8. The Discourse about Sīsupacālā
Thus I have heard:
at one time the Fortunate One was dwelling near Sāvatthī at Anāthapiṇḍika’s grounds in Jeta’s Wood.
Then the nun Sīsupacālā, having dressed in the morning time, after picking up her bowl and robe, was entering Sāvatthī for alms. After walking for alms in Sāvatthī, and returning from the alms-round after the meal, she approached the Blind Man’s Wood to pass the day, and having entered Blind Man’s Wood, she sat down at the root of a certain tree to pass the day.
Then the Wicked Māra approached the nun Sīsupacālā, and after approaching he said this to the nun Sīsupacālā:
“Which heresy, nun, are you pleased with?”
“I am not pleased, friend, with any heresy.”
“On whose account was your head shaved, as you look like an ascetic, Comm: as you look like an ascetic means you look the same as an ascetic.
You don't rejoice in heresy, why (then) do you live like a fool?” Comm: why (then) do you live like a fool? means why, for what reason, do you live like a fool?
“Outside of this Comm: outside of this means outside of this Teaching. there are heretics Comm: caught in a snare they are heretics, the meaning is these beings have fallen into a snare of views in their minds. But the (Buddha’s) Teaching is free from snares therefore it is not called a heresy, outside of this there are surely heretics. This is a play on words deriving (heresy) from (snare), which hardly works in translation. who are stuck fast Comm: stuck fast means sinking down, getting attached. in their views,
In their Dhamma I am not pleased, their Dhamma is lacking in skill.
An unmatched Awakened One is born in the Sakya family, Comm: now speaking in answer to “on whose account was your head shaved?” born in the Sakya family and so on was said.
Lord of all, Comm: herein Lord of all means he stands having overcome all destinations, realms or states involving the constituents, the sense spheres or the elements. dispelling Māra, Comm: expelling, driving away Māra as death and so on he is dispelling Māra. undefeated in every place. Comm: undefeated in every place means he is undefeated in the war with Māra or (undefeated) by all the passions and so on.
Free from all things, Comm: free from all things means free from all constituents and so on. independent, Comm: independent means independent of the dependence on craving and views. the Visionary who sees all,
Attained to the end of all deeds, Comm: attained to the end of all deeds means attained to Worthiness with the complete destruction of all deeds. free in the ending of clinging, Comm: in the ending of clinging means free from sense objects by the complete destruction of clinging in Emancipation.
The Fortunate One is my teacher, in his Teaching I am well-pleased.”
Then the Wicked Māra (thought): “The nun Sīsupacālā knows me!” and pained and depressed he vanished right there.