Reply To: Did the Buddha Discriminate Against Women?

#51638
Jittananto
Participant
  • Thanks, Taryal! Mara Devaputta is part of the Kāma loka just like us humans. He adores sensual pleasures and wants to keep beings in these worlds. He can make his body denser with his Iddhis powers. The Brahmas of the Rupa Lokas must make their bodies dense when they visit the Kāma Loka. It is impossible for a human or a deva who does not have jhanas to see them. See Hattakha sutta. The arupas Brahmas cannot be seen by anyone except Lord Buddha and are completely detached from the two lower lokas. 
  • The main point I want to make is that higher beings who possess iddhi powers can put themselves on the level of lower beings. Hattakha Brahma is superior to Lord Buddha in the sense that he does not have a dense body and is not subject to illness and physical pain. He also does not have a deformed Sanna linked to Kāma loka (taste of sugar, vision of beautiful women and hideous people). He only has the Rūpa and the Arupa Sanna. Mara Devaputta thought he could tempt the Venerable Arahant Vijaya Theri. He is willing to go into lower pleasures to distract others from the Dhamma. His powers only work on those below the Sotāpanna Anugāmi stage who have strong attractions for Kāma Ragā.
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