Saṁyutta Nikāya 5.10 1.

The Discourse of Vajirā

Bhikkhunīvagga Vajirāsutta Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho vajirā bhikkhunī pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

Then, in the morning, the nun Vajirā, after dressing and taking her bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.

Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami divāvihārāya.

Having walked for alms in Sāvatthī and returned after the meal, she approached the Blind Man's Grove for the day's abiding.

Andhavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.

Having entered the Blind Man's Grove, she sat down at the root of a certain tree for the day's abiding.

Atha kho māro pāpimā vajirāya bhikkhuniyā bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo samādhimhā cāvetukāmo yena vajirā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā vajiraṁ bhikkhuniṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: “Kenāyaṁ pakato satto, kuvaṁ sattassa kārako; Kuvaṁ satto samuppanno, kuvaṁ satto nirujjhatī”ti.

Then Māra the Evil One, desiring to arouse fear, trepidation, and terror in the nun Vajirā, and desiring to make her fall away from concentration, approached her and addressed her in verse: By whom has this being been created? Where is the being's maker? Where has the being arisen? Where does the being cease?

Atha kho vajirāya bhikkhuniyā etadahosi: “ko nu khvāyaṁ manusso vā amanusso vā gāthaṁ bhāsatī”ti?

Then it occurred to the nun Vajirā, Who is this, a human or a non-human, speaking this verse?

Atha kho vajirāya bhikkhuniyā etadahosi: “māro kho ayaṁ pāpimā mama bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo samādhimhā cāvetukāmo gāthaṁ bhāsatī”ti.

Then it occurred to her, This is Māra the Evil One, desiring to arouse fear, trepidation, and terror in me, and desiring to make me fall away from concentration, speaking this verse.

Atha kho vajirā bhikkhunī “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā, māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāhi paccabhāsi: “Kiṁ nu sattoti paccesi, māra diṭṭhigataṁ nu te; Suddhasaṅkhārapuñjoyaṁ, nayidha sattupalabbhati.

Then the nun Vajirā, having known, This is Māra the Evil One, replied to Māra the Evil One in verses: Why now do you assume a being? Māra, is that your speculative view?

Yathā hi aṅgasambhārā, hoti saddo ratho iti; Evaṁ khandhesu santesu, hoti sattoti sammuti.

This is merely a heap of formations; here no being is found.

Dukkhameva hi sambhoti, dukkhaṁ tiṭṭhati veti ca; Nāññatra dukkhā sambhoti, nāññaṁ dukkhā nirujjhatī”ti.

Just as, with an assemblage of parts, the word chariot is used, so, when the aggregates exist, there is the convention a being.

Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ vajirā bhikkhunī”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti. Bhikkhunīvaggo paṭhamo. Tassuddānaṁ Āḷavikā ca somā ca, Gotamī vijayā saha; Uppalavaṇṇā ca cālā, Upacālā sīsupacālā ca; Selā vajirāya te dasāti. Bhikkhunīsaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

Only suffering arises, suffering persists, and suffering ceases; nothing other than suffering arises, nothing other than suffering ceases.

Then Māra the Evil One, realizing, The nun Vajirā knows me, sad and disappointed, vanished right there.