1At one time the Buddha was staying near Benares, in the deer park at Isipatana. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

2“Mendicants, I am freed from all snares, both human and divine. You are also freed from all snares, both human and divine.

Wander forth, mendicants, for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans. Let not two go by one road.

Teach the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. There are beings with little dust in their eyes. They’re in decline because they haven’t heard the teaching. There will be those who understand the teaching!

I will travel to Uruvelā, the village of Senāni, in order to teach the Dhamma.”

Then Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and addressed him in verse:

3>“You’re bound by all snares,
both human and divine.
You’re bound by the great bond:
you won’t escape me, ascetic!”

4“I’m freed from all snares,
both human and divine.
I’m freed from the great bonds;
You’re beaten, terminator!”

5Then Māra … vanished right there.

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bārāṇasiyaṁ vihārati isipatane migadāye. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "bhikkhavo"ti.

"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

2"Muttāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sabbapāsehi ye dibbā ye ca mānusā. Tumhepi, bhikkhave, muttā sabbapāsehi ye dibbā ye ca mānusā.

Caratha, bhikkhave, cārikaṁ bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ. Mā ekena dve agamittha.

Desetha, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsetha. Santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti. Bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro.

Ahampi, bhikkhave, yena uruvelā senānigamo tenupasaṅkamissāmi dhammadesanāyā"ti.

Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

3"Baddhosi sabbapāsehi,
ye dibbā ye ca mānusā;
Mahābandhanabaddhosi,
na me samaṇa mokkhasī"ti.

4"Muttāhaṁ sabbapāsehi,
Ye dibbā ye ca mānusā;
Mahābandhanamuttomhi,
Nihato tvamasi antakā"ti.

5Atha kho māro pāpimā … pe … tatthevantaradhāyīti.