[Lal]

In some Buddhist literature, “dasa mārasenā” is described as the “tenfold armies of the Māra,” where Māra is described as the Māra Devaputta (the leader of the Devās in the highest Deva realm.) Here, “dasa” means “ten,” and “Senā” means “armies.”

1. The Māra Devaputta indeed tried to dissuade the Bodhisatta from attaining Buddhahood. It is also true that Māra Devaputta also tried to distract some of the Buddha’s main disciples. 

• Māra Devaputta believes everyone should engage in punna kamma and try to be born in Deva realms to enjoy “sensual pleasures.” He does not understand that he himself is not free from future births in the apāyās. He believes Nibbāna means “annihilation.” 
• In the new series of posts (starting with “True Happiness Is the Absence of Suffering“), I will try to explain why there is nothing there — intrinsic to a “person” — to be “annihilated.” 

2. The “dasa mārasenā” that our Bodhisattta “fought with” on the night of Enlightenment are ten types of defilements, starting with kāma (sensual pleasures). It was a “mental battle.”

• The “Padhāna Sutta (Snp 3.2)” lists these ten defilements.

3. Therefore, “māra” in “dasa mārasenā” refers not to the Māra Devaputta but to “death” or “marana.” 

• The “dasa mārasenā” or the “ten defilements” keep us in the rebirth process and perpetuate death. Every birth anywhere in the 31 realms ends in death.
• To overcome death (and suffering), we must uncover the “pabhassara citta” or the “pure mind” that is hidden within all of us: “True Happiness Is the Absence of Suffering“
• Māra Devaputta will die one day, and after that, he will roam the rebirth process ending up many times in the aapāyās (unless he attains Nibbāna.)

2 users thanked author for this post.

Gad, TripleGemStudent

[Gad]

Thank you for this explanation Sir Lal. For complete what you saying arahant Maha Mogallana was the mara devaputta in the sasana of lord Buddha Kakusandha and the uncle of the actual mara devaputta. He commit many misdeeds against the samgha and reborn in the niraya for a very long time. 

Many buddhists have the wrong view (include me before) that mara devaputta are the pure evil and the same being throughout the eons just like satan in christians religion. With this clarification we understand he just another being who are trap in the samsara and he can achieve Nibbāna aswell.

[Lal]

Good comment, Gad.

• Yes. In the “Māratajjanīya Sutta (MN 50)” Ven. Moggalana tells the Māra Devaputta that he was a Māra named Dūsī in the past. That was during the time of the Kakusandha Buddha, and the sutta describes how Dusi Māra injured one of that Buddha’s leading disciples, Venerable Vidhura. 
• Then Ven. Moggalana described how he was born in an apaya because of that immoral deed before being born a human in his last birth. It is an informative read.
• (Note: Māra is the title of the leader of Devas in the “Paranimmita vasavattī Deva realm,” which is the highest Deva realm.)

1 user thanked author for this post.

Gad

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