Villains Wiki

Hi. This is Thesecret1070. I am an admin of this site. Edit as much as you wish, but one little thing... If you are going to edit a lot, then make yourself a user and login. Other than that, enjoy Villains Wiki!!!

READ MORE

Villains Wiki
Advertisement

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:

  1. Temptation: Mara sent his daughters, often representing desire and attachment, to seduce Siddhartha. These daughters symbolize the temptations of sensual pleasures and worldly attachments.
  2. Fear and Aggression: Mara then dispatched armies of terrifying demons to instill fear in Siddhartha, hoping that fear would break his resolve.
  3. 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":

  1. Mara of the Skandhas (Aggregates): Represents attachment to the five aggregates (form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness) that constitute the sense of self.
  2. Mara of Defilements: Embodies the various mental afflictions such as greed, hatred, and ignorance.
  3. Mara of Death: The fear of death and clinging to life.
  4. 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

Mara in her most common shape in the manga Buddha.

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.

Gallery[]

Navigation[]

           Theology

Gods & Spirits
Gods & Goddesses:
Fomorians
Balor | Bres

Gods of Canaan
Anat | Baal | El | Mot | Yam

Gods of Egypt
Ammit | Apep | Geb | Nun | Set

Gods of Mesopotamia
Enlil | Ereshkigal | Inanna | Nergal | Qingu | Tiamat

Gods of Olympus
Ares | Atë | Chaos | Eris | Hades | Hera | Héraclès | Hermes | Limos | Phobos | Poseidon | Uranus | Zeus

Titans
Atlas | Kronos

Jötunn
Fenrir | Hel | Hræsvelgr | Jörmungandr | Loki | Sköll and Hati | Surtr | Utgard-Loki | Ymir | Þjazi

Other deities
Angra Mainyu | Bila | Camazotz | Damballa | Erlik | Kali | Kumarbi | Loviatar | Perkūnas | Marmoo | Sopona | Veles | Xolotl

Spirits
Banshees | Blue Men of the Minch | Bell Witch | Crew of the Flying Dutchman | Crew of the Caleuche| Dybbuk | El Silbón | Fetch | Gualichu | Hinnagami | Captain Van der Decken | La Llorona | La Sayona | La Viuda | La Santa Compaña | Mackenzie Poltergeist | Mokoi | Myling | Onryo | Poltergeists | Sluagh | Stingy Jack | Tunche | Umibōzu | Unseelie Court

Demons/Djinn/Shayatin
Abrahamic
Ars Goetia
Andromalius | Asmodeus | Baal | Belphegor | Bifrons | Buer | Stolas

The Bible
The Devil
Abaddon | Anakim | Antichrist | Beast | Beelzebub | Behemoth the Elephant | Fallen Angels | Gomorrahites | Legion | Lilith | Locusts of Abaddon | Mammon | Mastema | Samael | Unholy Trinity | Whore of Babylon | The Watchers

The Book of Mormon
Amalickiah | Amaron | Captain Moroni | Giddianhi | King Noah | Lamen and Lemue

Islamic
Dajjal | Ghouls | Iblis | Moloch | Termagant | Zabaniyah

Western European
Greek
Abyzou | Cerberus | Demiurge | Hellhounds | Lamia

French
Ankou | La Gargouille | Mourioche | Xaphan

English, Scottish, Irish
Arawn | Banshee | Black Monk of Pontefract | Black Shuck | Bugbears | Boggarts | Crom Cruach | Davy Jones | Incubus | Kelpie of Loch Ness | Setebos | Succubi |

Dutch
Demons (The Garden of Earthly Delights)

Finnish
Louhi

Germanic
Frau Perchta | Imps | Krampus | Mares

Spanish & Portuguese
Coco | Sack Man

Eastern European
Russian
Baba Yaga | Black Volga's Driver

Romani
King of the Loçolico | Melalo | Lilyi | Tçulo | Tçaridyi | Schilalyi | Bitoso | Lolmischo | Minceskro | Poreskoro

Polish
Black Volga's Driver

Asian
Turkic/Mongol
Erlik | Abasy | Arson-Dulai | Cıvı | Tepegöz | Miçin | Adsız | | Alkarısı | Gulyabani | Mu Shuvuu

Hindu
Asuras | Kali | Kansa | Kroni | Mahishasura | Putana | Rakshasa | Ravana

Buddhism
Enma Daio | Mara

Japanese
Aka Manto | Amanojaku | Amanozako | Ashiarai Yashiki | Eight Feet Tall | Kitsune | Krasue | Nure-Onna | Oni | Shuten-dōji | Wa Nyudo

American
North American
Jersey Devil | Malsumis | Raven Mocker | Wendigo

Latin American
El Charro Negro | El Gritón de Media Noche

Canadian
Wendigo

African
Lamashtu | Marinette | Sack Man

Oceanian
Australian
Abere

Modern
Baphomet | Black Monk of Pontefract | Mephistopheles | King Paimon | Six Demons | Zozo

Disambiguation Pages
666 | Abaddon | Antichrist | Baphomet | Behemoth | Demiurge | Demon | Diablo | Hell | Jersey Devil | Krampus | Michael | Pazuzu | Satan | Succubus

Humans, Humanoids, Damned Souls
Absalom | Achan | Amnon | Anakim | Atlas | Baron Samedi | Cain | Davy Jones | Delilah | Devadatta | Giants | Golems | Goliath | Haman | Haman the Agagite | Herod | Herod the Great | Herodias | Horsemen of the Apocalypse | Humanity | Jezebel | Judas Iscariot | King Ahab | King Darius' Advisors | Nebuchadnezzar II | The Pharisees | Pharaoh | Rephaites | Rich Man | Romans | Saul ben Kish | Shechem | Sitan | Sodomites | Surtr | Zahhak

Death
Grim Reaper | Skeletons | Undead | Zombies

Animals and Vaguely Animal-like Entities
Basilisk | Cockatrice | Cureloms | Groundhogs (Pastafarianism) | Lake Monsters | Leviathan | Nemean Lion | Sea Monsters | Sea Serpents | Tanuki

Disambiguation Pages
Angel | Demon | Fallen Angels | God | Jesus Christ | Judas Iscariot | Satan

See Also
Legends

           Legends

Notable Legends
Aliens | Beldams | Bogeyman | Bunyip | Centaurs | Chupacabra | Cyclops | Dragons | Demons | Devil | Dover Demon | Dullahan | Fairies | Ghosts | Ghost Pirates | Ghouls | Giants | Goblins | Golems | Gremlins | Grim Reaper | Hags | Headless Horseman | Humans | Jinn | Kraken | Lake Monsters | Loch Ness Monster | Medusa | Minotaur | Monsters | Mothman | Mummies | Ogres | Revenants | Sea Monsters | Sirens | Skeletons | Swamp Monsters | Trolls | Umibōzu | Undead | Vampires | Wendigo | Werewolves | Wyverns | Yeti | Zombies

Humans & Humanoids
Abhartach | Absalom | Aigamuxa | Ajax the Lesser | Amata | Ame-onna | Amaron | Amnon | Amulius | Amazons Andvari | Antaeus | Atreus | Aos Si | Astral Vampires | Bandits | Baobhan Siths | Baron Samedi | Bean Clan | Black Rock Witch | Blair Witch | Blunderbore | Bolster | Busiris | Cacus | Cain | Cassiopeia | Cercyon | Circe | Christie Cleek | Christman Genipperteinga | Chullachaki | Cleek's Clan | Creon | Cycnus | Danaides | Danaus| Davy Jones | Delilah | Draug | The Faceless Phantom of Venice | General Jan Smuts | Giddianhi | Goblins | Goliath | Gomorrahites | Green Knight | Green Man of Knowledge | Green Witch | Hags | Haman the Agagite | Hanako-San | Herod the Great | Herodias | Horsemen of the Apocalypse | Humanity | Iemon | Ixion | Jezebel | Judas Iscariot | Jure Grando | Kansa | King Ahab | King Arthur | King Oenomaus | King Vortigern | Kuchisake-onna | Laius | La Tunda | Lilith | Lord William de Soulis | Louhi | Lucius Tiberius | Lycaon | Marry-san | Meg of Meldon | Morag | Morgan le Fay | Nanny Rutt | Nessus | Orang Minyak | Otus and Ephialtes | Pandarus | Paris | Phaedra | The Pharisees | Pharaoh | Pisadeira | Polyphemus | Procrustes | Rich Man | Romans | Saci | Saul | Sawney Bean | Simeon | Sciron | Shechem | Sinis | Sko-Ella | Sodomites | Soumaoro Kanté | Tadodaho | Tamamo no Mae | Tantalus | Tepegöz | Tereus | Thyestes | Turnus | Tydeus | Yakub | Yallery Brown | Ysbaddaden | Zahhak

Ghosts, Paranormal Beings & Spirits
Bloody Mary| Bell Witch| Black Monk of Pontefract| Banshees| Duppy| Crew of the Flying Dutchman| Crew of the Caleuche| El Silbón| Captain Van der Decken| Hanako-San| Hinnigami| Lord William de Soulis| La Llorona| La Santa Compaña| La Sayona| La Viuda| Tunche| Teke Teke| Onryo| Poltergeists| Stingy Jack| Mackenzie Poltergeist| Nameless Thing of Berkeley Square|

Aliens & Ufology
Aliens (AC) | Dover Demon | Greys | Giants of Voronezh| Reptoids | Hopskinville Goblins | Flatwoods Monster | Men in Black |

Bogeymen
Abo Ragl Ma Slokha| Black Annis| Black Volga's Driver| Bugbears| Boggarts| Baba Yaga| Coco| Krampus| Grýla| Yule Cat| Yule Lads| Sack Man| Sacamantecas| Namahage| Metminwi| Tokoloshe| Whipfather| Wewe Gombel|

Monsters, Animals & Anthropomorphic Beings
Afanc | Ahuizotl | Akhlut | Akkorokamui | Amarok | Amemasu | A-mi’-kuk | Ao Ao | Averasboro Gallinipper | Bakeneko | Basilisk | Boneless | Chaneques | Chimera | Cirein-cròin | Clurichaun | Cockatrice | Count Dracula| Cuegle | Cuélebre/Culebre | Devil Monkeys | Dip | Dragon | Dry Body | El Comelenguas | Erymanthian Boar | Escornau | Fouke Monster | Giants of Voronezh | Goblins | Golden Cicada | Grendel | Grendel's Mother | Groundhogs | Hidebehind | Harpies | Herensuge | Hydra | Ijiraq | Jackalopes | Jasy Jatere | J'ba Fofi | Jiangshi | Krampus| Kappa | Kigatilik | Kinie Ger | Kurupi | Liches | La Cegua | Lambton Worm | Leviathan | Manticores | Michigan Dogman | Mikari Baba | Monster of Mount Bandai | Morag | Mordred | Morgan le Fay | Mungoon-Gali | Nekomata | Nidhogg | Ojáncanu | Onamazu | Orcs | Paparrasolla | Pesanta | Pombero | Qallupilluk | Rougarou| Redcaps (Robin Redcap) | River Mumma | Scylla | Sphinx | Stymphalian Birds | Tailypo | Tarasque | Te Wheke-a-Muturangi | Tikbalang | Tizheruk | Thardid Jimbo | Thinan-malkia | Tokoloshe | Trolls | Trauco | Tupilaq | Typhon | Undead | Whowie | Will O' The Wisp

Cryptids
Beast of Bray Road | Beast of Gévaudan | Black Eyed Children | Black Stick Men | Blue Devil | Cherufe | Devil Monkeys | Dog-headed Men | Emela-Ntouka | Enfield Horror | Fear Liath | Flatwoods Monster | Ghosts | Goatman | Grafton Monster | Greys | Highgate Vampire | Hoop Snake | Indrid Cold | Jackalopes | Jersey Devil | Kelpie of Loch Ness | Kongamato | Malawi Terror Beast | Mamlambo | Manananggal | Maricoxi | Mngwa | Momonjii | Morag | Morbach Werewolf | Nobusuma | Ogua | Pope Lick Monster | Popobawa | Pukwudgies | Rawhead Rex | Reptoids | Roc | Ropen | Salawa | Sea Serpents | Shadow People | Sheepsquatch | Slide-Rock Bolter | Snallygaster | Spring Heeled Jack | Tanuki | Thunderbird | Two-Toed Tom | Water Horses | White-Eyed Children | Yowie

Urban Legends
Aliens (AC) | Amanda the Doll | Black Goo | Bloody Mary | Bunnyman | Cameraheads | Cartoon Cat | Cartoon Dog | Charlie | China Doll | Clown Doll | Commander (Russian Sleep Experiment) | Crisis | Crying Boy | Eyeless Jack | Ghost (Johnny, I Want My Liver Back) | Ghost Trains | Hairy-Armed Woman | Hatman | Herobrine Homey the Clown | Hook Killer | Jeff the Killer John and Susan Buckley | Joliet the Haunted and Cursed Doll | Kankandara | Karadedeler | Kidney Thieves | Kunekune | La Tunda | Licking Maniac | The Man Upstairs | Martinez Dog Demon | Melon Heads | Men in Black | Momo | Mystery Killer | Nain Rouge | Nameless Thing of Berkeley Square | Orie Chef | Paimon | Patasola | Robert the Doll | Test Subjects (The Russian Sleep Experiment) | The Baby in Yellow | The Bacteria | The Gendarmerie Commander | The Lifeforms | The Seeker | Ticci-Toby | SCP Foundation | SCP-035 | SCP-049 | SCP-087-1 | SCP-087-B Entities | SCP-096 | SCP-106 | SCP-173 | SCP-343 | Siren Head | Smile Dog | Skinned Tom | Slender Man | The Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water | Teke Teke

Conspiracy Theories
Illuminati | Rain Man | Men in Black

Possessed Objects
Amanda the Doll | China Doll | Clown Doll | Coffin on Wheels | Curse Jar | Ghost Trains | Joliet the Haunted and Cursed Doll | Painting of the French War | Robert the Doll

Theology Legends (Demonology, Gods & Spirits)
Main: Theology Villains

H.P Lovecraft "Cthulhu" Legends
Main: Cthulhu Villains

Creepypasta Legends
Main: Creepypasta Villains | Backrooms Villains | Marble Hornets Villains | Slendrina Villains | Channel Zero Villains | Stress Level Zero Villains

SCP Foundation Legends
Main: SCP Foundation Villains

Trevor Henderson Legends
Main: Trevor Henderson Villains

Advertisement