Sattavassanubandha Sutta

Translation by Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna

1. Thus I heard. At that time, the Blessed One was living in Uruwela on the bank of river Nera¤jara at the root of the banyan tree.

2. For seven years, Màra the Evil One had been pursuing the Blessed One, desiring a chance to snatch a flaw in his mindfulness and had been unsuccessful.

3. Then Màra the evil one approached the Blessed One and said a stanza.


 * "Is it overcome with grief that you concentrate in forests?
 * Or is it the decrease of wealth and wishing for it?
 * Or have you done any offence in the village?
 * Why don't people see what you're doing?
 * I stand eye-witness you have no prosperity what so ever."

4. I have dug up, all roots of grief,
 * And I do not burn, because of an offence.
 * I have destroyed all greedy thoughts `to be."
 * Relation of negligence I concentrate without desires.

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

6."If words say, it is not mine, or if they say it is not me,
 * Evil One, know this! You will not see my path.

7. "If you have realized the path of appeasement to deathlessness,
 * Leave and go alone! Why do you advise others?"

8. "Humans who want to cross over, ask about the Deathless domain
 * When asked I tell them, where everything is without trouble."

9. "Venerable sir, not far away from the village or hamlet there is a pond, and in it there is a crab. Many boys and girls from the village or hamlet come to the pond and taking the crab from the pond put it on dry land. Whenever the crab puts forth a claw, those boys and girls break them and destroy them with stones or sticks. The crab with all its claws destroyed cannot go back to the pond, in which it lived. In the same manner venerable sir, the Blessed One has broken and destroyed whatever distortions, tricks and writhings I valued, now I have no excuse to approach the Blessed One.

10. Then Màra the evil one said these stanzas of his rejection, in the presence of the Blessed one:


 * "A bird followed and went round, a golden colored mountain.
 * We were not treated kindly had no satisfaction,
 * Not getting the satisfaction, we go away.
 * Like a crow that injured a rock, we give up Gotama."

11. Màra the evil one, saying these stanzas in the presence of the Blessed One left the Blessed One and not far away from the Blessed One sat on the ground, legs crossed. He was silent, confused, crest fallen and face turned downwards, unable to reply. He was digging the ground with stick.