Showing posts with label The Buddhist Satan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Buddhist Satan. Show all posts

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Mara: The Buddhist Satan

The supernatural Mara is a sort of Satan in Buddhist literature. He is best known for his temptation of the historical Buddha. Equipped with sinister motives, he is the Buddhist devil. When the historical Buddha was sitting under the pipal tree awaiting Enlightenment, Mara tried all means to seduce him. First he disguised as a messenger and told Siddhartha that his father Suddhodhana had been put into prison by the Buddha’s wicked cousin Devadatta. This didn’t deter Siddhartha.


Mara then called his armies of demon hosts to attack Gautama with earthquake and flood. Yet Siddhartha sat firm. When Mara challenged Siddhartha to produce evidence of his goodness, he touched the earth, and the earth itself spoke: "I am his witness.”


Lastly Mara brought his three beautiful daughters (Desire, Pleasure and Passion) to seduce Siddhartha. This means also came to naught.

Today In Indian History (26rd March)

1552   -  Amar Das became the third Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552 at age 73. Born on 5 May 1479 at Basarke in Amritsar district, Guru Amar Da...