The domains of Death are those in which they inhabit are subject to it. And since the condition for death is birth, all those who are subjected at birth are, you are, servants of Death.
Only those whose condition of birth is cut off because their condition, existence, is destroyed, walk outside the domains of Death.
Māra is the devaputta (male deva) of Death.
And like everything deva, his «work» is temporary. Nothing in Samsara ceases to be impermanent, and even Māra is impermanent. The Māra, God of Death, is mortal like all others and is subject to the Samsara rules of death and rebirth.
To begin with, I must make it clear that Māra is not an abstract entity or a fictional character. The Māra is as real as any of us and can interact with any of us so intensely that the works it does are truly amazing, here and now, they leave a permanent imprint on those to whom it is presented.
Māra does not really have much work currently, and only bothers to work if he finds someone who is approaching, more or less determinedly to the Current. And that’s where it appears and uses one of its most effective weapons: doubt.
If you have had the visit of Māra, congratulations if you have not fallen in their arts and managed to get away. If you have not had it, you should not walk near the beginning of the objective, it would have already been thrown at you. If something is, it is very competent.
Kakusandha was a Buddha of a bygone era. His main disciples were Vidhura and Sañjiva among the bhikkhus, and Sama and Campá among the bhikkhunis. His personal assistant was Buddhija. Accuta and Samaṇa, Nandā and Sunandā were his most eminent lay supporters. In the time of Kakusandha, a Māra, called Dūsīn (an earlier birth of Moggallāna), caused many problems for the Buddha and his followers, largely treating the Buddha’s patience.
That Māra, of previous name Dūsin, was Moggallana himself in a previous life. Moggallana was, along with Sariputta, one of the main disciples of the Buddha Gotama.
This is proof that, in spite of being the Cursed, the Evil One, the Lord of Death, is not an obstacle to attaining full enlightenment in a later rebirth, whenever he encounters a Sammasambuddha.
The Māra of the time of Gotama was son of Kālā, sister of Dūsīn, that is to say, nephew of the same Moggallana. Having been himself a Māra and the Māra his own nephew, he knew how to recognize it immediately.
Dūsīn was responsible for many mischiefs, similar to those attributed to the days of Māra de Gotama. Māradevaputta was evidently considered to be a being of great power, with a strong tendency to evil, especially directed against holy men.
Māra is represented by visiting Gotama on the banks of the Nerañjara, where he practices austerities and tempts him to give up his effort and dedicate himself to good works. Gotama refers to Māra’s army as a tenfold.The divisions are as follows: the first consists of Greed; the second is Aversion; the third Hunger and Thirst; the fourth Anxiety; the fifth Laziness and Indolence; the sixth Cowardice; the seventh doubt; the eighth Hypocrisy and Stupidity; Winnings, Fame, Honor and Glory obtained falsely are the ninth; and the tenth is the Praise of oneself and the Contempt towards others.
«Seeing this army everywhere,» says the Buddha, «I go out to meet Māra with all his equipment. He will not give me ground. That army of yours, that the world of devas and men can not conquer, even that, with my wisdom, I’m going to hit it, like a clay bowl without cooking with a stone. «
After Māra left, disconcerted, he followed the Buddha for seven years, expecting any transgression on his part. But the search was in vain and, «like a crow attacking a rock», left Gotama disgusted. «Māra’s lute, which was so upset by grief, slipped on his arm. Then, discouraged, the Yakkha disappeared from there. «
The fundamental difference between an arahant and any other being wandering in Samsara is that he is immune to Māra, which is the most powerful being of those who are subject to conditionality. His armies keep the beings bound to Samsara and he only personally deals with those who can escape from them.
«Dedicate yourself to good works, stupid.»
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