Kassaka Sutta

Translation by Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna

1. The origin is Sàvatthi. At the time the Blessed One was instructing, inciting, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk, on extinction. The bhikkhus too were listening attentively to grasp the essential.

2. Then it occurred to Màra the evil one, "The recluse Gotama is instructing, inciting, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a talk, on extinction. The bhikkhus too are listening attentively to grasp the essential. What if I approach the recluse Gotama and disturb the gathering?"

3. Then Màra the evil one, approached the Blessed One, creating the form of a farmer and said to the Blessed One:

4. "Recluse, did you see some buffaloes?"

5. "Evil One, what's the use of buffaloes to you?"

6. "Recluse, it's my refuge. The eye is mine, forms are mine and eye-consciousness through eye contact is mine. How could I be released?


 * "Recluse, it's my refuge. The ear is mine, sounds are mine and ear-consciousness through ear contact is mine. How could I be released?


 * "Recluse, it's my refuge. The nose is mine, scents are mine and nose-consciousness through nose contact, is mine. How could I be released?


 * "Recluse, it's my refuge. The tongue is mine, tastes are mine and tongue consciousness through tongue contact, is mine. How could I be released?


 * "Recluse, it's my refuge. The body is mine, touch is mine and body consciousness through body contact is mine. How could I be released?


 * "Recluse, it's my refuge. The mind is mine, ideas are mine and mind consciousness through mind contact is mine. How could I be released?"

7. "Evil One, when to your, eye, forms and eye-consciousness through eye contact are not present, then to you the eye is not, forms are not and eye-consciousness through eye contact do not behave.

8. "Evil One, when to your, ear, sounds and ear-consciousness through ear contact are not present, then to you the ear is not, sounds are not and ear-consciousness through ear contact do not behave

9. "Evil One, when to your, nose, scents and nose-consciousness through nose contact are not present, to you the nose is not, scents are not and nose-consciousness through nose contact do not behave.

10. "Evil One, when to your, tongue, tastes and tongue-consciousness through tongue contact are not present, then to you the tongue is not, tastes are not and tongue-consciousness through tongue contact does not behave.

11. Evil One, when to your, body, touches and body-consciousness through body contact are not present, to you the body is not, touches are not and body-consciousness through body contact does not behave

12. "Evil One, when to your, mind, ideas and mind-consciousness through an idea are not present, to you the mind is not, ideas are not and mind-consciousness through mind contact do not behave."

13. "When words say, this is mine, or if they say it's me,
 * There, the mind is established. Recluse, you are not released."

14. "If it is said, it is not mine, or is said it is not me,
 * Evil One, know this! You will not see my path.

15. Then Màra the evil one knew, `The Blessed One has recognized me,' became displeased and vanished from there.