DAKINI DIRECT CONFRONTATIONS WITH MARA

TEMPTATIONS OF BUDDHA

First let me introduce a direct confrontation with Mara by the Buddha, which is the model for the Dakini Conflicts which Sherab used.

§ 72. MÂRA AS PLOWMAN. CONFRONTATION DIRECT

Translated from the Samyutta-Nikâya (iv.2.9).

   Scene: Sâvatthi.

   Now at that time The Blessed One enlightened, incited, quickened, and gladdened the priests by a sermon on Nirvana. And the priests, listening to the discourse with attentive ears, became convinced, stored it up in their thoughts, and seized upon it with their whole minds.

   Then it occurred to Mâra, the Wicked One, as follows:

   "This monk Gotama enlightens, incites, quickens, and gladdens the priests by a sermon on Nirvana. And the priests, listening to the discourse with attentive ears, become convinced, store it up in their thoughts, and seize upon it with their whole minds. What if now I draw near to where the monk Gotama is in order to perplex him."

Then Mâra, the Wicked One, assumed the appearance of a plowman.

He shouldered an immense plow, took a long goad in his hand, and with dishevelled hair, a tunic of coarse hempen cloth, and mud-stained feet, he drew near to where The Blessed One was. And having drawn near, he spoke to The Blessed One as follows:

   "Monk, didst thou see any oxen?"

   "What, O Wicked One, hast thou to do with oxen?"

   "Mine, O monk, is the eye; mine are forms; mine is the sense of sight. Where, O monk, canst thou go to escape from me?

   "Mine, O monk, is the ear; mine are sounds; mine is the sense of hearing. Where, O monk, canst thou go to escape from me?

   "Mine, O monk, is the nose; mine are odors; mine is the sense of smell. Where, O monk, canst thou go to escape from me?

   "Mine, O monk, is the tongue; mine are tastes; mine is the sense of taste. Where, O monk, canst thou go to escape from me?

   "Mine, O monk, is the body; mine are things tangible; mine is the sense of touch. Where, O monk, canst thou go to escape from me?

   "Mine, O monk, is the mind; mine are ideas; mine is the thinking faculty. Where, O monk, canst thou go to escape from me?"

   "Thine, O Wicked One, is the eye; thine are forms; thine is the sense of sight. But where, O Wicked One, there is no eye, nor any forms, nor sense of sight, there, O Wicked One, thou canst not come.

   "Thine, O Wicked One, is the ear; thine are sounds; thine is the sense of hearing. But where, O Wicked One, there is no ear, nor any Bounds, nor sense of hearing, there, O Wicked One, thou canst not come.

   "Thine, O Wicked One, is the nose; thine are odors; thine is the sense of smell. But where, O Wicked One, there is no nose, nor any odors, nor sense of smell, there, O Wicked One, thou canst not come.

   "Thine, O Wicked One, is the tongue; thine are tastes; Thine is the sense of taste. But where, O Wicked One, there is no tongue, nor any tastes, nor sense of taste, there, O Wicked One, thou canst not come.

   "Thine, O Wicked One, is the body; thine are things tangible; thine is the sense of touch. But where, O Wicked One, there is no body, nor anything tangible, nor sense of touch, there, O Wicked One, thou canst not come.

   "Thine, O Wicked One, is the mind; thine are ideas; thine is the thinking faculty. But where, O Wicked One, there is no mind, nor any ideas, nor thinking faculty, there, O Wicked One, thou canst not come."

   Then said Mâra, the Wicked One:

   "The Blessed One has recognized me. The Happy One has recognized me," and sorrowful and dejected, he straightway disappeared.

Now let us examine a few of her direct confrontations with Mara.

Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Sherab dressed and, taking bowl and robe,entered Shri Ri for alms. When she had walked for alms in Shri Ri and had returned from her alms round, after her tea she went to the Blind Men's Grove seeking seclusion.

Then Mara the Evil One, desiring to arouse fear, trepidation, and terror in the bhikkhuni Sherab, desiring to make

her fall away from seclusion, approached her and addressed her in verse:

Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni Sherab: "Now who is it that recited the verse -- a human being or a non-human

being?"

Then it occurred to her: "This is Mara the Evil One, who has recited the verse desiring to arouse fear, trepidation,

and terror in me, desiring to make me fall away from seclusion."

Then the bhikkhuni Sherab, having understood, "This is Mara the Evil  One," replied to him in verses:

                How right you are, Mara.

               Not even the best practice works

               If you believe in the four demons.

               And what about equanimity?

               (She asked herself)

               (Hoping against hope)

               (That she would find a solution).

               This should be a lesson to you, Mara

Then Mara the Evil One, realizing, "The bhikkhuni Sherab knows me," sad and disappointed, disappeared right

there.

And here is another of the hundreds this collection of her conversations with Mara. Remember they are not

simply mental conversations but intense direct conversations.

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Shri Ri in Catari Grove, Pinedas Altas Park.

Then, in the morning, the bhikkhuni Sherab dressed and, taking bowl and  robe, entered Shri Ri for alms.

When she had walked for alms in Shri Ri and had returned from her alms round, after her tea she went to the Blind

Men's Grove seeking seclusion.

Then Mara the Evil One, desiring to arouse fear, trepidation, and terror in the bhikkhuni Sherab, desiring to make her

fall away from seclusion, approached her and addressed her in verse:

What can you possibly teach me now?

You are falling apart at the seams

Because of something so simple

That even the most ordinary being

Would be able to decide in two seconds.

Then it occurred to the bhikkhuni Sherab: "Now who is it that recited the verse -- a human being or a non-human being?"

Then it occurred to her: "This is Mara the Evil One, who has recited the verse desiring to arouse fear, trepidation, and

terror in me, desiring to make me fall away from seclusion." 

 Then the bhikkhuni Sherab, having understood, "This is Mara the Evil One," replied to him in verses:  

            Today is April Fool’s Day    

            And the world is playing 

           A big joke on me.                             

           Will everything come              

           Down on my head today,             

          Or is this illusion the same as              

          All the others?             

          Some positive, some negative,             

          Some neutral.                             

          Nothing makes sense anymore.                            

          I am turning around              

          On the wheel of samsara              

          And I can’t get off.              

          Mara, go away, disappear              

          Get out!              

Then Mara the Evil One, realizing, "The bhikkhuni Sherab knows me," sad and disappointed, disappeared right there.

Now all these are presented not just to show what is required of a true searcher after truth and liberation,

but to serve as an inspiration for yourself against mental agitation and torpor.

                  These are rhe actual meditations and confrontations of Ku Xin Shan