1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

1.3Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

2.1“Nandati puttehi puttimā,“Children bring you delight!2.2Gomā gobhi tatheva nandati;Cattle also bring you delight!2.3Upadhīhi narassa nandanā,For attachments are a man’s delight;2.4Na hi so nandati yo nirūpadhī”ti.without attachments there’s no delight.”

3.1“Socati puttehi puttimā,“Your children bring you sorrow.3.2Gomā gobhi tatheva socati;Your cattle also bring you sorrow.3.3Upadhīhi narassa socanā,For attachments are a man’s sorrow;3.4Na hi so socati yo nirūpadhī”ti.without attachments there are no sorrows.”

4.1Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.Then Māra the Wicked, thinking, “The Buddha knows me! The Holy One knows me!” miserable and sad, vanished right there.