Saṃyutta Nikāya
III. Khandhā Vagga:
23: Rādha Saṃyutta
Sutta 1
Māra Suttaṃ
Mortality
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Sourced from the edition at dhammatalks.org
Provenance, terms and conditons
[pali][olds][pts][bodh] Near Sāvathī.
Then Ven. Rādha went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side.
As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One, "'Māra, Māra,' it is said, lord.
To what extent is there said to be Māra?"
"Rādha, when there is form, there would be Māra (Mortality) or what mortalizes or what is mortalized.
Therefore, Rādha, see form as 'Māra' or 'mortalizing' or 'mortalized.'
See it as a disease, a cancer, an arrow, a misery, a great misery.
Those who see it this way see it rightly.
"When there is feeling...
"When there is perception...
"When there are fabrications...
"When there is consciousness, there would be Māra (Mortality) or what mortalizes or what is mortalized.
Therefore, Rādha, see consciousness as 'Māra' or 'mortalizing' or 'mortalized.'
See it as a disease, a cancer, an arrow, a misery, a great misery.
Those who see it this way see it rightly.
"But seeing rightly, lord, has what as its purpose?"
"Seeing rightly, Rādha, has disenchantment as its purpose."
"And disenchantment, lord, has what as its purpose?"
"Disenchantment, Rādha, has dispassion as its purpose."
"And dispassion, lord, has what as its purpose?"
"Dispassion, Rādha, has release as its purpose."
"And release, lord, has what as its purpose?"
"Release, Rādha, has unbinding as its purpose."
"And unbinding, lord, has what as its purpose?"
"The question has gone too far, Rādha.
You can't hold on up to the limit of questions, for this holy life is lived with unbinding as its foothold, with unbinding as its culmination, unbinding as its final end."
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