Dhammapada Verses 351 and 352
Mara Vatthu
Nitthangato asantasi
vitatanho anangano
acchindi bhavasallani
antimoyam samussayo.
Vitatanho anadano
niruttipadakovido1
akkharanam sannipatam
janna pubbaparani ca
sa ve "antimasariro
mahpanno mahapuriso" ti vuccati.
Verse 351: He who has attained arahatship is free from fear, free from
craving, and free from moral defilements. He has cut off the thorns of existence
(such as lust). This is the last existence2 (for him).
Verse 352: He who is free from craving and from attachment, who is skilled in
the knowledge of the significance of terms, who knows the grouping of letters
and their sequence is indeed called "one who has lived his last, a man of
great wisdom, a great man."
1. niruttipadakovido: skilled in niruttipatisambhida i.e., skilled in the
knowledge of words.
2. lit., body.
The Story of Mara
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (351) and
(352) of this book, with reference to Mara who had come to frighten Samanera
Rahula, son of Gotama Buddha.
On one occasion, a large number of bhikkhus arrived at the Jetavana
monastery. To put up the guest bhikkhus, Samanera Rahula had to go and sleep
near the door, just outside the chamber of the Buddha. Mara, wanting to annoy
the Buddha through his son, took the form of an elephant and encircling the head
of the samanera with his trunk made an alarming noise hoping to frighten him.
But Rahula was unmoved. The Buddha, from his chamber, knew what was happening,
and said, "O wicked Mara! Even a thousand such as you would not be able
to frighten my son. My son has no fear, he is free from craving, he is vigilant,
he is wise."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
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Verse 351: He who has attained arahatship is free
from fear, free from craving, and free from moral defilements. He has
cut off the thorns of existence (such as lust). This is the last
existence (for him).
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Verse 352: He who is free from craving and from
attachment, who is skilled in the knowledge of the significance of
terms, who knows the grouping of letters and their sequence is indeed
called "one who has lived his last, a man of great wisdom, a
great man."
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Hearing the above words, Mara realized that the Buddha knew about his tricks
and instantly disappeared.