up like a green reed that was mowed down.”

Seyyathā vā pana naḷo harito luto ussussati visussati milāyati;

evameva ussusseyya visusseyya milāyeyyā”ti.

Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Delight, and Lust went up to the Buddha, and stood to one side.

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.

Māra’s daughter Craving addressed the Buddha in verse:

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho taṇhā māradhītā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Are you swamped by sorrow that you meditate in the forest?

“Sokāvatiṇṇo nu vanamhi jhāyasi,

Have you lost a fortune, or do you long for one?

Vittaṁ nu jīno uda patthayāno;

Or perhaps you’ve committed some crime in the village?

Āguṁ nu gāmasmimakāsi kiñci,

Why don’t you get too close to people?

Kasmā janena na karosi sakkhiṁ;

And why does no-one get close to you?”

Sakkhī na sampajjati kenaci te”ti.

“I’ve reached the goal, peace of heart.

“Atthassa pattiṁ hadayassa santiṁ,

Having conquered the army of the likable and pleasant,

Jetvāna senaṁ piyasātarūpaṁ;

alone, practicing absorption, I awakened to bliss.

Ekohaṁ jhāyaṁ sukhamanubodhiṁ,

That’s why I don’t get too close to people,

Tasmā janena na karomi sakkhiṁ;

and no-one gets too close to me.”

Sakkhī na sampajjati kenaci me”ti.

Then Māra’s daughter Delight addressed the Buddha in verse:

Atha kho arati māradhītā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“How does a bhikkhu who has crossed five floods

“Kathaṁvihārībahulodha bhikkhu,

usually meditate here while crossing the sixth?

Pañcoghatiṇṇo atarīdha chaṭṭhaṁ;

How do they usually practice absorption so that sensual perceptions

Kathaṁ jhāyiṁ bahulaṁ kāmasaññā,

are kept out and don’t get hold of them?”

Paribāhirā honti aladdha yo tan”ti.

“With tranquil body and mind well freed,

“Passaddhakāyo suvimuttacitto,

without making plans, mindful, homeless;

Asaṅkharāno satimā anoko;

understanding the teaching, they practice absorption without placing the mind;

Aññāya dhammaṁ avitakkajhāyī,

they’re not shaking or drifting or rigid.

Na kuppati na sarati na thino.

That’s how a bhikkhu who has crossed five floods

Evaṁvihārībahulodha bhikkhu,

usually meditates here while crossing the sixth.

Pañcoghatiṇṇo atarīdha chaṭṭhaṁ;

That’s how they usually practice absorption so that sensual perceptions

Evaṁ jhāyiṁ bahulaṁ kāmasaññā,

are kept out and don’t get hold of them.”

Paribāhirā honti aladdha yo tan”ti.

Then Māra’s daughter Lust addressed the Buddha in verse:

Atha kho ragā māradhītā bhagavato santike gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“He lives with his community after cutting off craving,

“Acchejja taṇhaṁ gaṇasaṅghacārī,

and many of the faithful will cross over for sure.

Addhā carissanti bahū ca saddhā;

Alas, this homeless one will snatch many men away,

Bahuṁ vatāyaṁ janataṁ anoko,

and lead them past the King of Death!”

Acchejja nessati maccurājassa pāran”ti.

“The great heroes they lead

“Nayanti ve mahāvīrā,

by means of the true teaching.

saddhammena tathāgatā;

When the Realized Ones are leading by the teaching,

Dhammena nayamānānaṁ,

how could anyone who knows be jealous?”

kā usūyā vijānatan”ti.

Then Māra’s daughters Craving, Delight, and Lust went up to Māra the Wicked.

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena māro pāpimā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu.

Māra the Wicked saw them coming off in the distance,

Addasā kho māro pāpimā taṇhañca aratiñca ragañca māradhītaro dūratova āgacchantiyo.

and addressed them in verse:

Disvāna gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“Fools! You drill into a mountain

“Bālā kumudanāḷehi,

with lotus stalks!

pabbataṁ abhimatthatha;

You dig up a hill with your nails!

Giriṁ nakhena khanatha,

You chew iron with your teeth!

ayo dantehi khādatha.

You seek a footing in the deeps, as it were,

Selaṁva sirasūhacca,

while lifting a rock with your head!

pātāle gādhamesatha;

After attacking a stump with your breast, as it were,

Khāṇuṁva urasāsajja,

you leave Gotama disappointed.”

nibbijjāpetha gotamā”ti.

“They came in their splendor—

“Daddallamānā āgañchuṁ,

Craving, Delight, and Lust.

taṇhā ca aratī ragā;

But the Teacher brushed them off right there,

Tā tattha panudī satthā,

like the breeze, a fallen tuft.”

tūlaṁ bhaṭṭhaṁva māluto”ti.

Tatiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Sambahulā samiddhi ca,

Godhikaṁ sattavassāni;

Dhītaraṁ desitaṁ buddha,

The Linked Discourses with Māra are complete.

Seṭṭhena imaṁ mārapañcakanti.