1Then Māra the Evil One, having spoken these verses of disappointment in the presence of the Blessed One, went away from that spot and sat down cross-legged on the ground not far from the Blessed One, silent, dismayed, with his shoulders drooping, downcast, brooding, unable to speak, scratching the ground with a stick. [n.321] This passage, as far as "unable to speak," is the stock description of the defeated contestant; also at MN I 132,28–30, 234,1–2, 258,28–30. Se and Ee1 make this paragraph the last of the preceding sutta, but I follow Be and Ee2. As the two suttas form a single narrative, the division between them is arbitrary.

Then Māra's daughters—Taṇha, Arati, and rāga—approached Māra the Evil One and addressed him in verse: [n.322] Their names mean craving, discontent, and lusting. Spk explains that they saw their father in a despondent mood and approached to find out the reason. The story of the Buddha’s encounter with Māra’s daughters is also recorded at Ja I 78-79 and Dhp-a III 195-98; see BL 3:33-34. There it is clearly set in the fifth week after the enlightenment. The BHS parallel at Mvu III 281-86 is also assigned to this period; see Jones, 3:269-74.

Māra:

4Then Māra's daughters—Taṇha, Arati, and rāga—approached the Blessed One and said to him: "We serve at your feet, ascetic." But the Blessed One paid no attention, as he was liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of acquisitions. [n.324] On the idiom pade te samaṇa paricarema, Geiger remarks: "In courteous speech one uses pada, feet, for the person. The meaning is: ‘We want to be at your command like slave-women’" (GermTr, p. 193, n. 5). A sexual innuendo is unmistakable. Spk, strangely, does not offer any explanation here of anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto, but see n. 356.

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5Then Māra's daughters—Taṇha, Arati, and rāga—went off to the side and took counsel: "Men's tastes are diverse. Suppose we each manifest ourselves in the form of a hundred maidens." sn.i.125 Then Māra's three daughters, each manifesting herself in the form of a hundred maidens, approached the Blessed One and said to him: "We serve at your feet, ascetic." But the Blessed One paid no attention, as he was liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of acquisitions.

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6–8Then Māra's daughters went off to the side and again took counsel: "Men's tastes are diverse. Suppose we each manifest ourselves in the form of a hundred women who have never given birth." Then Māra's three daughters, each manifesting herself in the form of a hundred women who have never given birth … in the form of a hundred women who have given birth once … … in the form of a hundred women who have given birth twice … in the form of a hundred women of middle age … in the form of a hundred old women, approached the Blessed One and said to him: "We serve at your feet, ascetic." But the Blessed One paid no attention, as he was liberated in the unsurpassed extinction of acquisitions.

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9Then Māra's daughters—Taṇha, Arati, and rāga—went off to the side and said: "What our father told us is true:

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10"‘The Arahant, the Fortunate One in the world …
Therefore I sorrow so bitterly.’

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11"If we had assailed with such tactics any ascetic or brahmin who was not devoid of lust, either his heart would have burst, or he would have vomited hot blood from his mouth, sn.i.126 or he would have gone mad or become mentally deranged; or else he would have dried up and withered away and become shrivelled, just as a green reed that has been mowed down would dry up and wither away and become shrivelled."

12Then Māra's daughters—Taṇha, Arati, and rāga—approached the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Māra's daughter Taṇha addressed the Blessed One in verse:

13v.509 "Is it because you are sunk in sorrow
That you meditate in the woods?
Because you’ve lost wealth or pine for it,
Or committed some crime in the village?
Why don’t you make friends with people?
Why don’t you form any intimate ties?"

The Blessed One:

14v.510 "Having conquered the army of the pleasant and agreeable,
Meditating alone, I discovered bliss,
The attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart. [n.325] Spk glosses senam as kilesasenam, "the army of defilements," and paraphrases: "Having conquered the army of the pleasant and agreeable, meditating alone, I discovered the bliss of arahantship, which is called ‘the attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart’ (atthassa pattim hadayassa santim)." Mahakaccana provides a long commentary on this verse at AN V 47,3–48,4. On piyarūpam satarūpam, "the pleasant and agreeable," see SN12.66 (II 109–12), DN II 308–11.
Therefore I don’t make friends with people,
Nor will I form any intimate ties."

15Then Māra's daughter Arati addressed the Blessed One in verse:

16v.511 "How does a bhikkhu here often dwell
That, five floods crossed, he here has crossed the sixth?
How does he meditate so sensual perceptions
Are kept at bay and fail to grip him?" [n.326] Both the BHS version of these verses (at Mvu III 283–84) and the Skt (cited at Ybhūś 4:1–3; Enomoto, CSCS, pp. 25–26) have the present tense tarati in pāda b, as against the aorist atari in the Pali; while the present makes better sense, I translate following the Pali. Spk: Five floods crossed (pañcoghatiṇṇo): one who has crossed the flood of defilements in the five sense doors. The sixth: he has crossed the sixth flood of defilements, that pertaining to the mind door. Or alternatively: by the mention of five floods, the five lower fetters are meant; by the sixth, the five higher fetters.

The Blessed One:

17v.512 "Tranquil in body, in mind well liberated,
Not generating, mindful, homeless,
Knowing Dhamma, meditating thought-free,
He does not erupt, or drift, or stiffen. [n.327] Spk: Tranquil in body (passaddhikayo): this comes about with the tranquillizing of the in-and-out breathing by the fourth jhāna (see AN II 41,21–28). In mind well liberated (suvimuttacitto): well liberated by the liberation of the fruit of arahantship. Not generating (asaṅkhārano): not generating the three types of volitional formations (see SN12.51; also n. 165). Meditating thought-free in the fourth jhāna. He does not erupt, etc.: He does not erupt (na kuppati) because of hatred, or drift (sarati) because of lust, or stiffen (na thino) because of delusion. Or alternatively: by the first term the hindrance of ill will is intended; by the second, the hindrance of sensual desire; by the third, the remaining hindrances (see SN46.2).

18v.513 "When a bhikkhu here often dwells thus,
With five floods crossed, he here has crossed the sixth.
When he meditates thus, sensual perceptions
Are kept at bay and fail to grip him." sn.i.127

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19Then Māra's daughter rāga addressed the Blessed One in verse:

20v.514 "He has cut off craving, faring with his group and order;
Surely many other beings will cross.
Alas, this homeless one will snatch many people
And lead them away beyond the King of Death." [n.328] in pāda a, I read acchejji with Se, an aorist of chindati, to cut. The finite verb seems to me preferable to the absolutive acchejja of Be and Ee1 & 2; the variant acchecchi suggested by PED may also be acceptable. This verb should be distinguished from acchejja (or acchijja, Ee1) in pāda d, an absolutive of acchindati, to rob, to snatch away. The Be and Ee1 reading of pāda a may have arisen through a confusion of the two forms. I read pāda b: addha tarissanti bahū ca satta. Be, Ee2, and SS read the last word as saddhā, but the gloss in Spk supports satta: addha aññe pi bahujana ekamsena tarissanti. The BHT version of Mvu is too different to be of help and may be corrupt, but Jones (at SN3.273, n. 4) suggests replacing rakta with sattva, which would then support the reading I have adopted. Tarissanti is certainly preferable to the v.l. carissanti, found in Be, Se, and Ee1.

The Blessed One:

21v.515 "Truly the Tathāgatas, the great heroes,
Lead by means of the true Dhamma.
When they are leading by means of the Dhamma,
What envy can there be in those who understand?" [n.329] The verse occurs in a different context at Vin I 43,27–28. I follow Be and Se in reading, in pāda c, the active nayamananam, the prevalent reading of Vin. Ee1 & 2, on the basis of SS, read the passive niyamananam/niyyamananam. BHS versions at Uv 21:8 and Mvu III 90 also have the active form, while the Prakrit at G-Dhp 267 is ambiguous.

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22Then Māra's daughters—Taṇha, Arati, and rāga—approached Māra the Evil One. Māra saw them coming in the distance and addressed them in verses: [n.330] In the BHS version vv. 516–17 are ascribed to the Buddha. The concluding verse was apparently added by the redactors.

23v.516 "Fools! You tried to batter a mountain
With the stalks of lotus flowers,
To dig up a mountain with your nails,
To chew iron with your teeth.

24v.517 "As if, having lifted a rock with your head,
You sought a foothold in the abyss;
As if you struck a stump with your breast,
You part from Gotama disappointed."

25v.518 They had come to him glittering with beauty—
Taṇha, Arati, and rāga—
But the Teacher swept them away right there
As the wind, a fallen cotton tuft.

sn.i.128

1Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato santike imā nibbejanīyā gāthāyo abhāsitvā tamhā ṭhānā apakkamma bhagavato avidūre pathaviyaṁ pallaṅkena nisīdi tuṇhībhūto maṅkubhūto pattakkhandho adhomukho pajjhāyanto appaṭibhāno kaṭṭhena bhūmiṁ vilikhanto.

Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena māro pāpimā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsiṁsu:

4Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā"ti. Atha kho bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

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5Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekamantaṁ apakkamma evaṁ samacintesuṁ: "uccāvacā kho purisānaṁ adhippāyā. Yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ kumārivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā"ti. Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekasataṁ ekasataṁ kumārivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā"ti. Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

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6Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekamantaṁ apakkamma evaṁ samacintesuṁ: "uccāvacā kho purisānaṁ adhippāyā. Yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ avijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā"ti. Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekasataṁ ekasataṁ avijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā"ti. Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

7Atha kho taṇhā ca … pe … yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ sakiṁ vijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti. Atha kho taṇhā ca … pe … sakiṁ vijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "pāde te, samaṇa, paricāremā"ti. Tampi bhagavā na manasākāsi, yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

8Atha kho taṇhā ca … pe … yannūna mayaṁ ekasataṁ ekasataṁ duvijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti. Atha kho taṇhā ca … pe … duvijātavaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā … pe … yathā taṁ anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto. Atha kho taṇhā ca … pe … majjhimitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmā"ti. Atha kho taṇhā ca … pe … majjhimitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā … pe … anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto.

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9Atha kho taṇhā ca … pe … mahitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimmineyyāmāti. Atha kho taṇhā ca … pe … mahitthivaṇṇasataṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā … pe … anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto. Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro ekamantaṁ apakkamma etadavocuṁ: "Saccaṁ kira no pitā avoca:

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10‘Arahaṁ sugato loke,
na rāgena suvānayo;
Māradheyyaṁ atikkanto,
tasmā socāmahaṁ bhusan’ti.

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11Yañhi mayaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā avītarāgaṁ iminā upakkamena upakkameyyāma hadayaṁ vāssa phaleyya, uṇhaṁ lohitaṁ vā mukhato uggaccheyya, ummādaṁ vā pāpuṇeyya cittakkhepaṁ vā. Seyyathā vā pana naḷo harito luto ussussati visussati milāyati; evameva ussusseyya visusseyya milāyeyyā"ti.

12Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho taṇhā māradhītā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

13"Sokāvatiṇṇo nu vanamhi jhāyasi,
Vittaṁ nu jīno uda patthayāno;
Āguṁ nu gāmasmimakāsi kiñci,
Kasmā janena na karosi sakkhiṁ;
Sakkhī na sampajjati kenaci te"ti.

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14"Atthassa pattiṁ hadayassa santiṁ,
Jetvāna senaṁ piyasātarūpaṁ;
Ekohaṁ jhāyaṁ sukhamanubodhiṁ,
Tasmā janena na karomi sakkhiṁ;
Sakkhī na sampajjati kenaci me"ti.

15Atha kho arati māradhītā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

16"Kathaṁvihārībahulodha bhikkhu,
Pañcoghatiṇṇo atarīdha chaṭṭhaṁ;
Kathaṁ jhāyiṁ bahulaṁ kāmasaññā,
Paribāhirā honti aladdha yo tan"ti.

17"Passaddhakāyo suvimuttacitto,
Asaṅkharāno satimā anoko;
Aññāya dhammaṁ avitakkajhāyī,
Na kuppati na sarati na thino.

18Evaṁvihārībahulodha bhikkhu,
Pañcoghatiṇṇo atarīdha chaṭṭhaṁ;
Evaṁ jhāyiṁ bahulaṁ kāmasaññā,
Paribāhirā honti aladdha yo tan"ti.

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19Atha kho ragā māradhītā bhagavato santike gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

20"Acchejja taṇhāṁ gaṇasaṅghacārī,
Addhā carissanti bahū ca saddhā;
Bahuṁ vatāyaṁ janataṁ anoko,
Acchejja nessati maccurājassa pāran"ti.

21"Nayanti ve mahāvīrā,
saddhammena Tathāgata;
Dhammena nayamānānaṁ,
kā usūyā vijānatan"ti.

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22Atha kho taṇhā ca arati ca ragā ca māradhītaro yena māro pāpimā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu. Addasā kho māro pāpimā taṇhāñca aratiñca rāgañca māradhītaro dūratova āgacchantiyo. Disvāna gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

23"Bālā kumudanāḷehi,
pabbataṁ abhimatthatha;
Giriṁ nakhena khanatha,
ayo dantehi khādatha.

24Selaṁva sirasūhacca,
pātāle gādhamesatha;
Khāṇuṁva urasāsajja,
nibbijjāpetha gotamā"ti.

25"Daddallamānā āgañchuṁ,
taṇhā ca aratī ragā;
Tā tattha panudī satthā,
tūlaṁ bhaṭṭhaṁva māluto"ti.

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Tatiyo vaggo.

26Sambahulā samiddhi ca,
Godhikaṁ sattavassāni;
Dhītaraṁ desitaṁ buddha,
Seṭṭhena imaṁ mārapañcakanti.

Mārasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.