1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Uruvela on the bank of the river Nerañjara at the foot of the Goatherd's Banyan Tree just after he had become fully enlightened. sn.i.104 Now on that occasion the Blessed One was sitting out in the open air in the thick darkness of the night while it was drizzling. [n.266] Devo ca ekam ekaṁ phusayati. I understand this idiom (which recurs at SN6.13 and SN7.22) to mean that rain was falling drop by drop, not that it was falling continuously (the meaning ascribed to it by CPD). It would hardly seem sensible for the Buddha to sit out in the open if rain was falling heavily. Spk: He was sitting there reviewing his practice of striving in order to provide a model for clansmen in the future, who would strive in emulation of the Teacher.

Then Māra the Evil One, wishing to arouse fear, trepidation, and terror in the Blessed One, manifested himself in the form of a giant king elephant and approached the Blessed One. His head was like a huge block of steatite; his tusks were like pure silver; his trunk was like a huge plough pole.

Then the Blessed One, having understood, "This is Māra the Evil One," addressed him in verse:

2v.449 "You’ve wandered through the long course
Creating beautiful and hideous shapes.
Enough, Evil One, with that trick of yours:
You’re defeated, End-maker!" [n.267] in pāda a we should read with Be, Se, and Ee2 saṁsaraṁ rather than Ee1 saṁsaraṁ. The "long course" (digham addhanaṁ) is saṁsara. Spk: It is said that there is no form that Māra had not previously assumed in order to frighten the Blessed One.

3Then Māra the Evil One, realizing, "The Blessed One knows me, the Fortunate One knows me," sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ vihārati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhamūle paṭhamābhisambuddho. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā rattandhakāratimisāyaṁ abbhokāse nisinno hoti, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyati.

Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo mahantaṁ hatthirājavaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. Seyyathāpi nāma mahāariṭṭhako maṇi; evamassa sīsaṁ hoti. Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ rūpiyaṁ; evamassa dantā honti. Seyyathāpi nāma mahatī naṅgalīsā; evamassa soṇḍo hoti.

Atha kho bhagavā "māro ayaṁ pāpimā" iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

2"Saṁsaraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ,
Vaṇṇaṁ katvā subhāsubhaṁ;
Alaṁ te tena pāpima,
Nihato tvamasi antakā"ti.

3Atha kho māro pāpimā "jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato"ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.