The sutta’s do sometimes describe a Mara who possesses someone but in a more metaphorical sense, Mara’s influence on us can be seen in our own attachment. Mara influence on us is by way of our own avijja, tanha, anusaya, samyojana, asava, upadana, all those causes and conditions that fetter.
Also the celestial bond is still a bond. Anywhere there arises this binding effect, there is, in a metaphorical sense, a possession by Mara, a binding by Mara. In that sense only Buddha’s and arahants, who have crosses any realm of existence (mara’s domain) have really escaped Mara.
Siebe