What is Mara to you?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
whynotme
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Re: What is Mara to you?

Post by whynotme »

Caraka wrote: It is the appearance of Mara that is not so clear. Is this a physical appearance you think, ie. can be touch, seen, talked to like anything else that is worldly, or is this an appearance we cannot see with our physical five senses?
Hi,

Your question relates to the invisible world, devas.

One of the monk I knew claimed that he attained jhanas and has the knowledge of that world explained that it is the realm of consciousness which why modern science can't easily measure it. By consciousness, most people will think it is subjective, but I think about something as objective consciousness. I don't know much but I think revolution new views/ methods are needed to understand this realm in modern language.

Also, modern understanding of consciousness is indirectly through physical world, i.e measure physical state of the brain. Consciousness is a key problem in human history, it is so obvious to human but is very hard/ impossible to measure directly in physical world that why most scientists easily accept consciousness is something physical, i.e the current in brain, but in reality, it is not.

Regards
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ground
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Re: What is Mara to you?

Post by ground »

Mara is consciousness' home, the opposite of homelessness, the lord of limitations.
"Monks, what a man wills, what he plans, what he dwells on forms the basis for the continuation of consciousness.[2] This basis being present, consciousness has a lodgment. Consciousness being lodged there and growing, rebirth of renewed existence takes place in the future, and from this renewed existence arise birth, decay-and-death, grief, lamentation, suffering, sorrow and despair. Such is the uprising of this entire mass of suffering.

"Even if a man does not will and plan, yet if he dwells on something this forms a basis for the continuation of consciousness:... rebirth... takes place...

"But if a man neither wills nor plans nor dwells on anything, no basis is formed for the continuation of consciousness. This basis being absent, consciousness has no lodgment. Consciousness not being lodged there and not growing, no rebirth of renewed existence takes place in the future, and so birth, decay-and-death, grief, lamentation, suffering, sorrow and despair are destroyed. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .wlsh.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Hanzze
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Location: Cambodia

Re: What is Mara to you?

Post by Hanzze »

A physical home is often an incrediple reflextion of an consciousness home. Mara is not easy seen. Throw away the key and he appears, even before you do, even before you would give it a thought. There are two kinds of Wandering on.
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
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ground
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Re: What is Mara to you?

Post by ground »

Maybe yes, maybe no. Does not make a difference. View is view is consciousness' home. :sage:
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bodom
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Re: What is Mara to you?

Post by bodom »

This is an interesting article for further study:

The Buddha's Encounters with Mara the Tempter:
Their Representation in Literature and Art

by
Ananda W.P. Guruge

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el419.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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Hanzze
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Location: Cambodia

Re: What is Mara to you?

Post by Hanzze »

ground wrote:Maybe yes, maybe no. Does not make a difference. View is view is consciousness' home. :sage:
What is "maybe"?

"Come and see"
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
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ground
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Re: What is Mara to you?

Post by ground »

Hanzze wrote:
ground wrote:Maybe yes, maybe no. Does not make a difference. View is view is consciousness' home. :sage:
What is "maybe"?
A word.
Hanzze wrote: "Come and see"
There is seeing. Coming or going, no difference. :sage:
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Caraka
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Re: What is Mara to you?

Post by Caraka »

bodom wrote:This is an interesting article for further study:

The Buddha's Encounters with Mara the Tempter:
Their Representation in Literature and Art

by
Ananda W.P. Guruge

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el419.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:anjali:
Great link, thanks.
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