Mara and related suttras

shanyin

Hello all.

I read a sutra in which the Buddha warns about the presence of "mara" to his disciples and advised them about what to do.

I was wondering about this and my Christian friend also became interested for some reasons and I was wondering if anyone knows of this sutra or could ideally provide me with a link.

I know very little about mara so if you are willing and knowledgable in this subject you could provide a little information for us.

Thank you!

love aaron

DhammaDhatu

There are many. There are some here at 4. Mara-samyutta — Mara <!-- S i 103; CDB i 195 -->



:rarr:

shanyin

Hmmm, there seems to be about 100 or more sutras in this page with little descriptions. Perhaps the appropriate one is described and I will be able to find it.

shanyin

OK I found the ones about mara. Thank you they will help alot.

I was looking for one in particular where Buddha was talking to his disciples and then he said that mara was about to become present and his disciples had to protect themselves against them or something if anyone knows about this sutra.

Deshy

Mara is a pretty peculiar character :viking:

Dazzle

.

In "Two Kinds of Language" Bhikkhu Buddhadasa described Mara as follows :

"Now we turn to a rather strange word, the word "Mra" (the tempter, the devil), The Mra of everyday language is conceived as a kind of monster with body, face, and eyes of repulsive and terrifying appearance.

Mra in Dhamma language, however, is not a living creature but rather any kind of mental state opposed to the good and wholesome and to progress towards the cessation of dukkha. That which opposes and obstructs spiritual progress is called Mra. We may think of Mra as a living being if we wish, as long as we understand what he really stands for.

No doubt you have often heard the story of how Mra came down from the Paranimmitavasavatt realm to confront the Buddha-to-be. This was the real Mra the Tempter. He came down from the highest heaven, the Paranimmitavasavatt realm, which is a heaven of sensual enjoyments of the highest order, a paradise abounding in everything the heart could desire, where someone is always standing by to gratify one's every wish.

This is Mra the Tempter, but not the one with the ugly, ferocious countenance and reddened mouth, who is supposed to go around catching creatures to suck their blood. That is Mra as ignorant people picture him. It is the Mra of the everyday language of ignorant people who don't know how to recognize Mra when they see him.

In Dhamma language, the word "Mra" means at worst the heaven known as Paranimmitavasavatt, the highest realm of sensuality.

In general it means any mental state opposed to the good and wholesome, opposed to spiritual progress. This is Mra in Dhamma language."



http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Books5/Bhikkhu_Buddhadasa_Two_Kinds_of_Language.htm







.

Deshy

Thanks Dazz

shanyin

Hopefully I will find the specific sutra I read a long time ago.