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**elektikakass** · 05-22-2011, 03:29 AM

My impression here is Mara is an external being, a "deva" with some psychic powers, who deliberately torments the Buddha.

Many devas (angels) did not personally approve of the Buddha-Dhamma.

For example, the Buddha taught anatta, which was contrary to the existing Brahministic teachings.

Regards

In traditional Buddhism four senses of the word "mara" are given.

Klesa-mara, or Mara as the embodiment of all unskillful emotions.

Mrtyu-mara, or Mara as death, in the sense of the ceaseless round of birth and death.

Skandha-mara, or Mara as metaphor for the entirety of conditioned existence.

Devaputra-mara, or Mara the son of a deva (god), that is, Mara as an objectively existent being rather than as a metaphor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)

05-22-2011, 03:29 AM	#10
elektikakass Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 397 Senior Member	My impression here is Mara is an external being, a "deva" with some psychic powers, who deliberately torments the Buddha. Many devas (angels) did not personally approve of the Buddha-Dhamma. For example, the Buddha taught anatta, which was contrary to the existing Brahministic teachings. Regards In traditional Buddhism four senses of the word "mara" are given. Klesa-mara, or Mara as the embodiment of all unskillful emotions. Mrtyu-mara, or Mara as death, in the sense of the ceaseless round of birth and death. Skandha-mara, or Mara as metaphor for the entirety of conditioned existence. Devaputra-mara, or Mara the son of a deva (god), that is, Mara as an objectively existent being rather than as a metaphor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)
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