“ | Why strive for freedom? Stay here in the cycle of birth and death, where pleasure awaits! | „ |
~ Mara to Buddha |
Mara is a significant figure in Buddhist tradition, representing the forces of desire, temptation, and death. As the embodiment of delusion and the adversary to enlightenment, Mara is not necessarily an external entity but often symbolizes the inner obstacles that prevent individuals from achieving spiritual awakening. He is comparable to Satan and other Devil archetypes.
Mara is often depicted as a deity or demon who seeks to prevent sentient beings from breaking free of samsara and attaining nirvana (liberation from the cycle of rebirth). His role is central to the life of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, particularly during the latter’s quest for enlightenment.
Biography[]
Mara's Attempt to Obstruct the Buddha's Enlightenment[]
The most well-known story involving Mara occurs during the Buddha's final meditation beneath the Bodhi tree, when Siddhartha Gautama was on the verge of attaining enlightenment. Mara, sensing this, unleashed his forces to distract and dissuade Siddhartha from his path.
Mara's attempts can be divided into three primary forms:
- Temptation: Mara sent his daughters, often representing desire and attachment, to seduce Siddhartha. These daughters symbolize the temptations of sensual pleasures and worldly attachments.
- Fear and Aggression: Mara then dispatched armies of terrifying demons to instill fear in Siddhartha, hoping that fear would break his resolve.
- Doubt and Ego: Finally, Mara himself confronted Siddhartha, challenging his right to seek enlightenment, and questioning his worthiness. In this confrontation, Mara represents the inner doubts and ego that hinder spiritual progress.
Despite these challenges, Siddhartha remained unwavering. He touched the earth as witness to his resolve, a symbolic gesture known as the Bhumi Sparsha Mudra. The earth goddess responded by affirming his worthiness, and Mara was vanquished.
Analysis[]
Etymology[]
The name Mara is derived from the Sanskrit word mṛ (to die), reflecting his association with death and the cyclical nature of samsara (the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth). In Pali, the term also conveys connotations of destruction and hindrance.
The Symbolism of Mara[]
In Buddhist philosophy, Mara represents not just a mythical figure but also an allegory for the mental and emotional states that impede spiritual growth. His temptations are metaphors for:
- Kleshas (mental defilements): desires, aversions, and ignorance.
- Death: the attachment to physical existence and fear of mortality.
- Illusion: the distractions that prevent one from seeing reality as it is.
In this sense, Mara is not purely evil but a necessary part of the spiritual journey, representing the challenges every practitioner must face and overcome to reach enlightenment.
The Four Maras[]
In Mahayana and Theravada traditions, Mara is further understood as having four distinct aspects, sometimes called the "Four Maras":
- Mara of the Skandhas (Aggregates): Represents attachment to the five aggregates (form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness) that constitute the sense of self.
- Mara of Defilements: Embodies the various mental afflictions such as greed, hatred, and ignorance.
- Mara of Death: The fear of death and clinging to life.
- Mara of the Divine Realm: Represents the temptation of spiritual pride or complacency, where even advanced practitioners might become attached to higher states of being.
Mara in Different Buddhist Schools[]
- Theravada Buddhism: Mara is often regarded as a real being who presides over the desire realm and actively seeks to prevent others from attaining enlightenment.
- Mahayana Buddhism: Mara takes on a more metaphorical role, symbolizing inner mental states rather than an external force. The idea of "Mara" becomes more psychological and personal, reflecting the practitioner's own struggles.
- Vajrayana Buddhism: In Tibetan Buddhism, Mara's influence is closely associated with dualistic thinking and ignorance. The practitioner's aim is to recognize and transcend the dualistic mind, where Mara's influence is strongest.
Iconography[]
In Buddhist art, Mara is typically depicted as a fearsome figure, often riding an elephant or appearing amidst his army of demons. His daughters are shown as beautiful women, attempting to distract the Buddha, while his warriors may appear grotesque, symbolizing the mental afflictions and fears that cloud one's path to enlightenment.
Pop culture[]
Mara was also the main antagonist in the Manga Buddha, created by Osamu Tezuka. In this version, Mara looks most of the time like a female with four arms with a snake-like abdomen. Sometimes, she's even in the complete shape of a snake. Mara was tortured during a battle with the god Brahman, and -because Brahman made Buddha- she tried to get destroy Buddha to get revenge. Mara, however, wasn't able to think humanly, so she set the criminal Ananda against Buddha. Ananda though, became a follower of Buddha, so Mara failed with her evil plans. Later, Mara tried to allure Ananda, but without success. Out of anger, Mara killed Ananda's girlfriend Lata implied.
Mara also appears in the Megami Tensei franchise, in which it is known for having a phallic form, being represented as an enormous penis, and being a boss in many of the franchise's games. His phallic form comes from the fact that buddhist monks use the term "Mara" as a slang for penis, and as such, the character is used for the game's penis jokes, being particularly known as one of said franchise's memes.
In the manga/anime series Record of Ragnarok, Mara's name is Hajun and he is a powerful Demon who destroyed half of the Helheim before succumbing to his own power and self-destructing. Recovered by Beelzebub, he's placed inside Zerofuku and, during the Sixth Round of the Ragnarok Tournament, Hajun returns to life by taking possession of the body of Zerofuku. Later he faces Buddha in the Sixth Round, being defeated and finally killed by the opponent thanks to Völundr with Zerofuku.