SA-2 215（二一五）

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī. At that time, the bhikṣuṇī Sumā entered Śrāvastī to beg for alms, wearing her robe and carrying her alms bowl. After eating, she washed her bowl, put away her sitting mat, and headed for the forest of the blind. Māra, the Evil One, thought, "Now the bhikṣuṇī Sumā is wearing her robe and carrying her alms bowl, entering the city to beg for alms. After eating, she is washing her bowl, putting away her sitting mat, and heading for the forest of the blind." At that time, Māra transformed himself into a brāhman, standing by the side of the road, and said, "Noble one, where are you going?"

The bhikṣuṇī replied, "I now wish to go to that quiet place."

At that time, Māra spoke a verse, saying:

The attainment of the sages is difficult to reach
not something attained by your inferior and defiled wisdom.

At that time, the bhikṣuṇī thought: "Is this a person or a non-person who wants to harm me?" She entered concentration to observe and knew it was Māra. She then spoke a verse, saying:

The female form is without action, only the mind cultivates concentration
Observing the supreme Dharma, if there are male and female forms
one can speak of a woman, but in the Dharma, there
is nothing that can be done. If there are no male
and female forms, how can discrimination arise? Cutting off all craving
extinguishing the darkness of ignorance, attaining the cessation of cessation, abiding
in the undefiled Dharma. Therefore, one should know that Māra has
fallen into a losing position.

At that time, Māra thought: "The bhikṣuṇī Sumanā knows my mind well." He was sorrowful, regretful, ashamed, and returned to his palace.