How to Subdue the Six Māras

Original Text: There are six hooks of Māra. What are the six? The eye relishing and clinging to forms—this is a hook of Māra. The ear relishing and clinging to sounds—this is a hook of Māra. The nose relishing and clinging to odors—this is a hook of Māra. The tongue relishing and clinging to flavors—this is a hook of Māra. The body relishing and clinging to tactile objects—this is a hook of Māra. The mind relishing and clinging to mental objects—this is a hook of Māra. If an ascetic or Brahmin relishes and clings to forms with the eye, it should be known that this ascetic or Brahmin has the hook of Māra in his throat; he is not free from Māra.

Explanation: The Buddha said there are six hooks or fetters of Māra. What are the six? When the eye-consciousness, at the faculty of the eye, greedily clings to visual objects, considering them delightful, this is a hook of Māra. When the ear-consciousness, at the faculty of the ear, greedily clings to sounds, considering them delightful, this is a hook of Māra. When the nose-consciousness, at the faculty of the nose, greedily clings to odors, considering them delightful, this is a hook of Māra. When the tongue-consciousness, at the faculty of the tongue, greedily clings to flavors, considering them delightful, this is a hook of Māra. When the body-consciousness, at the faculty of the body, greedily clings to tactile objects, considering them delightful, this is a hook of Māra. When the mind-consciousness, at the faculty of the mind, greedily clings to mental objects, considering them delightful, this is a hook of Māra. If an ascetic or Brahmin greedily clings to visual objects and so forth with the eye-consciousness and so forth at the faculties of the eye and so on, it should be known that this ascetic or Brahmin has the hook of Māra in his throat; this person is not free from Māra and is controlled by Māra.

The Buddha’s metaphor is very vivid: Māra’s clutches hold six chains, constantly lurking at our six sense doors, waiting for an opportunity to seize our throats. As soon as the slightest greed or affection arises towards the six sense objects, a chain of Māra is hung around the neck, with Māra’s hook in the throat. Maintaining precepts and not clinging to the six sense objects allows one to escape Māra’s grasp. Not upholding the precepts, with the mind clinging to the six sense objects, one is inevitably bound by Māra. The six sense objects of the desire realm are precisely what Māra uses to bind sentient beings; having desires for the six sense objects means being held by the demon of desire. Being held by Māra, one does not escape suffering. Therefore, one should uphold the precepts and distance oneself from Māra’s disturbances.

Original Text: One day, Māra Pāpīyas disguised himself as a disheveled cowherd, pretending to search for a lost cow. He approached the World-Honored One and asked, "Gautama, have you seen my cow?" The World-Honored One thought, "This is the Evil One who has come to disturb me." He then addressed Māra, saying, "Evil One, where is there a cow? What use is a cow to you?" Māra thought, "The ascetic Gautama knows I am Māra," and said to the Buddha, "Gautama, the contact base of the eye is my vehicle. The contact bases of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are my vehicles." He then asked, "Gautama, where are you going?"

Explanation: Pāpīyas came before the World-Honored One and asked, "Gautama, have you seen my cow?" The World-Honored One, recognizing that this was the Evil One come to harass him, told the Evil One, "Evil One, where is there a cow? What use is a cow to you?" The Evil One, realizing the World-Honored One had seen through him, said to the World-Honored One, "Gautama, the contact base of the eye is what I ride upon. The contact bases of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are what I ride upon—the six faculties are my cows." He then said, "Gautama, where are you going?"

Original Text: The Buddha told the Evil One, "You have the contact base of the eye, and the contact bases of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. But where there is no contact base of the eye, no contact bases of the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind—places you cannot reach—I go there." At that time, the heavenly demon Pāpīyas spoke this verse: "If there is a permanent self, then all those are mine. Everything belongs to me. Where then, Gautama, are you going?"

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke a verse in reply: "If one speaks of a permanent self, that 'self' he speaks of is not the self. Therefore, Pāpīyas, I know you have fallen into defeat." Māra then spoke another verse: "If you say you know the path, safely leading to Nirvana, why not go alone? Why trouble to teach others?"

Explanation: The World-Honored One told the Evil One, "You possess the contact bases of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. But others lack these six contact bases; thus, you cannot reach those places, whereas I can go to those places." Then the heavenly demon spoke this verse: "If there is a permanent self, then the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are all mine; all phenomena belong to me. So, Gautama, where can you go?"

Then the World-Honored One spoke a verse replying to Pāpīyas: "If one says there is a permanent self, then that 'self' he speaks of is not the self. Therefore, I know you, Pāpīyas, have caused yourself to fall into defeat." Māra then spoke another verse: "If you say you know the path to Nirvana, leading safely there, then you should go alone. Why trouble to teach others to go towards Nirvana?"

Original Text: The World-Honored One again spoke a verse in reply: "If there are those free from Māra, who ask about the path to the far shore, for them I explain equally, the true and everlasting, without residue. Practicing diligently and heedfully, they will forever be free from Māra's control." Māra then spoke this verse: "There is a stone resembling a piece of meat. A hungry bird comes wishing to eat it, imagining it to be soft and delicious, hoping to satisfy its hunger. Yet it gains no taste from it; with its beak broken, it soars into the sky. Now I am like that bird; Gautama is like the stone-born [meat]. Without gaining entry, I depart ashamed, like the bird vanishing into the sky. With a heart full of poisonous sorrow, I vanish from there, no longer seen."

Explanation: The World-Honored One again spoke a verse in reply: "If there are those who have left Māra’s hindrances and inquire about the path to cross to the other shore, I expound the truth equally for them, teaching them the ultimate truth of liberation, leaving nothing out. Sentient beings, having received this teaching and diligently practicing with heedfulness, will forever escape Māra’s bonds and attain great freedom." The demon king then spoke this verse: "There was a stone resembling a piece of meat. A hungry bird flew to it wanting to eat it, imagining in its mind that this stone was soft and wonderful, hoping to satisfy its hunger. But pecking at it repeatedly, it gained no flavor from it. After breaking its beak, it soared into the air and flew away. Now I am like that bird, and Gautama is like the stone, utterly impenetrable. Therefore, I depart ashamed, like the bird vanishing into the sky. My heart is filled with the poison of sorrow, and I vanish from his presence, no longer appearing."