sn.4.16 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Almsbowls

At Savatthi. Now on that occasion the Blessed One was instructing, exhorting, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk concerning the five aggregates subject to clinging. And those bhikkhus were listening to the Dhamma with eager ears, attending to it as a matter of vital concern, applying their whole minds to it.

Then it occurred to Mara the Evil One: “This ascetic Gotama is instructing, exhorting, inspiring, and gladdening the bhikkhus … who are applying their whole minds to it. Let me approach the ascetic Gotama in order to confound them.”

Now on that occasion a number of almsbowls had been put out in the open. Then Mara the Evil One manifested himself in the form of an ox and approached those almsbowls. Then one bhikkhu said to another: “Bhikkhu, bhikkhu! That ox may break the almsbowls.” When this was said, the Blessed One said to that bhikkhu: “That is not an ox, bhikkhu. That is Mara the Evil One, who has come here in order to confound you.”

Then the Blessed One, having understood, “This is Mara the Evil One,” addressed Mara the Evil One in verses:

“Form, feeling, and perception,
Consciousness, and formations—
‘I am not this, this isn’t mine,’
Thus one is detached from it.

“Though they seek him everywhere,
Mara and his army do not find him:
The one thus detached, secure,
Who has gone beyond all ’fetters.”

Then Mara the Evil One … disappeared right there.

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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The Alms Bowls

At Sāvatthī.
Now at that time the Buddha was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk on the topic of the five grasping aggregates.
And those mendicants were paying heed, paying attention, engaging wholeheartedly, and lending an ear.
Then Māra thought,
“This ascetic Gotama is educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk on the topic of the five grasping aggregates.
And the mendicants are paying heed, paying attention, engaging wholeheartedly, and lending an ear.
Why don’t I go and pull the wool over their eyes?”
At that time several alms bowls were placed in the open air.
Then Māra the Wicked manifested in the form of an ox and approached those bowls.
One of the mendicants said to another,
“Mendicant, mendicant, that ox will break the bowls.”
When this was said, the Buddha said to that mendicant,
“Mendicant, that’s no ox.
That’s Māra the Wicked come to pull the wool over your eyes!”
Then the Buddha, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, addressed him in verse:
“Sights, feeling, and perception,
consciousness and what is chosen:
‘I am not this’ and ‘this is not mine’;
that’s how to be free of desire for them.
When you’re detached, secure,
all fetters transcended,
though Māra and his army chase everywhere
they never find you.”
Then Māra … vanished right there.