3

There is incident where Mara is trying to get to Buddha even after he became enlightened. Finally Mara win him over by his death. With that knowledge is it correct to assume he had hunger feeling and sexual feelings too?

From Parinibbana Sutta

  1. There was a time, Ananda, when I dwelt at Uruvela, on the bank of the Nerañjara River, at the foot of the goatherds' banyan-tree, soon after my supreme Enlightenment. And Mara, the Evil One, approached me, saying: 'Now, O Lord, let the Blessed One come to his final passing away! Let the Happy One utterly pass away! The time has come for the Parinibbana of the Lord.

  2. Then, Ananda, I answered Mara, the Evil One, saying: 'I shall not come to my final passing away, Evil One, until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples — wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dhamma, living according to the Dhamma, abiding by appropriate conduct and, having learned the Master's word, are able to expound it, preach it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and make it clear; until, when adverse opinions arise, they shall be able to refute them thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and liberating Dhamma.

  3. I shall not come to my final passing away, Evil One, until this holy life taught by me has become successful, prosperous, far-renowned, popular, and widespread, until it is well proclaimed among gods and men.

  4. And again today, Ananda, at the Capala shrine, Mara, the Evil One, approached me, saying: 'Now, O Lord, bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples of the Blessed One — wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dhamma, living according to the Dhamma, abiding in the appropriate conduct, and having learned the Master's word, are able to expound it, preach it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and make it clear; and when adverse opinions arise, they are now able to refute them thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and liberating Dhamma.

    And now, O Lord, this holy life taught by the Blessed One has become successful, prosperous, far-renowned, popular and widespread, and it is well proclaimed among gods and men. Therefore, O Lord, let the Blessed One come to his final passing away! Let the Happy One utterly pass away! The time has come for the Parinibbana of the Lord.

  5. And then, Ananda, I answered Mara, the Evil One, saying: 'Do not trouble yourself, Evil One. Before long the Parinibbana of the Tathagata will come about. Three months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away.

  6. And in this way, Ananda, today at the Capala shrine the Tathagata has renounced his will to live on.

Improve this question

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
5

No, the Blessed One renounced his will to live-on on his own volition since the bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples... just like the paragraph says. It's not like Mara could've done anything about it, had the lord said no.

Enlightened beings feel hunger, taste, smell and other bodily sensations caused by contact as long as they have functional sense doors. But they do not get sexual feelings as it requires lust to play it's part.

Improve this answer
2
  • Although the Sangha and the disciples have come to be true disciples but Mara requested Buddha to entered Parinibbana. Buddha can enter Parinibbana himself, is entering Parinibbana the same thing as fulfilling Mara's request?
    – B1100
    Commented Oct 1, 2015 at 9:41
  • @B1100 before it was requested by Mara, the Buddha hinted venerable Ananda several times. That means the Buddha was already contemplating about entering Parinibbana. The lord saw no reason to stay on(since the Sasana was fully groomed) unless requested by venerable Ananda who was taking care of him tirelessly.
    – Sankha Kulathantille
    Commented Oct 1, 2015 at 15:05
3

You misread the story. Mara did not win over the Buddha. Rather, Mara successfully influenced Ananda, to not request the Buddha to extend his life, when the Buddha dropped the hint that he could choose to extend his life, because he had the ability to do so.

Parinibbana Sutta

And the Blessed One said: "Whosoever, Ananda, has developed, practiced, employed, strengthened, maintained, scrutinized, and brought to perfection the four constituents of psychic power could, if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of it. The Tathagata, Ananda, has done so. Therefore the Tathagata could, if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of it."

But the Venerable Ananda was unable to grasp the plain suggestion, the significant prompting, given by the Blessed One. As though his mind was influenced by Mara, he did not beseech the Blessed One: "May the Blessed One remain, O Lord!. May the Happy One remain, O Lord, throughout the world-period, for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of gods and men!"

And when for a second and a third time the Blessed One repeated his words, the Venerable Ananda remained silent.

Then the Blessed One said to the Venerable Ananda: "Go now, Ananda, and do as seems fit to you."

"Even so, O Lord." And the Venerable Ananda, rising from his seat, respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and keeping his right side towards him, took his seat under a tree some distance away.

Commentary: According to Comy., Ananda's mind had been influenced (pariyutthitacitto) by Mara's exhibiting a frightful sight which distracted his attention, preventing him from grasping the Buddha's suggestion.

Improve this answer
2
  • Maybe someone can clarify if this Sutta is the words of the Buddha or the story was added later just like other 'mythical' story. There must be a reason why did Buddha choose Ananda to beseech him, there are many other enlightened disciples. From the beginningless time, there are definitely more than two Sammasambuddhas, all perfectly enlightened Buddha seemed to repeated the same thing.
    – B1100
    Commented Oct 1, 2015 at 10:13
  • Did the Buddha know that mara was influencing Ananda?
    – user14213
    Commented Nov 21, 2018 at 19:10
2

In Buddhism, where is the place that says "Finally Mara wins him over by his death."

According to Buddhism, Load Buddha Win the Mara at the Boo Tree shrine.

Buddhist literature says in Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha

  1. Then the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus: "So, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness. The time of the Tathagata's Parinibbana is near. Three months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away."

  2. And having spoken these words, the Happy One, the Master, spoke again, saying:

    My years are now full ripe, the life span left is short.
    Departing, I go hence from you, relying on myself alone.
    Be earnest, then, O bhikkhus, be mindful and of virtue pure!

    With firm resolve, guard your own mind!
    Whoso untiringly pursues the Dhamma and the Discipline
    Shall go beyond the round of births and make an end of suffering.

Here Parinibbana is defer from death. After parinibbana there is no rebirth as a normal human. Others will have rebirth.

Who is Buddha?

Who remove the roots that course to sexual feelings(“Kama Thanha”) and Becoming(“Bava Thanha”) is Buddha. But He has hunger feelings until death.

** “Kama Thanha" is not just "sexual feelings". It represents all the desires generated through eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .