SA 1205（一二〇五） 折罗

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, the nun Chāru was staying in the nunnery in the King’s Park in Śrāvastī. In the morning, she put on her robes, took her alms bowl, and entered Śrāvastī to beg for food. After eating, she returned to the monastery, put away her robes and bowl, washed her feet, took her sitting mat, put it on her shoulder, went to the Ānanda Grove, sat under a tree, and entered the right concentration during the day.

At that time, Māra the Evil One thought, “Now the Śramaṇa Gautama is staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī. The nun Chāru is also staying in the nunnery in the King’s Park in Śrāvastī. In the morning, she put on her robes, took her alms bowl, and entered Śrāvastī to beg for food. After eating, she returned to the monastery, put away her robes and bowl, washed her feet, took her sitting mat, put it on her shoulder, went to the Ānanda Grove, sat under a tree, and entered the right concentration during the day. I shall now go to create obstacles for her.” He transformed himself into a young man of handsome appearance and said in verse to the nun Chāru:

Awakening to birth as pleasure, enjoying the five desires
in life, who taught you to be weary of birth?

At that time, the nun Chāru thought, “Who is this person? Is it a ghost or a demon, or a cunning person, who has come here to create trouble?” She then spoke in verse:

The born must die, birth brings suffering, the suffering of
beating and torment, all conditioned by birth. One should cut
off all suffering, transcend all birth, with the wisdom eye
observing the noble truths, the Dharma taught by the Sage
The suffering of suffering and the origin of suffering, the
extinction of suffering and the abandonment of suffering, cultivating the
eightfold noble path, peacefully heading towards nirvāṇa. The great teacher’s
equal Dharma, I delight in that Dharma. Because I know
that Dharma, I no longer delight in rebirth. All abandon
attachment and joy, abandon all darkness and obscurity, attain the
peace of cessation, abiding in the exhaustion of all taints
I have recognized you, evil Māra, you should now disappear.

At that time, Māra the Evil One thought, "The nun Chāru has already known my mind." Feeling sorrowful and distressed, he then disappeared.