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Alavika Sutta: Sister Alavika

Alavika Sutta

Summary: Mara: Why bother meditating? Why not just relax and enjoy life's pleasures.

SN 5.1 PTS: S i 128 CDB i 221

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

1998-2018

Alternate translation: Bodhi

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -

At Savatthi. Then, early in the morning, Alavika the nun put on her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Savatthi for alms. When she had gone for alms in Savatthi and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day's abiding.

Then Mara the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from seclusionJohn Bullit: 020708: was “solitude” , approached her & addressed her in verse:

There's no escape in the world, so what are you trying to do with solitude? Enjoy sensual delights. Don't be someone who later regrets.

Then the thought occurred to Alavika the nun: “Now who has recited this verse — a human being or a non-human one?” Then it occurred to her: “This is Mara the Evil One, who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from seclusion.”

Then, having understood that “This is Mara the Evil One,” she replied to him in verses:

There is an escape in the world, well touched by me with discernment — something that you, you Evil One, kinsman of the heedless, don't know. Sensual pleasures are like swords & spears; the aggregates, their executioner's block. What you call sensual delight is no delight for me.

Then Mara the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Alavika the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

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Provenance:

The source of this work is the gift within Access to Insight “Offline Edition 2012.09.10.14”, last replication 12. March 2013, generously given by John Bullitt and mentioned as: ©1998 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.

This Zugang zur Einsicht edition is 2013 (ATI 1998-2012).

Translations, rebublishing, editing and additions are in the sphere of responsibility of Zugang zur Einsicht.

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How to cite this document (one suggested style): “Alavika Sutta: Sister Alavika” (SN 5.1), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight, 17 June 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.001.than.html . Retrieved on 10 September 2012 (Offline Edition 2012.09.10.14), republished by Zugang zur Einsicht on http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.001.than_en.html retreived on: “date”

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