Soon after awakening, while meditating in the rain at night, the Buddha is approached by Māra manifesting as a terrifying elephant king; the Teacher recognizes him and remains fearless.

SN 4.2 In the Form of an Elephant King

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhamūle paṭhamābhisambuddho.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā rattandhakāratimisāyaṁ abbhokāse nisinno hoti, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyati.

Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo mahantaṁ hatthirājavaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. Seyyathāpi nāma mahāariṭṭhako maṇi; evamassa sīsaṁ hoti. Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ rūpiyaṁ; evamassa dantā honti. Seyyathāpi nāma mahatī naṅgalīsā; evamassa soṇḍo hoti.

Atha kho bhagavā “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Saṁsaraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ,
Vaṇṇaṁ katvā subhāsubhaṁ;
Alaṁ te tena pāpima,
Nihato tvamasi antakā”ti.

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

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhamūle paṭhamābhisambuddho.

At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the root of the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā rattandhakāratimisāyaṁ abbhokāse nisinno hoti, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyati.

Now at that time the Buddha was meditating in the open during the dark of night, while a gentle rain drizzled down.

Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo mahantaṁ hatthirājavaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.

Then Māra the Wicked, wanting to make the Buddha feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, manifested in the form of a huge elephant king and approached him.

Seyyathāpi nāma mahāariṭṭhako maṇi;

Its head was like a huge block of soapstone.

evamassa sīsaṁ hoti.

Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ rūpiyaṁ;

Its tusks were like pure silver.

evamassa dantā honti.

Seyyathāpi nāma mahatī naṅgalīsā;

Its trunk was like a long plough pole.

evamassa soṇḍo hoti.

Atha kho bhagavā “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then the Buddha, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, addressed him in verse:

“Saṁsaraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ,

“Transmigrating for such a long time,

Vaṇṇaṁ katvā subhāsubhaṁ;

you’ve made forms beautiful and ugly.

Alaṁ te tena pāpima,

Enough of this, Wicked One!

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.

Qualities:

Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Fear

Fear

A constricting mental state that arises when the mind perceives threat or danger. It agitates and destabilizes, driving the mind toward avoidance, paralysis, or desperate action.

Also known as: feeling afraid, timid, dread, fright, horror, panic, terror
Pāli: bhaya, dara
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Flexible

Flexible

A quality of the cultivated mind—malleable, workable, and free from rigidity and resistance. Akin to refined gold, a flexible mind is suitable for cultivation of direct knowledge.

Also known as: gentle, pliable, workable, malleable, yielding, ready, suitable for use
Pāli: mudu, kammañña, soracca
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Last updated on July 27, 2026