The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [204]
6. Then Māra the Evil One thought: “The recluse knew me, he saw me when he said that,” whereupon he [333] came up from the venerable Mahā Moggallāna’s mouth and stood against the door bar.
7. The venerable Mahā Moggallāna saw him standing there and said: “I see you there too, Evil One. Do not think: ‘He does not see me.’ You are standing against the door bar, Evil One.
8. “It happened once, Evil One, that I was a Māra named Dūsī,517 and I had a sister named Kālī. You were her son, so you were my nephew.
9. “Now on that occasion the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, had appeared in the world.518 The Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, had an auspicious pair of chief disciples named Vidhura and Sañjīva. Among all the disciples of the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, there was none equal to the venerable Vidhura in teaching the Dhamma. That was how the venerable Vidhura came to have the designation ‘Vidhura.’519 But the venerable Sañjīva, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, entered without difficulty upon the cessation of perception and feeling.
10. “It happened once, Evil One, that the venerable Sañjīva had seated himself at the root of a certain tree and entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling. Some cowherds, shepherds, ploughmen, and travellers saw the venerable Sañjīva sitting at the root of the tree having entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling, and they thought: ‘It is wonderful, sirs, it is marvellous! This recluse died while sitting. Let us cremate him.’ Then the cowherds, shepherds, ploughmen, and travellers collected grass, wood, and cowdung, and having piled it up against the venerable Sañjīva’s body, they set fire to it and went on their way.
11. “Now, Evil One, when the night had ended, the venerable Sañjīva emerged from the attainment.520 He shook his robe, and then, it being morning, he dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he went into the village for alms. The cowherds, shepherds, ploughmen, and travellers saw the venerable Sañjīva wandering for alms, and they thought: ‘It is wonderful, sirs, it is marvellous! This recluse who died while sitting has come back to life!’ [334] That was how the venerable Sañjīva came to have the designation ‘Sañjīva.’521
12. “Then, Evil One, the Māra Dūsī considered thus: ‘There are these virtuous bhikkhus of good character, but I do not know their coming or their going. Let me now take possession of the brahmin householders, telling them: “Come now, abuse, revile, scold, and harass the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Māra Dūsī may find an opportunity.”’522
13. “Then, Evil One, the Māra Dūsī took possession of those brahmin householders, telling them: ‘Come now, abuse, revile, scold, and harass the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Māra Dūsī may find an opportunity.’ Then, when the Māra Dūsī had taken possession of the brahmin householders, they abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed the virtuous bhikkhus of good character thus:523 ‘These bald-pated recluses, these swarthy menial offspring of the Kinsman’s feet,524 claim: “We are meditators, we are meditators!” and with shoulders drooping, heads down and all limp, they meditate, premeditate, out-meditate, and mismeditate.525 Just as an owl on a branch waiting meditate, and mismeditate.525 Just as an owl on a branch waiting for a mouse meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, or just as a jackal on a river-bank waiting for fish meditates, premeditates,