Saṁyutta Nikāya:
IV. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35: Saḷāyatana Saṁyutta
Paññāsako Dutiyo
2. Migajāla Vagga

35: Kindred Sayings the Sixfold Sphere of Sense
The 'Second Fifty' Suttas
2. The Chapter on Migajāla

Sutta 65

Samiddhi-Māra-Pañha Suttaṁ

Samiddhi (i)

 

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Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was staying near Rājagaha,
in Bamboo Grove,
at the Squirrels' Feeding-ground.

Then the venerable Samiddhi¹ came to the Exalted One and thus addressed him: -

"'Māra! Māra!'
is the saying, lord.

Pray, lord, to what extent is there Māra²
or the symptoms³ of Māra?"

"Where there is eye, Samiddhi,
objects,
eye-consciousness,
and things cognizable by the eye,
there is Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is ear, Samiddhi,
sounds,
ear-consciousness,
and things cognizable by the ear,
there is Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is nose, Samiddhi,
scents,
nose-consciousness,
and things cognizable by the nose,
there is Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is tongue, Samiddhi,
savours,
tongue-consciousness,
and things cognizable by the tongue,
there is Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is body, Samiddhi,
tangibles,
body-consciousness,
and things cognizable by the body,
there is Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is mind, Samiddhi,
mind-states,
mind-consciousness,
and things cognizable by the mind,
there is Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

 

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"But where there is no eye, Samiddhi,
no objects,
no eye-consciousness,
and no things cognizable by the eye,
there is no Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is no ear, Samiddhi,
no sounds,
no ear-consciousness,
and no things cognizable by the ear,
there is no Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is no nose, Samiddhi,
no scents,
no nose-consciousness,
and no things cognizable by the nose,
there is no Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is no tongue, Samiddhi,
no savours,
no tongue-consciousness,
and no things cognizable by the tongue,
there is no Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is no body, Samiddhi,
no tangibles,
no body-consciousness,
and no things cognizable by the body,
there is no Māra
or symptoms of Māra.

Where there is no mind, Samiddhi,
no mind-states,
no mind-consciousness,
and no things cognizable by the mind,
there is no Māra
or symptoms of Māra."

 

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¹ Cf. K.S. i, 14, 148; Psalms of the Brethren, 51; Jāt. ii, No. 167 (Jāt., text ii, pp. 56 and ff.). The name means 'prosperous' or 'lucky.' He was, says Comy., very beautiful, 'like a flower that has just bloomed.' His temptation by a devatā or nymph is described in the passage of Jātaka and S. i quoted.

² For Māra see K.S. iii, 155, 160. Māraṇaṅ. Comy.

³ Paññatti, 'The realm of Māra.' Comy.

 

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References:

SN 1.1.20
SN 1.4.22
Psalms of the Brethren, 51;
Jāt. ii, No. 167
K.S. iii, 155, 160.