Vijaya Sutta

Translation by Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna

1. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anàthapiõóika in Jeta's grove in Sàvatthi.

2. Bhikkhuni Vijayà putting on robes in the morning and taking bowl and robes entered Sàvatthi for alms. Going the alms round and after the meal, she approached the dark forest to find seclusion and sat under a certain tree. Then Màra the evil one desiring to frighten bhikkhuni Vijayà approached her and said this stanza:


 * "You are beautiful and young, am also young with black hair
 * Come noble lady lets enjoy sense pleasures with the fivefold music"

3. Then it occurred to bhikkhuni Vijayà, "Who is it that says a stanza, is it a human or non-human?"

4. Then it occurred to bhikkhuni Vijayà, "It is Màra the evil one, desiring to frighten me and disturb me in my seclusion that has said this stanza."

5. And bhikkhuni Vijya knowing it is Màra the evil One, replied with this stanza:


 * "Pleasing forms, sounds, tastes scents and touches,
 * Màra, I turn them back to you, I do not value them
 * I am disgusted and loath this putrid, breaking, brittle, body
 * Those beings pursuing matter and the beings desiring immaterial states
 * And the beings in attainments, all these dark states I have destroyed."

4. Then Màra the evil one knowing, "Bhikkhuni Vijayà knows me," displeased, vanished from there.