sn.4.21 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

A Number

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Silavati. Now on that occasion a number of bhikkhus were dwelling not far from the Blessed One—diligent, ardent, and resolute. Then Mara the Evil One manifested himself in the form of a brahmin, with a large matted topknot, clad in an antelope hide, old, crooked like a roof bracket, wheezing, holding a staff of udumbara wood. He approached those bhikkhus and said to them: “You, sirs, have gone forth while young, lads with black hair, endowed with the blessing of youth, in the prime of life, without having dallied with sensual pleasures. Enjoy human sensual pleasures, sirs; do not abandon what is directly visible in order to pursue what takes time.”

“We have not abandoned what is directly visible, brahmin, in order to pursue what takes time. We have abandoned what takes time in order to pursue what is directly visible. For the Blessed One, brahmin, has stated that sensual pleasures are time-consuming, full of suffering, full of despair, and the danger in them is still greater, while this Dhamma is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.”

When this was said, Mara the Evil One shook his head, lolled his tongue, knit his brow into three furrows, and departed leaning on his staff.

Then those bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and reported everything in full. The Blessed One said: “That was not a brahmin, bhikkhus. That was Mara the Evil One, who had come in order to confound you.”

Then the Blessed One, having understood the meaning of this, on that occasion recited this verse:

“How could a person incline to sensual pleasures
Who has seen the source whence suffering springs?
Having known acquisition as a tie in the world,
A person should train for its removal.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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Several

So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans near Silāvatī.
Now at that time several mendicants were meditating not far from the Buddha, diligent, keen, and resolute.
Then Māra the Wicked manifested in the form of a brahmin with a large matted dreadlock, wearing an antelope hide. He was old, bent double, wheezing, and held a staff made of cluster fig tree wood. He went up to those mendicants and said,
“You’ve gone forth while young, reverends. You’re black-haired, blessed with youth, in the prime of life, and you’ve never flirted with sensual pleasures.
Enjoy human sensual pleasures.
Don’t give up what is visible in the present to chase after what takes effect over time.”
“Brahmin, that’s not what we’re doing.
We’re giving up what takes effect over time to chase after what is visible in the present.
For the Buddha says that sensual pleasures take effect over time; they give much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks.
But this teaching is visible in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.”
When they had spoken, Māra the Wicked shook his head, waggled his tongue, raised his eyebrows until his brow puckered in three furrows, and departed leaning on his staff.
Then those mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. The Buddha said,











“Mendicants, that was no brahmin.
That was Māra the Wicked who came to pull the wool over your eyes!”
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha recited this verse:
“When a person has seen where suffering comes from
how could they incline towards sensual pleasures?
Realizing that attachment is a snare in the world,
a person would train to remove it.”