魔嬈亂經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Bhagavān was dwelling in the Deer Park, in the Bhagga country, in the grove of Mūma Bhattikāra.

At that time the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was overseeing the construction of a meditation hut for the Buddha. Then, in an open piece of ground, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was walking back and forth at his leisure, directing the workmen. At that time Māra Pāpīmā transformed himself into a tiny form and slipped into the belly of the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna.

Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna thought thus: "Why do I feel a heaviness in my belly? It is as if I had eaten a bean. Let me enter the right-attainment concentration in its proper aspect, and by means of the collected mind look into my belly." Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna stopped pacing, went to the end of the walking path, spread out his sitting-cloth, and sat down cross-legged.

Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna entered the right-attainment concentration in its proper aspect. By means of the mind of concentration, he looked into his own belly, and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna knew that Māra Pāpīmā was inside his belly. Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna emerged from the concentration and said to Māra Pāpīmā:

"Pāpīmā, come out. Pāpīmā, come out! Do not disturb the Tathāgata and the disciples of the Tathāgata. Do not bring upon yourself forever immeasurable suffering, that which is without meaning and without benefit!"

Then Māra Pāpīmā thought thus:

"This recluse, who does not know and does not see, yet says: 'Māra Pāpīmā, come out. Māra Pāpīmā, come out; do not disturb the Tathāgata and the disciples of the Tathāgata. Do not bring upon yourself forever immeasurable suffering, that which is without benefit and without meaning.' Even his World-Honored One, who has great majestic power and such capacity, would still be unable to see me or know me. How much less could a disciple know me or see me! This is impossible."

The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna again spoke to Māra Pāpīmā:

"Pāpīmā, I know your thought as well. You think thus: 'This recluse, who does not know and does not see, yet says: Pāpīmā, come out. Pāpīmā, come out. Do not disturb the Tathāgata and the disciples of the Tathāgata. Do not bring upon yourself forever immeasurable suffering, that which is without benefit and without meaning. Even his World-Honored One, who has such majestic power and such capacity, would still not know me or see me, how much less could his disciple know me or see me. This is impossible.'"

Then Māra Pāpīmā again thought thus: "This recluse already knows and already sees me, and that is why he says: Pāpīmā, come out. Pāpīmā, come out. Do not disturb the Tathāgata and the disciples of the Tathāgata. Do not bring upon yourself forever immeasurable suffering, that which is without meaning or benefit." Then Māra Pāpīmā leapt out of the mouth of the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and stood before the Venerable; then that Māra Pāpīmā stood to one side. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said to Māra Pāpīmā:

"Pāpīmā, in the past there was a Tathāgata named Kakusandha, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One. At that time I too was of the kind of Māra that disturbs. I had a younger sister named Kālī, and you are precisely her son.

Pāpīmā, therefore know that you are my nephew, calling me uncle. Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One—Pāpīmā—had two disciples named Vidhura (Pure Voice) and Sañjīva, who were the most supreme, the most worthy among all the other disciples. Why is this?

Pāpīmā, why was the Venerable Vidhura styled Vidhura Sañjīva? Pāpīmā, this Venerable Vidhura, when dwelling in the Brahma-world, could make the fair renown of the Venerable (his fragrant voice) resound throughout a thousand world-systems; no disciple had a voice that resounded equal to the Venerable, none was like the Venerable. The Venerable was skilled in expounding the Dharma.

Pāpīmā, for this reason the Venerable Vidhura was called Vidhura Sañjīva. Pāpīmā, by what means did the Venerable Sañjīva (Saññā) come to have the name Sañjīva? Pāpīmā, the reason the Venerable was named Sañjīva is that the Venerable dwelt in dependence upon a town or city.

In the early morning the Venerable put on his robe, took up his bowl, and entered the village or town to beg for food, guarding his own body, his faculties complete, his mindfulness ever collected. After entering the village or town to beg for food, and after eating at midday, the Venerable would put away his robe and bowl, wash his feet, place his sitting-cloth over his right shoulder, and go either to a secluded place, or to the foot of a tree, or to an open place, spread out his sitting-cloth, sit down cross-legged, and at once enter the concentration of the cessation of perception and knowing.

At that time there were people—either tending goats, herding oxen, or gathering firewood, or passing along the road—who, seeing him swiftly enter the right-attainment of the cessation of perception and knowing, then thought: 'This recluse is sitting and has died in this secluded place. Let us use dry grass, wood, and ox-dung, spread grass and wood over him, heap it around his body, and set fire to it to cremate him.'

The goatherds, oxherds, woodgatherers, and passers-by together took dry grass and wood, or rotted dry grass, and heaped it upon his body, kindled a fire and burned it, and then went away. The Venerable Sañjīva, after the night had passed, emerged from concentration, lightly and swiftly shook and brushed off his robes, and journeyed back to the village or town. In the early morning, the Venerable put on his robes, took up his robe and bowl, and entered the village or town to beg for food, guarding his own body, protecting his faculties, his mindfulness ever collected.

The people who drove the oxen and goats, who carried firewood, who traveled the road, seeing him, then thought: 'This recluse sat and died in that secluded place; we used dry wood and grass, ox-dung, or spread rotted wood and grass and heaped it over that Venerable's body, kindled a fire and burned it and then went away. Yet now why has this Venerable come back to life?'

"Pāpīmā, for this reason the Venerable was called Sañjīva (one who is revived—come back to life)."

Then Dūsī, the son of Dī-tuần (the evil Māra), thought: "This bald, swarthy recluse, who studies meditation, who is conjoined with meditation, who constantly practices meditation, is like a donkey that carries heavy loads all day long, tied up in the stable, getting no barley to eat; it meditates and meditates, is conjoined with meditation, constantly practices meditation. Just so, this bald, swarthy recluse either gathers together with meditation, is conjoined with meditation, practices meditation, like a cat sitting and watching before a rat's hole, because it wishes to catch the rat in the hole, and so it meditates and meditates, is conjoined with meditation, practices meditation.

Just so, this bald, swarthy recluse constantly gathers with meditation, is conjoined with meditation, constantly practices meditation. Just like a mongoose-deer upon an empty wall, because it wishes to catch a rat, and so it meditates and meditates, is conjoined with meditation, constantly practices meditation. Just so, this bald, swarthy recluse constantly gathers with meditation, is conjoined with meditation, constantly practices meditation.

Like a heron at the water's edge, because it wishes to catch fish, and so it meditates and meditates. Just so, this bald, swarthy recluse is conjoined with meditation, meditates and meditates.

"Yet what is this called meditation? Why do they practice meditation? What sort of meditation is this? They are confused in mind, or have lost their memory, or are without composure. I do not see where they come from, nor do I see where they go, nor do I know where they live, nor do I know how they die, nor do I see how they are born. Let me tell the brahmins and householders: 'You should curse, beat, slander, and bear ill will toward that diligent recluse in this way. If, when he is beaten and cursed much or little, slandered with ill will, perhaps the mind of that one will become otherwise, then the evil Māra will find an opportunity, find an advantage, or find a condition by which to take easy advantage of him.'"

Pāpīmā, the evil Māra turned toward the brahmins and householders and incited them to curse, slander, and bear ill will toward that diligent recluse, to beat him with sticks, throw stones at him, strike him with cudgels, or split open his head, or tear his robe, or smash the bowl of that diligent recluse. Then those brahmins and householders, when their lives ended—because of this condition, when their bodies broke up and their lives ended—were born in the hells, the evil destinies. Having been born there, those people thought: "Now we must undergo this suffering, and we must yet undergo suffering even more extreme. Because, toward that diligent recluse, we gave rise to wicked intent."

Then, Pāpīmā, the disciple of Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One—his head split, his bowl broken, his robe torn—went to where Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One was. At that time Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, was surrounded by an immeasurable hundred thousand of his assembly listening to him expound the Dharma. Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, saw from afar the disciple coming, with his head wounded, his robe torn open, his bowl broken, coming from a distance. Having seen him, he said to the bhikṣus:

"Bhikṣus, look at this bhikṣu, who has been incited against by the wicked evil Māra, who urged the brahmins and householders: 'Go and curse, beat, and bear anger, much or little, beating that diligent recluse. Perhaps he will rouse evil thoughts, or take some other action, so that the evil Māra may have a means, may seek a condition; and once there is a condition, he may take easy advantage of him.'

"Bhikṣus, set your minds in accord with loving-kindness, pervading one direction, abiding in right-attainment. Likewise the second, third, and fourth directions, above and below, all the directions—the mind in accord with loving-kindness, without enmity, without harm, without ill will, truly vast, truly great, immeasurable and well cultivated, pervading the directions—then abide in right-attainment. Likewise, let the mind in accord with compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity pervade the directions, and abide in right-attainment. Make it so that the wicked Māra finds no opportunity, has no condition, gains no advantage, has no condition whatsoever."

Then, Pāpīmā, Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, taught his disciples in this way. They then set their minds in accord with loving-kindness, pervading one direction, and abided in right-attainment. Likewise the second, third, fourth, above and below, all the directions—the mind in accord with loving-kindness, without enmity, without harm, without ill will, truly vast, truly great, immeasurable and well cultivated, pervading the directions—then abided in right-attainment. Likewise, the mind in accord with compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, pervading all the directions, then abided in right-attainment. Therefore, that evil Māra sought a means, sought a condition, but saw no means and no condition whatsoever.

Pāpīmā, then the evil Māra thought: "I have used this means, yet I see no opportunity with regard to that recluse, I see no condition with regard to that recluse. So I should incite the brahmins and householders: You should go to that diligent recluse, and revere, honor, pay homage to, and make offerings to him. Through this offering, attendance, and homage, that person's mind will change, more or less, and then the wicked Māra will find an opportunity, find a condition, and I will take advantage of it." The wicked Māra incited the householders and brahmins to come and make offerings, attend upon, and pay homage to that diligent recluse.

The wicked Māra told the brahmins and householders to spread their garments upon the ground and say: "Diligent recluse, please tread upon them and walk! The diligent recluse has done things that are hard to do, causing us forever to gain meaning and benefit." Or he had the brahmins and householders spread their own hair upon the ground, saying: "Diligent recluse, please tread upon our hair and walk! Diligent recluse, please walk upon my hair!

The diligent recluse has done things that are hard to do, causing us forever to gain meaning and benefit." Or he had the brahmins and householders, their hands filled with food and drink, say: "We bow and hope, worthy ones, that you will accept these foods, and carry them wherever you wish to use them, so that we may forever gain the meaning and benefit." Or he caused the brahmins and householders to have faith and delight in that diligent recluse, themselves taking him by the hand and leading him into their houses, bringing out the things they wished to offer, and saying: "We bow and hope, worthy ones, that you will accept these offerings, and carry them wherever you wish to use them, so that we may forever gain the meaning and benefit." Then those brahmins and householders,

when their lives ended—because of this, because of this condition—when their bodies broke up and their lives ended, were born in a good place, ascending to heaven.

Once born there, they then thought: "We have gained this happiness, which nothing can equal, because we did good deeds with that diligent recluse."

Then, Pāpīmā, the disciples of Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, after they had been offered to, revered, attended upon, and paid homage to, then went to where Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One was. At that time Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, was expounding the Dharma to an immeasurable hundred thousand of his assembly who surrounded him in front. Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, saw from afar his disciples who had been offered to, revered, attended upon, and paid homage to, coming from a distance. Having seen them, he said to the bhikṣus:

"Bhikṣus, do you see this? The wicked Māra Pāpīmā has incited the brahmins and householders: 'You should make offerings, revere, attend upon, pay homage to, and serve that diligent recluse. Perhaps, through this reverence, attendance, homage, and offering, the mind of that one will change to some degree, so that I may find an opportunity, find a condition; and once there is an opportunity and a condition, I will be able to take advantage of him.' Bhikṣus, contemplate the formations as impermanent;

see them as utterly ceasing, see them as to be transcended, see them as subject to destruction, see them as to be brought to a stop, see them as the place of cessation, so that the wicked Māra Pāpīmā, though he seek a means and seek a condition, may have no means and no condition by which to take advantage."

Pāpīmā, Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, taught his disciples thus: "With regard to all formations, contemplate impermanence, contemplate cessation, contemplate detachment, contemplate destruction, contemplate the dwelling-place of cessation; then the wicked Māra Pāpīmā, though he seek a means and seek a condition, will have no means and no condition by which to work destruction."

Then the wicked Māra Pāpīmā thought thus: "I have used these means, yet I still cannot take advantage of that diligent bhikṣu, I cannot find a condition in him. I should transform my form into a young child standing by the road, holding a great staff in his hand, and strike and split open the head of the Venerable Vidhura (the Venerable Voice), so that blood flows over his whole face." At that time Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, was dwelling in a village or town.

When the dawn broke, he put on his robe and took up his bowl, wishing to enter the city or town to beg for food along with the Venerable Vidhura, with the bhikṣus following behind. Then the wicked Māra transformed his form into a young child standing by the road, holding a great staff in his hand, and struck and split open the head of the Venerable Vidhura, so that blood flowed and wet his whole face. Then the Venerable Vidhura, after his head was split and bleeding, still followed behind Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One.

Then Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, after arriving at the village, by the utmost strength of his own body, turned and looked to the right—without fear, without dread, without alarm, without terror—looking all around in all the directions. Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, saw the Venerable Vidhura, his head split, blood flowing profusely, slowly following behind.

Having seen this, he said:

"Wicked Māra, you do violent things, you do not know what is enough."

Furthermore, Pāpīmā, Kakusandha the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, the Fully and Perfectly Enlightened One, had not finished speaking the sentence when, right there on that very spot, the body of the wicked Māra fell into the great hell. Pāpīmā, in this great hell there are four things: the absence of pleasure; the six contacts; the body undergoing painful suffering; and using hooks to make the offender open his mouth, then pouring boiling molten copper in, which dissolves his liver and entrails. In the hell there was a hell-warden who came to where the wicked Māra was and said:

"You, in this Iron-Stake hell (iron nails), should know that you must complete one hundred years, as the others have remained here."

Then Māra Pāpīmā, hearing this, was utterly shaken within, and the hairs on his body stood on end.

The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna then spoke this verse:

What is that hell like

That harms the Buddha, the brahmin?

The hell named Avīci

Harms the Buddha, the brahmin.

A hundred iron stakes,

In the Avīci hell.

If anyone does not know

That the evil Māra is therein?

He troubles and harms even bhikṣus—

The evil Māra is therein?

He troubles and harms the bhikṣu Saṅgha—

The evil Māra is therein.

The bhikṣu, the disciple of the Buddha,

Must undergo such suffering.

If one dwells in the Park-View,

Eating rice and grain that arises naturally;

Mount Sumeru, so vast,

Who can distinguish it?

The streams flowing upon that mountain,

The body like the color of gold;

Striking up all kinds of music—

In that place there are both.

If Śakra walks ahead,

Seeing Śakra coming;

If one sees a bhikṣu coming,

If one steps up into the palace,

One should know there is this Māra,

According to the bhikṣu's teaching.

Kosika, I know you,

Hearing the words of wisdom.

The bhikṣu of much cultivation,

If he ascends into this palace—

What is the palace's name?

Śakra, I will tell:

Thus, in a thousand world-systems,

There is no palace surpassing it.

(Śakra) You who roam at ease,

Transforming one city into a hundred;

Śakra has gained sovereign ease,

His toe has only just begun to tremble;

Śakra plays at sovereign ease,

The spiritual powers can move and shake.

Hard to move, hard to shake,

It is the dwelling-place of the noble ones;

Spread with soft and gentle brocade,

Now the Heavenly King is most victorious,

With many strange rhythms and melodies,

Heading toward the stage of Stream-Entry.

And hundreds of nayutas;

The One of the Wisdom-Eye expounds the Dharma,

Rejoicing, he reverently practices it,

Called thereby a seer;

Skilled in asking the brahma-gods,

What is seen is also as before.

He must undergo the retribution of dark deeds;

The beings of this land

Will live in Uttarakuru (the Northern Continent),

Drawing near to liberation,

The body practicing the holding of mindfulness,

Ever abiding in this kalpa.

Radiance shines everywhere,

The place where Śakra plays in delight,

Revered there in his presence,

Ascending to this noble lofty palace,

Each one plays in his own delight,

Looking back with a bashful air.

One may ask the bhikṣu:

Craving exhausted, liberation is won;

Hearing it said just so,

Craving exhausted, liberation is won.

Śakra was greatly delighted,

Please speak of this.

Śakra then asked,

Yet where is Śakra there?

It is named: the Place of Receiving Retribution,

There are these thousand world-systems;

Like this Place of Receiving Retribution,

That place is most pure and bright.

Upon this hall of retribution,

Ascending up into this palace,

The eye of the heavens then beholds

The Lecture Hall of Mṛgāramātṛ.

The foundation is deep and firmly built,

There is ground of beryl,

Smooth and rich, truly soft and supple,

The words are also soft and supple.

Skilled at striking up music well,

The devas come and gather,

How many—immeasurable thousands—

The Thirty-Three Devas.

Having heard him expound the Dharma,

I have come to know this Dharma,

And at once ascend to the Brahma-world;

Brahma holds this view:

Ever seeing that there is the permanent and abiding;

I say to the Brahma-god:

There is no seeing, it is not as before.

I see that retribution corresponds;

By what do I now speak?

I can know this present age,

If anyone accumulates the habit.

The fire does not think thus,

Just so, Pāpīmā,

Forever doing unwholesome deeds;

Māra, do not reproach the Buddha,

For this reason the bhikṣu says.

The ghost, sorrowful and tormented,

Greatly afraid and terrified;

The seer, as I see it,

I am ever-existing, ever-abiding.

The body of the Brahma-god of the past,

The self ever permanent and unchanging;

The One of Perfect Enlightenment has taught:

What is born must undergo retribution.

I burn the foolish and dull-witted,

Because that one touches the fire;

If one draws near the Tathāgata,

One will surely undergo retribution for a long time.

Do not trouble and harm the bhikṣu—

The Māra in the Bhattikāra grove (the Cloth Grove)

Was rebuked and scolded by Moggallāna,

And he suddenly vanished.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SUTRA OF MĀRA'S DISTURBANCE