SN 4.15 A Mental Snare

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

“Antalikkhacaro pāso,

“There’s a mental snare

yvāyaṁ carati mānaso;

wandering in midair.

Tena taṁ bādhayissāmi,

I’ll bind you with it—

na me samaṇa mokkhasī”ti.

you won’t escape me, ascetic!”

“Rūpā saddā rasā gandhā,

“Sights, sounds, tastes, smells,

Phoṭṭhabbā ca manoramā;

and touches so delightful:

Ettha me vigato chando,

desire for these is gone from me.

Nihato tvamasi antakā”ti.

You’re beaten, terminator!”

Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The Buddha knows me! The Holy One knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.