Little or nothing has to do with the phenomenon of dissociations with the psychic power of clairaudience. In this there is no previous preparation, appears when least expected and, in addition, for bad. It does not work based on «possessions» nor is the individual a medium. It does not channel for anything or anyone. Simply, one day, when he is really on the right path and before he enters the stream, it is inevitable that Māra will present himself with the fixed intention of separating him from the path. He will use the lie, the fear, the authority, he will make her see what he is not … All his intention to get her out of the effort.
The suttas mention many occasions in which Māra took various forms to tempt the bhikkhunis, often in solitary places, for example, Āḷavikā, Kisāgotamī, Somā, Vijayā, Uppalavantnā, Cālā, Upacālā, Sisūpacālā, Selā, Vajirā and Khemā. It seems that he has a predilection for women. In this case, too common even today, the Māra appears to Ālavikā a nun, and tempts her by telling her that there is no way out of the world, from Samsara, that all that effort is in vain:
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.1 Āḷavikā
This is what I heard. On one occasion, the Blessed One dwelled in Savatthi, in the Jeta Forest, in the Anāthapiṇḍika Park.
Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Āḷavikā got dressed and, taking a bowl and a robe, entered Savatthi to beg. When she had walked in search of alms in Savatthi and had returned from her round of alms, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind Men in search of isolation.
Then Māra the Evil One, wishing to arouse fear, restlessness and terror in the bhikkhuni Āḷavikā, wishing to make her fall from seclusion, approached her and addressed her in verse:
«There is no escape in the world, So, what will you do with the seclusion? Enjoy the delights of sensual pleasure: Do not regret it later!
Then it occurred to bhikkhuni Āḷavikā: «Now, who is the one who recited the verse, a human being or a non-human being?» Then it occurred to her: «This is Māra the Evil One, who has recited the verse who wants to wake up «Fear, fear and terror in me, wanting to get me away from isolation.»
Then the bhikkhuni Āḷavikā, having understood, «This is Māra the Evil One», he answered in verses:
«There is an escape in the world that I have touched with wisdom. Oh Evil, relative of the negligent, You do not know that state.
«Sensual pleasures are like swords and stakes; Aggregates like their cut. What you call sensual delight is it has become for me the non-light. «
Then, Māra the Evil One, realizing that «the bhikkhuni Āḷavikā knows me», sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.2 Soma
In Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Soma got dressed and, taking a bowl and a robe, entered Savatthi to beg. When she had walked in search of alms in Savatthi and had returned from her round of alms, after her meal, she went to the Grove of the Blind Men for the permanence of the day. After immersing himself in the Grove of Blind Men, he sat at the foot of a tree to endure the day.
Then, Māra the Evil One, wishing to arouse fear, restlessness and terror in the bhikkhuni Soma, wishing to make her fall from concentration, approached her and addressed her in verse:
«That state so hard to reach. What the visionaries must achieve. It can not be reached by a woman with his two-finger wisdom. «
Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni Soma: «Now, who is this who recited the verse: a human being or a non-human being?» Then it occurred to her: «This is Māra the Evil One, who has recited the verse that he wants to wake up. «Fear, fear and terror in me, wanting to get me away from concentration.»
Then the bhikkhuni Soma, having understood, «This is Māra the Evil One», he answered in verses:
«What does the condition of a woman matter at all? when the mind is well concentrated, when knowledge flows steadily to as one sees correctly in the Dhamma?
«One who comes to mind, ‘I am a woman’ or ‘I am a man’ Or ‘I’m something at all’: it is appropriate for Mara to go. «
Then, Māra the Evil One, realizing that «the bhikkhuni Soma knows me», sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.3 Gotami
In Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Kisagotami got dressed and, taking a bowl and a robe, entered Savatthi to beg. When she had walked to beg alms in Savatthi and had returned from her round of alms, after her meal, she went to the Grove of the Blind Men for the permanence of the day. After immersing himself in the Grove of Blind Men, he sat at the foot of a tree to endure the day.
Then, Māra the Evil One, wishing to arouse fear, restlessness and terror in the bhikkhuni Kisagotami, wishing to make her fall from concentration, approached her and addressed her in verse:
«Why now, when your son is dead, Do you sit alone with a tearful face? Having entered the forest alone, Are you looking for a man?
Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni Kisagotami: «Now, who is this who recited the verse: a human being or a non-human being?» Then it occurred to her: «This is Māra the Evil One, who has recited the verse that he wants to wake up. «Fear, fear and terror in me, wanting to get me away from concentration.»
Then the bhikkhuni Kisagotami, having understood, «This is Māra the Evil One», he answered in verses:
I have overcome the death of children; With this, the search for men is over. It does not hurt, I do not cry, I do not fear you, friend.
«Pleasure everywhere has been destroyed, the mass of darkness has been divided. Having conquered the army of Death, I live without contamination. «
Then, Māra the Evil One, realizing that «the bhikkhuni Kisagotami knows me», sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.4 Vijayā
In Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Vijayā dressed … sat at the foot of a tree for the day to last.
Then, Māra the Evil One, wanting to awaken the fear, the restlessness and the terror in the bhikkhuni Vijayā, wishing to make it move away from the concentration, approached him and addressed her in verse:
«You are so young and beautiful, And I am also a young man at my best. Come, noble lady, let’s rejoice with the music of a quintuple ensemble «.
Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni Vijayā: «Who is this …? This is Māra the Evil One … wanting to get me away from concentration. «
Then the bhikkhuni Vijayā, having understood, «This is Māra the Evil One,» he replied in verses:
«Forms, sounds, tastes, smells and delicious tactile objects: I offer them immediately, because I, oh Mara, do not need them.
«I feel rejected and humiliated for this filthy and putrid body, Subject to rupture, fragile: I have uprooted sensual desire.
«As for those beings who are in the middle of the form, And those who remain in what has no form, And those peaceful achievements too: in everywhere the darkness has been destroyed. «
Then, Māra the Evil One, realizing that «the bhikkhuni Vijayā knows me», sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.5 Uppalavanna
In Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Uppalavanna dressed … stood at the foot of a flowering salt tree.
Then Māra the Evil One, wishing to arouse fear, restlessness and terror in the bhikkhuni Uppalavanna, wishing to make her fall from concentration, approached her and addressed her in verse:
«Having gone to a salt tree with a blooming top, You are standing at your feet completely alone, bhikkhuni. There is none whose beauty competes with yours: silly girl, are not you afraid of the rogues? «
Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni Uppalavanna: «Who is this …? This is Māra the Evil One … wanting to get me away from concentration. «
Then the bhikkhuni Uppalavanna, having understood, «This is Māra the Evil One», he answered in verses:
«Although one hundred thousand rogues, how could you come here, I do not move a hair, I do not feel terror; Even alone, Mara, I’m not afraid of you.
«I can make myself disappear, or I can go inside your belly. I can stand between your eyebrows However, you will not be able to glimpse me.
«I am the master of my mind, the The bases of power are well developed; I am free from all slavery, so I do not fear you so much, my friend. «
Then Mara, the evil one, realizing that «the bhikkhuni Uppalavanna knows me», sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.6 Cala
In Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Cala dressed … sat at the foot of a tree to last the day.
Then Māra the Evil One approached the bhikkhuni Cove and said, «What do you not approve, bhikkhuni?»
«I do not approve of the birth, friend.»
«Why do not you approve the birth? Once born, one enjoys sensual pleasures. Who has convinced you now of this: ‘Bhikkhuni, do not you approve of birth’?
The bhikkhuni Cala:
For the one who has been born there is death; Once born, one comes across suffering – Bondage, murder, affliction- Therefore, one must not approve the birth.
«The Buddha has taught the Dhamma, The transcendence of birth; For the abandonment of all suffering, He has established me in the truth.
«As for those beings who are in the middle of the form, And those who remain in what has no form, having not understood the cessation, they return to renewed existence. «
Then, Māra the Evil One, realizing that «the bhikkhuni Cala knows me», sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.7. Upacālā
In Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Upacālā dressed … sat at the foot of a tree to endure the day.
Then Māra the Evil One approached the bhikkhuni Upacālā and said, «Where do you want to be reborn, bhikkhuni?»
«I do not want to be reborn anywhere, friend.»
«There are Tavatānsa and Yāma devas, And devatas of the kingdom of Tusita, Devas who delight in creating, And Devas who exercise control. Direct your mind to those realms and you will experience delight. «
The Upacālā bhikkhuni:
«There is Tāvatiṃsa and Yāma devas, And devatas of the kingdom of Tusita, Devas who delight in creating, And Devas who exercise control. They are still limited by sensual bondage, they are again under Mara’s control.
«Everyone is on fire, Everyone is burning, Everyone is on fire, Everyone is trembling. «What does not tremble or burn, What mundanes do not resort to, Where there is no place for Mara: That’s where my mind delights. «
Then, Māra the Evil One, realizing: «The bhikkhuni Upacālā knows me, sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.8 Sisūpacālā
In Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Sisūpacālā dressed … sat at the foot of a tree for the day to last.
Then Mara, the Evil One, approached the bhikkhuni Sisūpacālā and said: «What creed do you approve of, bhikkhuni?»
«I do not approve of anyone’s creed, friend.»
«Under whom have you shaved your head? You seem to be an ascetic. However, you do not approve any creed. Then, why wander as bewildered?
The Sisūpacālā bhikkhuni:
«Out of here, the followers of the creeds They put their trust in the views. I do not approve of his teachings; They are not experts in the Dhamma.
«But there is one born in the Sakyan clan, The Illuminated, without equal, Conqueror of all, Deputy Director of Mara, Who is undefeated in everywhere, Released and unleashed everywhere, The One with Vision who sees everything.
«Reached to the end of all kamma, Released in the extinction of acquisitions, That Blessed One is my Teacher: The his is the teaching that I approve. «
Then, Māra the Evil One, realizing that «the bhikkhuni Sisūpacālā knows me», sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.9 Sela
In Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Sela got dressed … sat at the foot of a tree for the day to last.
Then, Māra the Evil One, wishing to arouse fear, restlessness and terror in the bhikkhuni Sela, wishing to make her fall from concentration, approached her and addressed her in verse:
By whom has this puppet been created? Where is the creator of the puppet? Where has the puppet come from? Where does the puppet cease?
Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni Sela: «Now, who is this …? This is Māra the Evil One … wanting to get me away from concentration. «
Then the bhikkhuni Sela, having understood, «This is Māra the Evil One», he answered in verses:
«This puppet is not made by itself, nor is this misery made by another. It has come to depend on a cause; With the breaking of the cause it will cease.
«Like when you sow a seed in a field. It grows depending on a couple of factors: It requires both soil nutrients and a constant supply of moisture:
«So, the aggregates and the elements, and these six bases of sensory contact, they have come to depend on a cause; With the breaking of the cause they will cease. «
Then, Māra the Evil One, realizing that «the bhikkhuni Sela knows me», sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Collection of Thematically Grouped Speeches SN 5.10 Vajira
In Savatthi. Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Vajira got dressed and, taking a bowl and a robe, entered Savatthi to beg. When she had walked to beg alms in Savatthi and had returned from her round of alms, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind Men for the permanence of the day. After immersing himself in the Grove of Blind Men, he sat at the foot of a tree to endure the day.
Then Māra the Evil One, wishing to arouse fear, restlessness and terror in the bhikkhuni Vajira, wishing to make her fall from concentration, approached her and addressed her in verse:
«By whom has this been created? Where is the creator of the being? Where has the being arisen? Where does the being cease?
Then it occurred to bhikkhuni Vajira: «Who is this who recited the verse, a human being or a non-human being?» Then it occurred to her: «This is Māra the Evil One, who has recited the verse you want wake. «Fear, fear and terror in me, wanting to get me away from concentration.»
Then the bhikkhuni Vajira, having understood, «This is Māra the Evil One», he answered in verses:
«Why do you now assume ‘a being’? Mara, is that your speculative vision? This is a lot of transparent formations: here no being is found.
«Just like, with a set of parts, it use the word ‘car’, So, when there are aggregates, there is the ‘one being’ convention.
«It is only suffering that comes to be, the suffering that stops and moves away. Nothing but suffering becomes, nothing but suffering ceases. «
Then, Māra the Evil One, realizing that «the bhikkhuni Vajira knows me», sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.
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