SA-2 219（二一九）

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī. At that time, there was a bhikṣuṇī named Nāsikā who was staying at the royal park vihāra in Śrāvastī. In the morning, she put on her robes, took her alms bowl, and entered the city to beg for food. After eating, she washed her bowl, put away her sitting mat, and headed for the Netravana Grove. At that time, Māra the Evil One thought, "The Śramaṇa Gautama is at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī. The bhikṣuṇī Nāsikā has put on her robes, taken her alms bowl, entered the city to beg for food, eaten, washed her bowl, put away her sitting mat, and is heading for the Netravana Grove. I shall create disturbances for her." Having thought this, he transformed himself into a young brahmin and spoke a verse at the side of the road:

Who creates form and appearance? Form and appearance create whom? From where
do form and appearance arise? Where do form and appearance go to?

At that time, the bhikṣuṇī, having heard this verse, thought, "Who is this, disturbing me, so deceitful? Is it a human or a non-human?" She entered concentration to observe and knew it was Māra the Evil One. She spoke a verse in reply:

Form and appearance are not self-made, nor are they created by
others. They arise from conditions, and when conditions are separated, they
disperse and cease. It is like planting seeds, which grow from
the earth. The aggregates, sense bases, and sense fields are combined
and this is form and appearance. Because of suffering, they grow
and because of suffering, they are destroyed. Cutting off all craving
extinguishing the darkness of ignorance, attaining the cessation of cessation, abiding
in the undefiled Dharma - therefore know that Pāpīyān has fallen into defeat.

At that time, Pāpīyān thought, "This bhikṣuṇī knows my mind well." He was distressed, remorseful, ashamed, and returned to his palace.