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Linked Discourses · SN 5.1

  • Linked Discourses 5.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 5.1
  • 1. Nuns1. Bhikkhunīvagga

With ĀḷavikāĀḷavikāsutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Then the nun Āḷavikā robed up in the morning and, taking her bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.Atha kho āḷavikā bhikkhunī pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. She wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on her return from almsround, she went to the Dark Forest seeking seclusion.Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami vivekatthinī.

Then Māra the Wicked, wanting to make the nun Āḷavikā feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, wanting to make her fall away from seclusion, went up to her and addressed her in verse:Atha kho māro pāpimā āḷavikāya bhikkhuniyā bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo vivekamhā cāvetukāmo yena āḷavikā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āḷavikaṁ bhikkhuniṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“There’s no escape in the world,“Natthi nissaraṇaṁ loke, so what will seclusion do for you?kiṁ vivekena kāhasi; Enjoy erotic delights;Bhuñjassu kāmaratiyo, don’t regret it later.”māhu pacchānutāpinī”ti.

Then the nun Āḷavikā thought,Atha kho āḷavikāya bhikkhuniyā etadahosi: “Who’s speaking this verse, a human or a non-human?”“ko nu khvāyaṁ manusso vā amanusso vā gāthaṁ bhāsatī”ti?

Then she thought,Atha kho āḷavikāya bhikkhuniyā etadahosi: “This is Māra the Wicked, wanting to make me feel fear, terror, and goosebumps, wanting to make me fall away from seclusion!”“māro kho ayaṁ pāpimā mama bhayaṁ chambhitattaṁ lomahaṁsaṁ uppādetukāmo vivekamhā cāvetukāmo gāthaṁ bhāsatī”ti.

Then Āḷavikā, knowing that this was Māra the Wicked, replied to him in verse:Atha kho āḷavikā bhikkhunī “māro ayaṁ pāpimā” iti viditvā māraṁ pāpimantaṁ gāthāhi paccabhāsi:

“There is an escape in the world,“Atthi nissaraṇaṁ loke, and I’ve personally experienced it with wisdom.paññāya me suphussitaṁ; O Wicked One, kinsman of the negligent,Pamattabandhu pāpima, you don’t know that state.na tvaṁ jānāsi taṁ padaṁ.

Sensual pleasures are like swords and spears;Sattisūlūpamā kāmā, the aggregates are their chopping block.khandhāsaṁ adhikuṭṭanā; What you call erotic delightYaṁ tvaṁ kāmaratiṁ brūsi, is now no delight for me.”arati mayha sā ahū”ti.

Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The nun Āḷavikā knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ āḷavikā bhikkhunī”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Similar passages elsewhere

Found by meaning, not by citation: the passages in other texts whose wording sits closest to a passage here.

  1. SN 5.3 With Kisāgotamī 0.80near 5.4Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The nun Kisāgotamī knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.…
  2. SN 4.6 A Cobra 0.64near 5.4the Buddhas take no shelter in attachments.” Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The Buddha knows me! The Holy One knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.…
  3. SN 5.4 With Vijayā 0.62near 0.1Linked Discourses 5.4 1. Nuns With Vijayā At Sāvatthī. Then the nun Vijayā robed up in the morning … and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation. Then Māra the Wicked, wanting to make the nun Vijayā feel fear,…
  4. SN 5.10 With Vajirā 0.58near 5.4But it’s only suffering that comes to be, lasts a while, then expires. Naught but suffering comes to be, naught but suffering ceases.” Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The nun Vajirā knows me!” miserable and sad, vanishe…
  5. SN 5.5 With Uppalavaṇṇā 0.56near 0.1Linked Discourses 5.5 1. Nuns With Uppalavaṇṇā At Sāvatthī. Then the nun Uppalavaṇṇā robed up in the morning … and stood at the root of a sal tree in full flower. Then Māra the Wicked, wanting to make the nun Uppalavaṇṇā…
  6. SN 4.13 A Splinter 0.55near 5.4as I see no decline for myself in the world. That’s why I lie down full of sympathy for all living creatures.” Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The Buddha knows me! The Holy One knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished rig…
  7. SN 5.2 With Somā 0.54near 0.1Linked Discourses 5.2 1. Nuns With Somā At Sāvatthī. Then the nun Somā robed up in the morning and, taking her bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. She wandered for alms in Sāvatthī. After the meal, on her return fr…