1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni āḷavikā dressed and, taking bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. [n.331] Thī does not ascribe any verses to a bhikkhunī named āḷavikā, but two of the verses in this sutta are to be found among Sela's verses: Thī 57 v. 519 and Thī 58 v. 521. Thī-a 60 confirms the identity of the two bhikkhunīs, explaining that Sela was called āḷavikā because she was the daughter of the king of Āḷavakā. She heard the Buddha preach and became a lay follower. Later she took ordination as a nun and attained arahantship. See Pruitt, Commentary on the Verses of the Theris, pp. 83–87. When she had walked for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Blind Men's Grove seeking seclusion. [n.332] Spk explains the origin of the name: After the parinibbāna of the Buddha Kassapa a lay disciple named Yasodhara, while bringing money to build the cetiya for the relics, was ambushed there and blinded by five hundred thieves. Because Yasodhara was a noble disciple, the thieves straightaway lost their own vision as an immediate kammic result. They continued to dwell there and thus it became known as the Blind Men's Grove. Bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs went there for seclusion. It was about three kilometres south of Sāvatthī and was protected by royal guards.

Then Māra the Evil One, desiring to arouse fear, trepidation, and terror in the bhikkhuni āḷavikā, desiring to make her fall away from seclusion, approached her and addressed her in verse:

3Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni āḷavikā: "Now who is it that recited the verse—a human being or a nonhuman being?" Then it occurred to her: "This is Māra the Evil One, who has recited the verse desiring to arouse fear, trepidation, and terror in me, desiring to make me fall away from seclusion."

Then the bhikkhuni āḷavikā, having understood, "This is Māra the Evil One," replied to him in verses:

6Then Māra the Evil One, realizing, "The bhikkhuni āḷavikā knows me," sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.

1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—​ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Atha kho āḷavikā bhikkhunī pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami vivekatthinī.

Atha kho māro pāpimā āḷavikāya bhikkhuniyā bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo vivekamhā cāvetukāmo yena āḷavikā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āḷavikaṁ bhikkhuniṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

3Atha kho āḷavikāya bhikkhuniyā etadahosi: "ko nu khvāyaṁ manusso vā amanusso vā gāthaṁ bhāsatī"ti? Atha kho āḷavikāya bhikkhuniyā etadahosi: "māro kho ayaṁ pāpimā mama bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo vivekamhā cāvetukāmo gāthaṁ bhāsatī"ti.

Atha kho āḷavikā bhikkhunī "māro ayaṁ pāpimā" iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāhi paccabhāsi:

6Atha kho māro pāpimā "jānāti maṁ āḷavikā bhikkhunī"ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.