How to Subdue the Six Māras

Original text:有六魔钩。云何为六。眼味著色。是则魔钩。耳味著声。是则魔钩。鼻味著香。是则魔钩。舌味著味。是则魔钩。身味著触。是则魔钩。意味著法。是则魔钩。若沙门婆罗门。眼味著色者。当知是沙门婆罗门。魔钩钩其咽。于魔不得自在。

Explanation: The Buddha said there are six demon hooks. What are the six? When the eye consciousness, at the eye faculty, craves material form, finding it delightful, that is a demon hook; when the ear consciousness, at the ear faculty, craves sounds, finding them delightful, that is a demon hook; when the nose consciousness, at the nose faculty, craves scents, finding them delightful, that is a demon hook; when the tongue consciousness, at the tongue faculty, craves flavors, finding them delightful, that is a demon hook; when the body consciousness, at the body faculty, craves tangibles, finding them delightful, that is a demon hook; when the mind consciousness, at the manas, craves mental objects, finding them delightful, that is a demon hook. If a śramaṇa or brāhmaṇa has the eye consciousness and so forth craving forms and other sense objects at the eye faculty and other faculties, one should know that this śramaṇa or brāhmaṇa has been hooked in the throat by the demon hook, and this person has no freedom from the demon, being at the demon's mercy.

The Buddha's metaphor is very vivid: Māra's demonic claws grip six chains, lurking at all times at the gates of our six faculties, waiting for a chance to strangle our throats. As soon as one develops even a little craving-attachment to the six sense objects, an iron chain of Māra is hung around one's neck, and a demon hook is lodged in one's throat. By upholding the precepts and not attaching to the six sense objects, one can escape the demon's claws; without upholding the precepts, with the mind attached to the six sense objects, one will surely be bound by the demon. The six sense objects of the desire realm are what the demon uses to bind sentient beings; those who have craving for the six sense objects are held by the desire demon. When held by the demon, one cannot escape suffering and distress; therefore one should uphold the precepts and stay far from the demon's disturbance.

Original text: One day, Māra Pāpīyas disguised himself as a disheveled, unkempt cowherd, pretending to search for lost cattle, and came before the World-Honored One to ask.瞿昙。见我牛不。世尊作是念。此是恶魔。欲来乱我。即告魔言。恶魔。何处有牛。何用牛为。魔作是念。沙门瞿昙知我是魔。而白佛言。瞿昙。眼触入处。是我所乘。耳鼻舌身意触入处。是我所乘。复问。瞿昙。欲何所之。

Explanation: Pāpīyas came before the World-Honored One and asked: Gautama, have you seen my cattle? The World-Honored One saw at a glance that it was a demon come to cause disturbance, and told the demon: Demon, where would there be cattle? What would you want with cattle? The demon knew that the World-Honored One had seen through him, and said to the Buddha: Gautama, the eye-contact base is my vehicle; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact bases are my vehicle. He asked again: Gautama, where are you going?

Original text:佛告恶魔。汝有眼触入处。耳鼻舌身意触入处。若彼无眼触入处。无耳鼻舌身意触入处。汝所不到。我往到彼。尔时天魔波旬。即说偈言。若常有我者。彼悉是我所。一切悉属我。瞿昙何所之。

尔时世尊说偈答言。若言有我者。彼说我则非。是故知波旬。即自堕负处。魔复说偈言。若说言知道。安隐向涅槃。汝自独游往。何烦教他为。

Explanation: The World-Honored One told the demon: You have the eye-contact base and the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact bases, but others do not have these six contact bases; you cannot reach those places, whereas I can go to those places. At that time the celestial demon Pāpīyas spoke in verse: If there were a permanently existing self, all of these would be "mine"; if everything belonged to me, where could you go, Gautama?

At that time the World-Honored One replied in verse to Pāpīyas: If someone claims there is a permanently existing self, then the self he speaks of is not the self. Therefore I know, Pāpīyas, that you have fallen into defeat by your own doing. The demon spoke in verse again: If you claim to know the path, the secure way leading to nirvāṇa, then just go off wandering there by yourself—why trouble yourself to teach others?

Original text:世尊复说偈答言。若有离魔者。问度彼岸道。为彼平等说。真实永无余。时习不放逸。永离魔自在。魔复说偈言。有石似段肉。饿鸟来欲食。彼作软美想。欲以补饥虚。竟不得其味。折嘴而腾虚。我今犹如鸟。瞿昙如石生。不入愧而去。犹鸟陵虚逝。内心怀愁毒。即彼没不现。

Explanation: The World-Honored One spoke again in verse in reply: If there are those who have departed from the demon and ask about the path to the farther shore of nirvāṇa, I teach them equally, imparting the most genuine truth of liberation without leaving anything out. After sentient beings receive and learn this teaching, they diligently cultivate without negligence, and can forever leave the demon's bondage and attain great freedom. The demon king spoke in verse again: There was a stone resembling a piece of meat; a hungry bird flew over wanting to eat it. The bird conceived of the stone as soft and delicious, hoping to satisfy its hunger. But after pecking at it repeatedly, it could not taste any flavor at all, and after breaking its beak, it soared away into the sky. I am now just like that bird, and Gautama is like that stone—since I could not get it into my mouth, I left in shame, vanishing like a bird flying off across the void. But my heart harbors the poison of sorrow, and I immediately disappeared from his side, never to appear again.