The Story of Mara

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (351) and (352) of this book, with reference to Mara who had come to frighten Samanera Rahula, son of Gotama Buddha.

On one occasion, a large number of bhikkhus arrived at the Jetavana monastery. To put up the guest bhikkhus, Samanera Rahula had to go and sleep near the door, just outside the chamber of the Buddha. Mara, wanting to annoy the Buddha through his son, took the form of an elephant and encircling the head of the samanera with his trunk made an alarming noise hoping to frighten him. But Rahula was unmoved. The Buddha, from his chamber, knew what was happening, and said, "O wicked Mara! Even a thousand such as you would not be able to frighten my son. My son has no fear, he is free from craving, he is vigilant, he is wise."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 351: He who has attained arahatship is free from fear, free from craving, and free from moral defilements. He has cut off the thorns of existence (such as lust). This is the last existence (for him).

Verse 352: He who is free from craving and from attachment, who is skilled in the knowledge of the significance of terms, who knows the grouping of letters and their sequence is indeed called "one who has lived his last, a man of great wisdom, a great man."

Hearing the above words, Mara realized that the Buddha knew about his tricks and instantly disappeared.