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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Lotuschef at Play – 天魔知多少 How Much of Mara Do You Know?

Terjemahan Indonesia: Lotuschef Bermain-main – Seberapa banyak kamu tahu tentang Mara?

Mara Papiyas
Quoting from Wikipedia – Mara (demon):

Mara depicted in the Burmese style, attempting to tempt Buddha
The demons of mara. Palm leaf manuscript. Nalanda, Bihar, India

Mara (Sanskrit, also Māra), in Buddhism, is the demon that tempted Gautama Buddha by trying to seduce him with the vision of beautiful women who, in various legends, are often said to be Mara's daughters.

In Buddhist cosmology, Mara personifies unwholesome impulses, unskillfulness, the "death" of the spiritual life. He is a tempter, distracting humans from practicing the spiritual life by making mundane things alluring, or the negative seem positive.

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.

Early Buddhism acknowledged both a literal and "psychological" interpretation of Mara. 

Mara is described both as an entity having a literal existence, just as the various deities of the Vedic pantheon are shown existing around the Buddha, and also is described as a primarily psychological force — a metaphor for various processes of doubt and temptation that obstruct spiritual practice.

"Buddha defying Mara" is a common pose of Buddha sculptures. 

The Buddha is shown with his left hand in his lap, palm facing upwards and his right hand on his right knee. The fingers of his right hand touch the earth, to call the earth as his witness for defying Mara and achieving enlightenment. 

This posture is also referred to as the 'earth-touching'mudra.


Etymology


The word "Mara" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *mer meaning to die, and so it is related to the European Mara, the Slavic Marzanna and the Latvian Māra.
Mara in Latvian mythology means — The Mother of Earth and has positive meaning. She is wise and generous. [2]


Three daughters


In some accounts of the Buddha's enlightenment, it is said that the demon Māra sent his three daughters to tempt the Buddha to give up his quest.

Mara's three daughters are identified as Taṇhā (Craving), Arati (Boredom), and Raga (Passion).[3][4] 

For example, in the Samyutta Nikaya's Māra-saṃyutta, Mara's three daughters fail to entice the Buddha:

They had come to him glittering with beauty —
Taṇhā, Arati, and Rāga —
But the Teacher swept them away right there.
As the wind, a fallen cotton tuft.[5]

Some stories refer to the existence of Five Daughters, who represent the Three Poisons, Attraction, Aversion and Delusion, accompanied additionally by Pride and Fear.

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Dear all, as per Shizun, Mara is a 10th level or Ground Bodhisattva.

The 10th Level or Ground is a per Avatamsaka or Flower Adornment Sutra's "10th Ground or Level Sutra" - For all Bodhisattva's cultivators, after making vows of Boddhicitta and have to experience or realized the 10 Attributes of Faith, Abide, Execute, Dedicate, and etc...., all 40 divisions and cultivate meritorious deeds with Wisdom and Resources, then only can enter into the 10th Ground or Level to learn and cultivate.

[  已发菩提心的菩萨行者,要历经 十信十住十行十回向 等四十阶位修行福德与智慧资粮,然后进入十地修学。]

Hahaha! 

Mara is also the Boss of the highest level, level 6 of the Desire Realm! 
This Deity do not need to create his own leisure or fun, he loves to Transform lower realms matters, using others' fun to Play, thus term [Transform others for Self Ease, Comfort, Enjoyment.]

[第六天魔王,即欲界最高的他化自在天,此神就是不须自己行乐,而爱下天化作,以他人之乐事而自在游戏,故曰“他化自在天”。]

SZ also stress that nothing is permanent! 
There is no Everlasting People, Matters, Materials.

Mara slander Buddha Dharma but received his punishment when sent to Hell after his demise.
However, after redeeming or paying up for his "Sins", he again ascended to Heavenly realm to Cultivate! 

Hahaha! Buddha Dharma works for all people, matters, materials! 
The Middle Path Concept or Philosophy  中观正见, No Good, No Bad, ..... 

When You are sincere to Break Free from Suffering of Samsara, All Buddhas and their associates will give you another chance over and over again.

Like my buddy, Ksitigarbha, will be happy to clear Hell! 
Or All to Vacate Hell, upon their own sincere efforts and his Guidance! 


[[ They had come to him glittering with beauty —Taṇhā, Arati, and Rāga —But the Teacher swept them away right there.
As the wind, a fallen cotton tuft. ]]

Buddha was unmoved by the temptations of the beauties and also Mara's wrath!

This is True Cultivation.


Nothing to fear and be scared of!

Actually, Mara is not scary, the scary one is the heart demon that belongs to you, or transform by yourself!

Hahaha! 

Someone that has nothing better to do and ignorant of True Buddha Dharma, went round spreading lies that SZ said: Lianchu has 走火入魔 -means cultivate wrongly till Mara enters Lotuschef! 


Lotuschef and All From Pure Karma do hereby shares compassionately with you "The Truth about MARA"!

Lying breaches a Major Precept and best to ascertain your facts before falling into or upon lying!


Wishing all a Happy and Fruitful Chinese New Year and the Years ahead too!


Om Ah Hom, Guru Bei, Ah Her Sha Sha Ma Ha Lian Sheng Siddhi Hom
Lama Lotuschef



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