26.3 The Story about Māra
Māravatthu
Dhp 385
Burlingame: What Is the “Far Shore”?
Māra disguised himself and approached the Buddha asking about the far shore; the Buddha recognised and rebuked him, and then spoke a verse.
Keywords: Māra
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“For whom the near shore,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Māra.
It seems that Māra one day assumed a disguise, approached the Teacher, and asked him: “Venerable Sir, the ‘far shore’ is frequently spoken of. Pray what is this thing that is called the ‘far shore’?”
The Teacher knew at once: “This is Māra.” So he said to him: “Wicked One, what have you to do with the ‘far shore’? That may be gained only by those who have freed themselves from the passions.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:
385. Yassa pāraṁ apāraṁ vā pārāpāraṁ na vijjati,
vītaddaraṁ visaṁyuttaṁ, tam-ahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.
For whom the near shore, the far shore,
or both do not exist, free of
anxiety, being detached,
that one I say is a Brahmin.
At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.