The daughters of Māra

如是我聞：

一時，佛在優樓比螺聚落尼T 0383a20連禪河菩提樹下，成佛未久。爾時，魔王而作T 0383a21是念：「佛在優樓比螺聚落尼連禪河菩提樹T 0383a22下，成佛未久。我當詣彼，伺求其便。」作是念已，T 0383a23往詣佛所，而說偈言：

「汝獨處閑靜，　　閉默常寂然，T 0383a25
光顏顯神體，　　諸根悉悅豫。T 0383a26
譬如失財者，　　後還獲於財，T 0383a27
汝今翫禪寂，　　歡喜亦如是。T 0383a28
既能遺國榮，　　亦不悕名利，T 0383a29
何不與諸人，　　而共為親友？」

T 0383b01爾時，世尊以偈答言：

「我久獲禪定，　　其心常寂然，T 0383b03
破壞汝欲軍，　　得於無上財。T 0383b04
我根恒恬豫，　　心中得寂滅，T 0383b05
以壞汝欲軍，　　修道情歡喜。T 0383b06
獨一離憒閙，　　安用親友為？」

T 0383b07爾時，魔王復說偈言：

「汝已獲正道，　　安隱向涅槃，T 0383b09
既以得妙法，　　宜常戢在懷，T 0383b10
誠應獨了知，　　何以教眾人？」

T 0383b11爾時，世尊復說偈言：

「人不屬魔者，　　諮吾彼岸法，T 0383b13
我為正分別，　　諦實得盡滅，T 0383b14
止心不放逸，　　魔不得其便。」

T 0383b15爾時，魔王復說偈言：

「譬如白石山，　　其色類脂膏，T 0383b17
群鳥不別知，　　飛來而噏食。T 0383b18
既不得其味，　　［口＊（隹／乃）］傷而虛還，T 0383b19
我今亦如是，　　徒來無所為。」

T 0383b20爾時，魔王說是偈已，憂愁苦惱，極生悔恨，向T 0383b21一空處，蹲踞獨坐，以箭畫地，思作方計。時，魔T 0383b22三女：一名極愛，二名悅彼，三名適意。時，魔三T 0383b23女往至魔邊，向父說偈：

「父今名丈夫，　　何以懷憂愁？T 0383b25
我當以欲羂，　　羂彼如捕鳥，T 0383b26
將來至父所，　　使父得自在。」

T 0383b27爾時，魔王說偈答言：

「彼人善斷欲，　　不可以欲牽，T 0383b29
已過魔境界，　　是故我懷憂。」

T 0383c01彼魔三女化其形容，極為端嚴，往至佛所，T 0383c02即禮佛足，在一面立。三女同聲，俱白佛言：「我T 0383c03故來供養，與佛策使。」爾時，世尊無上斷愛，了T 0383c04不顧視，第二第三，亦作是語，佛不觀察。

時，魔T 0383c05三女退在一處，自共議論：「男子之法，所好各T 0383c06異，或愛小者，或愛中者，或愛大者。」即時一T 0383c07女，化作六百女人，或作小女，或作童女，或作T 0383c08未嫁女，或作已嫁女，或作已產女，或作未產T 0383c09女，化作如是眾多女已，俱往佛所，白佛言：「世T 0383c10尊！我等今來供養世尊，為其策使，給侍手足。」T 0383c11佛不觀察，第二第三，亦如是說，都不顧視。

時，T 0383c12魔女等復退一處，更共語言：「此必得無上斷T 0383c13愛欲解脫故，若不爾者，應見我等狂亂吐血，T 0383c14或能心裂。我等當往其所，以偈問難。」魔女T 0383c15極愛以偈問曰：

「端拱樹下坐，　　閑靜獨思惟，T 0383c17
為失於財寶，　　為欲求大財？T 0383c18
城邑聚落中，　　都無愛著心，T 0383c19
何不與眾人，　　而共作親友？」

T 0383c20爾時，世尊說偈答言：

「我以得大財，　　心中得寂滅，T 0383c22
我壞愛欲軍，　　妙色都不著。T 0383c23
獨處而坐禪，　　最受第一樂，T 0383c24
以是因緣故，　　都不求親友。」

T 0383c25魔女適意復說偈言：

「比丘住何處，　　能度五駛流，T 0383c27
六駛流亦過？　　入何禪定中，T 0383c28
得度大欲岸，　　永離有攝縛？」

T 0383c29爾時，世尊復說偈言：

「身獲柔軟樂，　　心得善解脫，T 0384a02
心離於諸業，　　意不復退轉。T 0384a03
得斷覺觀法，　　得離瞋愛掉，T 0384a04
得住此處住，　　能度五駛流。T 0384a05
并度第六者，　　作如是坐禪，T 0384a06
能度大欲結，　　并離有攝流。」

T 0384a07魔女悅彼復說偈言：

「已斷於愛結，　　離眾所著處，T 0384a09
多欲度駛流，　　多欲度死岸，T 0384a10
唯有黠慧者，　　能度如斯難。」

T 0384a11爾時，世尊復說偈言：

「大精進濟拔，　　如來正法度，T 0384a13
如法得度脫，　　智者莫不欣。」

T 0384a14三女不果所願，還至父所。爾時，魔王呵責三T 0384a15女，因說偈言：

「三女占壞彼，　　形容猶如電，T 0384a17
向彼大精進，　　如風吹兜羅。T 0384a18
爪以欲壞山，　　齒齚於鐵丸，T 0384a19
嬰愚以藕絲，　　欲懸於太山。T 0384a20
佛已度眾著，　　欲共彼講論，T 0384a21
羂摾欲捕風，　　欲下虛空月。T 0384a22
以手掬大海，　　望欲得乾竭，T 0384a23
佛已離諸著，　　欲往共講論。T 0384a24
舉脚度須彌，　　大海中覓地，T 0384a25
佛已出諸著，　　而往共講論。」

T 0384a26魔王憂愁悔恨，於即滅沒，還于天宮。

SC 1Thus have I heard, once, the Buddha was staying in the village of Uruvelā near the river Nerañjarā, under the Bodhi tree. This was not long after he had attained Buddhahood. At that time King Māra had this thought: “The Buddha is staying in the village Uruvelā near the river Nerañjarā, under the Bodhi tree. He has just attained Buddhahood. I should go there and try to mislead him.”

He went to the Buddha and spoke this verse:

SC 2“You live alone in the wilderness /
unspeaking, always silent.
Of radiant countenance and with celestial body /
all senses perceiving happiness,
like someone who had lost his fortune /
and later regained it.

SC 3You are idling your time away in the silence of meditation /
and the enjoyment that comes with it.
Since you have been able to discard public honors /
and do not desire status and profit,
why do you not with others /
form close friendships?”

SC 4At that time the World-honored One answered with a verse:

SC 5“For a long time I have attained meditative concentration /
where the mind is always still.
I have defeated your armies of desire /
and attained the highest fortune.
My senses are always quiet and happy /
In my mind I have attained silent extinction.

SC 6Defeating your armies of desire /
practicing the way I feel joy,
I live alone, apart from the hustle and bustle of others /
What use have I for close friends?”

At that time King Māra spoke this verse:

SC 7“Now, since you have attained the true way /
you can rest in Nirvāṇa.
Since you have reached the wonderful Dhamma /
you should keep it forever in your bosom.
Uprightly face and understand it alone; /
why should you teach the manyfolk?”

SC 8At that time the World-honored One answered with a verse:

SC 9“Humankind does not belong to you. /
If someone asks me about the teaching that leads to the other shore,
I will correctly explain /
the truth to let them attain extinction.
Stopping their mind without giving up; /
Māra will not overpower them.”

At that time King Māra spoke this verse:

SC 10“It is as if there were a largewhite boulder /
its color like that of fat.
A flock of crows cannot distinguish the two /
they perch on it and peck away,
but do not get the taste they wanted /
and with bruised beaks take off again into the air.
I myself am like this /
having come in vain, there is nothing more to do.”

SC 11Then King Māra, having spoken this verse, became depressed and dispirited and felt deep regret. He went to an empty place where he crouched alone and, drawing figures on the ground with an arrow, tried to think of a way to prevent the Buddha from teaching. Māra had three daughters; the first was called Desire, the second Passion, and the third Pleasure. Māra’s daughters came to his side and addressed their father with a verse:

SC 12“Father, you are called “Great Lord,” /
why are you so depressed?
We will with the snare of desire /
bind him the Buddha as one catches a bird,
and bring him to you, father, /
to make you feel at ease.”

King Māra answered with a verse:

SC 13“This man is good in cutting off desire /
he is not moved by it.
He has left the world of Māra already /
this is why I am sad.”

SC 14Then, Māra’s three daughters changed their appearance, becoming extraordinarily beautiful. They went to the Buddha, paid homage to his feet and sat to one side. The three daughters said together with one voice: “We have come to worship you and be at your service.” But the World-honored One had already attained the final cutting-off of desires and did not even look at them. They addressed him like this a second and a third time. The Buddha did not look at them. Then, Māra’s three daughters retreated and discussed the matter: “It is in the nature of men that they like different types of women. Some like their women young, some like them middle-aged and some mature.” Upon saying that, each daughter changed into six hundred women, some of them small girls, some teenagers, some of them already married women, and some not yet married, some of them had given birth already and some had not yet given birth. Having thus transformed themselves into a multitude of women, they all went to the Buddha and said to him: “World-honored One! We have come to worship the World-honored One and be at his service. We will serve the World-honored One in every way.”

SC 15The Buddha did not look at them. They addressed him like this a second and a third time. The Buddha did not look at them at all. Then, Māra’s daughters retreated and conferred again: “He must have attained the final cutting-off of desire, the supreme liberation. Otherwise he would have looked at us and become mad, spitting blood. It might even have torn his heart apart. Let us go to him and debate with him in verse.”

Māra’s daughter Desire asked in a verse:

SC 16“The body upright, one hand cupped within another, you sit under the tree /
alone in complete solitude, contemplating.
Like someone who has lost a fortune /
and desires to find a great treasure.

SC 17In the cities and villages /
your mind is without passion or attachment.
Why is it that among all those people /
you have made no close friends?”

SC 18At that time the World-honored One answered in a verse:

SC 19“I have already attained the great treasure /
attained quiet extinction in the mind.
I have destroyed the host of passion and desire /
am not attached to wonderful forms.
I dwell alone sitting in meditation /
experiencing the ultimate joy.
For this reason /
I do not desire close friends.”

Māra’s daughter Passion spoke this verse:

SC 20“Dwelling in which state, oh monk, /
have you crossed the five currents of sense-pleasures,
as well as the sixth i.e. The mind /
in what meditation do you abide?
That you attained the crossing from the shore of great desire /
forever free from the bondage of becoming?”

At that time the World-honored One spoke a verse:

SC 21“The body has obtained subtle, gentle joy /
the mind has attained good liberation.
The mind abstains from action /
consciousness will never again regress.

SC 22Having attained the method of cutting off discursive thought /
having achieved total abandoning of hatred and desire;
if one can abide in this state /
one can cross the five currents,
and the sixth as well /
If one can sit in meditation like this,
one can cross from the great fetter of desire /
and leave the relentless flow of becoming.”

Māra’s daughter Pleasure said in a verse:

SC 23“Having cut off the fetter of desire /
having abandoned what most people are attached to,
crossing over the currents of many desires /
crossing from the fatal shore of many desires;
only the wise /
can cross against these difficulties.”

SC 24At that time the World-honored One spoke this verse:

SC 25“By great effort the Tathāgata extracts himself /
and crosses with the help of the true Dhamma.
Liberated by the Dhamma /
the wise have no reason to be unhappy.”

SC 26The three daughters, their wish unfulfilled, returned to their father. King Māra scolded them by speaking a verse:

SC 27“My three daughters, you thought you could destroy him /
with your appearance stunning as lightning.
Advancing on the one ofgreat energy /
you were scattered by him like tufts of grass in the wind;

SC 28You acted as if you could tear down a mountain with your fingernails /
and bite through iron pellets with your teeth;
foolish children trying with lotus fibers/ to suspend a great mountain.

SC 29The Buddha has already crossed beyond all attachment /
desiring to argue with him
is like wanting to catch the wind with a net /
like wanting to take down the moon from the sky,
or like wanting to scoop the ocean with one’s hands /
in the hope of bailing it dry.

SC 30The Buddha has already left all attachment behind; /
desiring to go and argue with him
is like lifting one’s foot to stride over Mount Sumeru /
or to find solid earth to step on in the great ocean.
The Buddha has already abandoned all attachment, /
yet you go and argue with him!”

SC 31King Māra, sad and regretful, vanished and returned to his heavenly palace.