Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
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 sapparājavaṇṇaṁ 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 serpent king and approached him.
Seyyathāpi nāma mahatī ekarukkhikā nāvā;
Its body was like a huge canoe carved from a single tree.
evamassa kāyo hoti.
Seyyathāpi nāma mahantaṁ soṇḍikākiḷañjaṁ;
Its hood was like a large brewer’s sieve.
evamassa phaṇo hoti.
Seyyathāpi nāma mahatī kosalikā kaṁsapāti;
Its eyes were like big bronze cups from Kosala.
evamassa akkhīni bhavanti.
Seyyathāpi nāma deve gaḷagaḷāyante vijjullatā niccharanti;
Its tongue flickered from its mouth like lightning flashes in a thunderstorm.
evamassa mukhato jivhā niccharati.
Seyyathāpi nāma kammāragaggariyā dhamamānāya saddo hoti;
The sound of its breathing was like the puffing of a blacksmith’s bellows.
evamassa assāsapassāsānaṁ saddo hoti.
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:
“Yo suññagehāni sevati,
“A self-controlled sage frequents
Seyyā so muni attasaññato;
empty buildings for lodging.
Vossajja careyya tattha so,
It’s appropriate for that sort
Patirūpañhi tathāvidhassa taṁ.
to live there after relinquishing.
Carakā bahū bheravā bahū,
Though there are lots of creepy crawlies,
Atho ḍaṁsasarīsapā bahū;
and lots of flies and reptiles,
Lomampi na tattha iñjaye,
they wouldn’t stir a hair
Suññāgāragato mahāmuni.
of a great sage in that empty hut.
Nabhaṁ phaleyya pathavī caleyya,
Though the firmament may split and the earth may quake,
Sabbepi pāṇā uda santaseyyuṁ;
and all creatures be stricken with fear;
Sallampi ce urasi pakappayeyyuṁ,
and even if an arrow’s aimed at their breast,
Upadhīsu tāṇaṁ na karonti buddhā”ti.
the Buddhas take no shelter in attachments.”
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.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
Now at that time the Buddha was meditating in the open during the dark of night, while a gentle rain drizzled down.
Then Māra the Wicked, wanting to make the Buddha feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, manifested in the form of a huge serpent king and approached him.
Its body was like a huge canoe carved from a single tree.
Its hood was like a large brewer’s sieve.
Its eyes were like big bronze cups from Kosala.
Its tongue flickered from its mouth like lightning flashes in a thunderstorm.
The sound of its breathing was like the puffing of a blacksmith’s bellows.
Then the Buddha, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, replied to him in verse:
“A self-controlled sage frequents
empty buildings for lodging.
It’s appropriate for that sort
to live there after relinquishing.
Though there are lots of creepy crawlies,
and lots of flies and reptiles,
they wouldn’t stir a hair
of a great sage in that empty hut.
Though the firmament may split and the earth may quake,
and all creatures be stricken with fear;
and even if an arrow’s aimed at their breast,
the Buddhas take no shelter in attachments.”
Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The Buddha knows me! The Holy One knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.
Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā rattandhakāratimisāyaṁ abbhokāse nisinno hoti, devo ca ekamekaṁ phusāyati.
Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo mahantaṁ sapparājavaṇṇaṁ abhinimminitvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.
Seyyathāpi nāma mahatī ekarukkhikā nāvā;
evamassa kāyo hoti.
Seyyathāpi nāma mahantaṁ soṇḍikākiḷañjaṁ;
evamassa phaṇo hoti.
Seyyathāpi nāma mahatī kosalikā kaṁsapāti;
evamassa akkhīni bhavanti.
Seyyathāpi nāma deve gaḷagaḷāyante vijjullatā niccharanti;
evamassa mukhato jivhā niccharati.
Seyyathāpi nāma kammāragaggariyā dhamamānāya saddo hoti;
evamassa assāsapassāsānaṁ saddo hoti.
Atha kho bhagavā “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
“Yo suññagehāni sevati,
Seyyā so muni attasaññato;
Vossajja careyya tattha so,
Patirūpañhi tathāvidhassa taṁ.
Carakā bahū bheravā bahū,
Atho ḍaṁsasarīsapā bahū;
Lomampi na tattha iñjaye,
Suññāgāragato mahāmuni.
Nabhaṁ phaleyya pathavī caleyya,
Sabbepi pāṇā uda santaseyyuṁ;
Sallampi ce urasi pakappayeyyuṁ,
Upadhīsu tāṇaṁ na karonti buddhā”ti.
Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.