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bza028 -- Māra turns into a snake to frighten the Buddha 魔變蛇身惱佛

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別譯雜阿含: bza028 雜阿含: za1089 BZA English: 別譯雜阿含英譯 SN: SN,I,106 (Sappa)

bza028

如是我聞：一時佛在王舍城 耆闍崛山。

爾時世尊於其 * 中夜露地經行，洗足已，入靜房中，整身端坐，繫念在前。魔王波旬作是念言：

「瞿曇沙門在王舍城耆闍崛山中露地經行。我當往彼，而作嬈亂！」

爾時魔王即自變形，作蟒蛇身。其形長大，猶如大船。雙目晃朗，如矯薩羅鉢。吐舌炎炎，又如掣電。出入息聲，如大雷震。住於佛前，以身遶佛。引頸舉頭，當佛頂上。爾時世尊知魔 * 嬈亂，而說偈言：

「我處于閑寂    繫心正解脫
安禪修其身    如昔諸佛法
毒蛇極猛暴    狀貌甚可畏
* 蚊虻及蚤蝨    種種諸惱觸
不動我一毛    況能令我畏
假使虛空裂     * 大地皆 * 振動
一切諸眾生    皆生大驚 * 懼
欲令我怖畏    終無有是處
設復有毒箭    中于我心者
當于被箭時    終不求救護
然復此毒箭    亦不能中我」

爾時魔王聞佛說偈，而作是念：

「 瞿曇沙門已知我心！」

生大怖畏，憂愁悔恨，即變形去，還于天宮。

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tn0099-1089

如是我聞：一時佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中。

爾時世尊夜起經行，至後夜時洗足，入房，正身端坐，繫念在前。時魔波旬作是念：

「今沙門瞿曇住王舍城耆闍崛山中，夜起經行，後夜入房，正身端坐，繫念在前。我今當往，為作留難！」

即化作大龍，遶佛身七匝，舉頭臨佛頂上，身如大船，頭如大帆，眼如銅鑪，舌如曳電，出息入息，若雷雹聲。爾時世尊作是念：

「惡魔波旬欲作嬈亂。」

即說偈言：

「猶如空舍宅    牟尼心虛寂
於中而旋轉    佛身亦如是
無量凶惡龍    蚊虻蠅蚤等
普集食其身    不能動毛髮
破裂於虛空    傾覆於大地
一切眾生類    悉來作恐怖
刀矛槍利箭    悉來害佛身
如是諸暴害    不能傷一毛」

時魔波旬作是念：

「沙門瞿曇已知我心！」

內懷憂慼，即沒不現。

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Māra turns into a snake to frighten the Buddha

Translation of BZA 028. First version published in Buddhist Studies Review vol. 23-1 (2006).

Thus have I heard, once, the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha on Gijjhakūṭa Mountain.

At that time, in the middle of the night, the World-honoured One walked in the open. having washed his feet, he entered his silent abode, sat upright and focused his attention in front of him. There, King Māra the Bad had this thought: ‘The gotama renunciant [staying] in Rājagaha on Gijjhakūṭa Mountain is walking in the open. I should go and disturb him’.

At that time King Māra changed into a huge snake that was long and thick like a large boat. With a pair of eyes glittering brightly like a [bronze] bowl from the land of Kosalā, tongue flickering in and out like lightning and breath heaving like thunder, it stood before Buddha while coiling its body around him. Then, it bent its neck forward, and lowered its head onto the head of the Buddha. The Buddha, who knew that this was Māra [trying] to disturb him, spoke this verse:

I live in complete solitude // the mind focused in true liberation,
In quiet meditation and physical cultivation // according to the teaching of the former Buddhas.
Poisonous snakes, fierce and violent // of terrifying appearance,
constrictor snakes and vermin: // all these disturbances //
cannot stir even one hair [on my body] // much less frighten me.
If the sky broke apart // or the great earth shook,
all beings // would feel great terror;
[but] to frighten me // is not possible.
Even if you aimed a poisoned arrow // at my heart,
the moment the arrow struck // i would not seek protection;
nevertheless the poisoned arrow // cannot penetrate.

When King Māra heard the Buddha speak this verse he thought: ‘The gotama renunciant knows my mind!’, and he became deeply afraid. Depressed and dispirited, he made himself invisible and returned to his heavenly palace.

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This file is part of the Bieyi za ahan (T.100) project at the Dharma Drum Buddhist College.
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