SN 5.4 With Vijayā

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho vijayā bhikkhunī pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā …pe…

Then the nun Vijayā robed up in the morning …

aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.

and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation.

Atha kho māro pāpimā vijayāya bhikkhuniyā bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo samādhimhā cāvetukāmo yena vijayā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā vijayaṁ bhikkhuniṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Māra the Wicked, wanting to make the nun Vijayā feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, wanting to make her fall away from immersion, went up to her and addressed her in verse:

“Daharā tvaṁ rūpavatī,

“You’re so young and beautiful,

ahañca daharo susu;

and I’m a youth in my prime.

Pañcaṅgikena turiyena,

Come, my lady, let us enjoy

ehayyebhiramāmase”ti.

the music of a five-piece band.”

Atha kho vijayāya bhikkhuniyā etadahosi:

Then the nun Vijayā thought,

“ko nu khvāyaṁ manusso vā amanusso vā gāthaṁ bhāsatī”ti?

“Who’s speaking this verse, a human or a non-human?”

Atha kho vijayāya bhikkhuniyā etadahosi:

Then she thought,

“māro kho ayaṁ pāpimā mama bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo samādhimhā cāvetukāmo gāthaṁ bhāsatī”ti.

“This is Māra the Wicked, wanting to make me feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, wanting to make me fall away from immersion!”

Atha kho vijayā bhikkhunī “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāhi paccabhāsi:

Then Vijayā, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, replied to him in verse:

“Rūpā saddā rasā gandhā,

“Sights, sounds, tastes, smells,

phoṭṭhabbā ca manoramā;

and touches so delightful.

Niyyātayāmi tuyheva,

I hand them right back to you, Māra,

māra nāhaṁ tenatthikā.

for I have no use for them.

Iminā pūtikāyena,

This body is rotting,

bhindanena pabhaṅgunā;

decaying and frail.

Aṭṭīyāmi harāyāmi,

I’m horrified and repelled by it,

kāmataṇhā samūhatā.

and I’ve eradicated sensual craving.

Ye ca rūpūpagā sattā,

There are beings in the realm of luminous form,

ye ca arūpaṭṭhāyino;

and others stuck in the formless.

Yā ca santā samāpatti,

I’ve destroyed the darkness

sabbattha vihato tamo”ti.

regarding all such peaceful attainments.”

Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ vijayā bhikkhunī”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The nun Vijayā knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.