While the Buddha contemplates whether kingship can be conducted without killing or conquering, Māra interrupts with a seductive proposition: eliminate scarcity by turning the Himalayas into gold. The Buddha’s response exposes the fallacy of a material utopia.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati himavantapadese araññakuṭikāyaṁ.
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans in a small forest hut in the Himalayan region.
Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “sakkā nu kho rajjaṁ kāretuṁ ahanaṁ aghātayaṁ ajinaṁ ajāpayaṁ asocaṁ asocāpayaṁ dhammenā”ti?
Then, while the Blessed one was alone in |seclusion::solitude, privacy [paṭisallāna]|, a reflection arose in his mind thus: ”Is it possible to exercise kingship righteously—without killing and without instigating others to kill, without conquering and without instigating others to conquer, without sorrowing and without causing others to sorrow?”
Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kāretu, bhante, bhagavā rajjaṁ, kāretu, sugato, rajjaṁ ahanaṁ aghātayaṁ ajinaṁ ajāpayaṁ asocaṁ asocāpayaṁ dhammenā”ti.
Then |Māra::the ruler of the sensual realm, often depicted as a tempter who tries to obstruct beings from the path to liberation [māra]| the Evil One, having known the reflection in the Blessed One’s mind with his own mind, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he said to the Blessed One: “Let the Blessed One exercise kingship, sir! Let the Accomplished One exercise kingship righteously—without killing and without instigating others to kill, without conquering and without instigating others to conquer, without sorrowing and without causing others to sorrow.”
“Kiṁ pana me tvaṁ, pāpima, passasi yaṁ maṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadesi: ‘kāretu, bhante, bhagavā rajjaṁ, kāretu sugato, rajjaṁ ahanaṁ aghātayaṁ ajinaṁ ajāpayaṁ asocaṁ asocāpayaṁ dhammenā’”ti?
“But what do you see in me, Evil One, that you speak to me thus: ”Let the Blessed One exercise kingship, sir! Let the Accomplished One exercise kingship righteously—without killing and without instigating others to kill, without conquering and without instigating others to conquer, without sorrowing and without causing others to sorrow?”
“Bhagavatā kho, bhante, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā. Ākaṅkhamāno ca, bhante, bhagavā himavantaṁ pabbatarājaṁ suvaṇṇaṁ tveva adhimucceyya suvaṇṇañca panassā”ti.
“Sir, the Blessed One has developed, practiced often, made a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, nurtured, and |resolutely undertaken::fully engaged with, energetically taken up [susamāraddha]| the four |bases of psychic power::bases for spiritual power, paths to supernormal abilities [iddhipādā]|. And if he wished, sir, the Blessed One could resolve upon the Himalayas, the king of mountains, to be gold, and it would indeed become gold.”
“Pabbatassa suvaṇṇassa,
jātarūpassa kevalo;
Dvittāva nālamekassa,
iti vidvā samañcare.
“If there were a beautiful mountain,
made entirely of solid gold;
Even twofold of that would not be enough for one:
Knowing this, one should |fare evenly::live a balanced life [samañcara]|.
Yo dukkhamaddakkhi yatonidānaṁ,
Kāmesu so jantu kathaṁ nameyya;
Upadhiṁ viditvā saṅgoti loke,
Tasseva jantu vinayāya sikkhe”ti.
One who has seen the source whence |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]| springs,
how could such a person incline toward sensual pleasures?
Having understood |acquisition::attachment, taking as mine, appropriation, sense of ownership, identification [upadhi]| to be a |tie::bond, snare [saṅga]| in the world,
let a person train for its very removal.”
Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.
Then Māra the Evil One, thinking, “The Blessed One knows me, the Accomplished One knows me,” dejected and disappointed, disappeared right there.
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling among the Kosalans in a small forest hut in the Himalayan region.
Then, while the Blessed one was alone in |seclusion::solitude, privacy [paṭisallāna]|, a reflection arose in his mind thus: ”Is it possible to exercise kingship righteously—without killing and without instigating others to kill, without conquering and without instigating others to conquer, without sorrowing and without causing others to sorrow?”
Then |Māra::the ruler of the sensual realm, often depicted as a tempter who tries to obstruct beings from the path to liberation [māra]| the Evil One, having known the reflection in the Blessed One’s mind with his own mind, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he said to the Blessed One: “Let the Blessed One exercise kingship, sir! Let the Accomplished One exercise kingship righteously—without killing and without instigating others to kill, without conquering and without instigating others to conquer, without sorrowing and without causing others to sorrow.”
“But what do you see in me, Evil One, that you speak to me thus: ”Let the Blessed One exercise kingship, sir! Let the Accomplished One exercise kingship righteously—without killing and without instigating others to kill, without conquering and without instigating others to conquer, without sorrowing and without causing others to sorrow?”
“Sir, the Blessed One has developed, practiced often, made a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, nurtured, and |resolutely undertaken::fully engaged with, energetically taken up [susamāraddha]| the four |bases of psychic power::bases for spiritual power, paths to supernormal abilities [iddhipādā]|. And if he wished, sir, the Blessed One could resolve upon the Himalayas, the king of mountains, to be gold, and it would indeed become gold.”
“If there were a beautiful mountain,
made entirely of solid gold;
Even twofold of that would not be enough for one:
Knowing this, one should |fare evenly::live a balanced life [samañcara]|.
One who has seen the source whence |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]| springs,
how could such a person incline toward sensual pleasures?
Having understood |acquisition::attachment, taking as mine, appropriation, sense of ownership, identification [upadhi]| to be a |tie::bond, snare [saṅga]| in the world,
let a person train for its very removal.”
Then Māra the Evil One, thinking, “The Blessed One knows me, the Accomplished One knows me,” dejected and disappointed, disappeared right there.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu viharati himavantapadese araññakuṭikāyaṁ.
Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “sakkā nu kho rajjaṁ kāretuṁ ahanaṁ aghātayaṁ ajinaṁ ajāpayaṁ asocaṁ asocāpayaṁ dhammenā”ti?
Atha kho māro pāpimā bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “kāretu, bhante, bhagavā rajjaṁ, kāretu, sugato, rajjaṁ ahanaṁ aghātayaṁ ajinaṁ ajāpayaṁ asocaṁ asocāpayaṁ dhammenā”ti.
“Kiṁ pana me tvaṁ, pāpima, passasi yaṁ maṁ tvaṁ evaṁ vadesi: ‘kāretu, bhante, bhagavā rajjaṁ, kāretu sugato, rajjaṁ ahanaṁ aghātayaṁ ajinaṁ ajāpayaṁ asocaṁ asocāpayaṁ dhammenā’”ti?
“Bhagavatā kho, bhante, cattāro iddhipādā bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā. Ākaṅkhamāno ca, bhante, bhagavā himavantaṁ pabbatarājaṁ suvaṇṇaṁ tveva adhimucceyya suvaṇṇañca panassā”ti.
“Pabbatassa suvaṇṇassa,
jātarūpassa kevalo;
Dvittāva nālamekassa,
iti vidvā samañcare.
Yo dukkhamaddakkhi yatonidānaṁ,
Kāmesu so jantu kathaṁ nameyya;
Upadhiṁ viditvā saṅgoti loke,
Tasseva jantu vinayāya sikkhe”ti.
Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.