Soon after awakening, Māra displays beautiful and ugly rainbow colors to frighten the Buddha during night meditation; the Teacher replies in verse that those well restrained in body, speech, and mind do not fall under Māra's sway.

SN 4.3 Beautiful

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, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato avidūre uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti, subhā ceva asubhā ca.

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

“Saṁsaraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ,
vaṇṇaṁ katvā subhāsubhaṁ;
Alaṁ te tena pāpima,
nihato tvamasi antaka.

Ye ca kāyena vācāya,
manasā ca susaṁvutā;
Na te māravasānugā,
na te mārassa baddhagū”ti.

Atha kho māro …pe… 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, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato avidūre uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti, subhā ceva asubhā ca.

Then Māra the Wicked, wanting to make the Buddha feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, approached him, and while not far away, displayed a rainbow of bright colors, both beautiful and ugly.

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

Then the Buddha, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, replied to 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 antaka.

You’re beaten, terminator.

Ye ca kāyena vācāya,

Those who are well restrained

manasā ca susaṁvutā;

in body, speech, and mind

Na te māravasānugā,

don’t fall under Māra’s sway,

na te mārassa baddhagū”ti.

nor are they your footmen.”

Atha kho māro …pe… tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then Māra … 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
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →
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
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026