As well as being the name of a deity who personifies obstructiveness to awakening, the term can apply generically to demons and demonic forces, and more abstractly to four kinds of malign or demonic influences which may impede the course of spiritual transformation. These include the impure aggregates; the afflicted mental states; desires and temptations; and submission to the “Lord of death,” at which point involuntary rebirth is perpetuated in cyclic existence. Also rendered here as “demonic force.”

A māra is a demon, in the sense of something that plagues a person. The four māras are (1) māra as the five aggregates (skandhamāra, phung po’i bdud), māra as the afflictive emotions (kleśamāra, nyon mongs pa’i bdud), māra as death (mṛtyumāra, ’chi bdag gi bdud), and the god māra (devaputramāra, lha’i bu’i bdud).

The deities ruled over by Māra, they are also symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent awakening. These four personifications are (1) devaputramāra (lha’i bu’i bdud), the divine māra, which is the distraction of pleasures, (2) mṛtyumāra (’chi bdag gi bdud), the māra of the Lord of Death, (3) skandhamāra (phung po’i bdud), the māra of the aggregates, i.e., the body, and (4) kleśamāra (nyon mongs pa’i bdud), the māra of the afflictive emotions.

The name of the demon who assailed Śākyamuni prior to his awakening, a generic name for the deities in Māra’s realm, and an impersonal term for the factors that keep beings in saṃsāra. Although Māra is said to be the principal deity in Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, the highest paradise in the desire realm, in this sūtra they are different deities.

The deities ruled over by Māra, who attempted to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment; they do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra. Also, they are symbolic of the defects within a person that prevents enlightenment. These four personifications are devaputra māra (lha’i bu’i bdud) the “divine māra,” which is the distraction of pleasures; mṛtyumāra (’chi bdag gi bdud) the “māra of death”; skandhamāra (phung po’i bdud) the “māra of the aggregates,” which is the body; and kleśamāra (nyon mongs pa’i bdud) the “māra of the kleśas.”

The deity that attempted to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment, also one of the names of Kāma, the god of desire, in the Vedic tradition. Sometimes portrayed as the lord of the highest paradise in the desire realm, and the devas he rules are therefore all called “māras”; he does not wish any being to escape from that realm. He is also symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent enlightenment.

The personification of negativity who assaulted the future Buddha as he sat beneath the bodhi tree. Also translated here as “demon.” See also the four aspects of Māra, listed here as the demon of afflictions, the demon of the aggregates, the demon of the divine son, and the demon of the lord of death.

A class of beings related to the demon Māra or a term for the demon Māra himself. Māra and the māras are portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of people who vow to take up the religious life, and can be understood as a class of demonic beings responsible for perpetuating the illusion that keeps beings bound to the world and worldly attachments and the mental states those beings elicit.

In Sanskrit and Pāli, literally “maker of death”; a demon in Buddhism who is the personification of evil and spiritual death. He notoriously assailed the future Buddha as he sat beneath the Bodhi tree and similarly impedes the spiritual progress of Buddhist practitioners in general. Used in plural form, the term can refer to the members of Māra’s army or any other demonic force that impedes spirituality.

Originally the name of Indra’s principal enemy among the asuras. In early Buddhism he appears as a drought-causing demon, and eventually his name becomes that of Māra, the principal opponent of the Buddha’s teaching. The name also applies to the deities ruled over by Māra who attempted to prevent the Buddha’s awakening and who do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra.

A class of beings related to the demon Māra or a term for the demon Māra himself. Māra and the māras are portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of people who vow to take up the religious life, and māras can be understood as a class of demonic beings responsible for perpetuating the illusion that keeps beings bound to the world and worldly attachments and the mental states those beings elicit.

The principal deity in Paranirmitavaśavartin, the highest heaven in the desire realm. He is best known for his role in trying to prevent the Buddha’s awakening. The name Māra is also used as a generic name for the deities in his abode, and also as an impersonal term for destructive forces that keep beings imprisoned in saṃsāra.

The term is used to refer to negativity as a force. In ancient India, it was personified by the entity called “Māra,” whose sole intention is to harm beings or divert them from good.

A class of beings related to the demon Māra. Both Māra and the māras are portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of those who vow to take up the religious life, and māras can be understood as a class of demonic beings responsible for perpetuating the illusion that keeps beings bound to the world and worldly attachments, and the mental states those beings elicit.

The personification of negativity. In the Sanskrit tradition, four Māras are usually listed: the aggregates, the afflictions, the god Māra (the god of infatuation), and death.

(1) A deva, sometimes said to be the principal deity in Paranirmitavaśavartin, the highest paradise in the desire realm; also one of the names of the god of desire, Kāma in the Vedic tradition. He is portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment. In early soteriological religions, the principal deity in saṃsāra, such as Indra, would attempt to prevent anyone’s realization that would lead to such a liberation.

(2) The devas ruled over by Māra, and assisting his attempts to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment; they do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra. More generally, they are symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent enlightenment. These four personifications are: Devaputra-māra (lha’i bu’i bdud), the Divine Māra, which is the distraction of pleasures; Mṛtyumāra (’chi bdag gi bdud), the Māra of Death; Skandhamāra (phung po’i bdud), the Māra of the Aggregates, which is the body; and Kleśamāra (nyon mongs pa’i bdud), the Māra of the Afflictions.

The demon who assailed Śākyamuni prior to his awakening; any demonic force; the personification of conceptual and emotional obstacles.

Said to be the principal deity in Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, the highest paradise in the desire realm. He is also portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment, as in early soteriological religions, the principal deity in saṃsāra, such as Indra, would attempt to prevent anyone’s realization that would lead to such a liberation. The name Māra is also used as a generic name for the deities in his realm, and also as an impersonal term for the factors that keep beings in saṃsāra.

A demonic being often bearing the epithet of the “Evil One” (pāpīyān, sdig can), sometimes said to be the principal deity in the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations, the highest paradise in the desire realm; also one of the names of the god of desire, Kāma in the Vedic tradition. He is portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s awakening.

(1) The demon who assailed Śākyamuni prior to his awakening. (2) The deities ruled over by Māra who do not wish any beings to escape from saṃsāra. (3) Any demonic force, the personification of conceptual and emotional obstacles. They are also symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent awakening. See also “four māras.”

The demon who assailed Śākyamuni prior to his awakening. When used in the plural, the term refers to a class of beings who, like Māra himself, are the primary adversaries and tempters of people who vow to take up the religious life. Figuratively, they are the personification of everything that acts as a hindrance to awakening, and are often listed as a set of four: the Māra of the aggregates, the Māra of the afflictions, the Māra of the Lord of Death, and the Māra of the gods.

Māra is the personification of spiritual death in Indian religious mythology. In Buddhism, it refers to the lord of death as well as his minions, who attempted in various ways to prevent the Buddha’s awakening and likewise try to thwart the spiritual aims of Buddhist practitioners. Figuratively, they are the personification of everything that acts as a hindrance to awakening, and are often listed as a set of four: the māra of the aggregates, the māra of the emotional defilements, the māra of the lord of death, and the māra of the sons of gods.

The principal deity in Paranirmitavaśavartin, the highest heaven in the desire realm. He is best known for his role in trying to prevent the Buddha’s awakening. Māra is also used as a generic name for the deities in his abode and is an impersonal term for the destructive forces that keep beings imprisoned in saṃsāra.

Said to be the principal deity in Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, the highest paradise in the desire realm. He is also portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s awakening. The name māra is also used as a generic name for the deities in his realm and also as an impersonal term for the factors that keep beings in saṃsāra.

Māra represents worldly desire. It was he who attempted, unsuccessfully, to tempt and trick the Buddha on the eve of his awakening.

A class of beings related to Māra. The “four māras,” negative forces that impede the way to awakening, are the aggregates, the afflictions, death, and the sons of gods.

The devil, or evil one, who leads the forces of the gods of the desire-world in seeking to tempt and seduce the Buddha and his disciples. But according to Vimalakīrti he is actually a bodhisattva who dwells in the inconceivable liberation and displays evil activities in order to strengthen and consolidate the high resolve of all bodhisattvas.

The chief antagonist in the life of the Buddha, who tried to prevent the Buddha from achieving enlightenment and later attempted many times to thwart his activity.

A demonic being often bearing the epithet of the “Evil One” (pāpīyān, sdig can), sometimes said to be the principal deity in the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations, the highest paradise in the desire realm; also one of the names of the god of desire, Kāma in the Vedic tradition. He is portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s awakening.

Personification of everything that functions as a hindrance to awakening.

The principal deity in Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, the highest heaven in the desire realm. He is best known for his role in trying to prevent the Buddha’s awakening. The name Māra is also used as a generic name for the deities in his abode, and also as an impersonal term for destructive forces that keep beings imprisoned in saṃsāra.

Originally the name of Indra’s principal enemy among the asuras. In early Buddhism he appears as a drought-causing demon and eventually his name becomes that of Māra, the principal opponent of the Buddha’s teaching. The name also applies to the deities ruled over by Māra who attempted to prevent the Buddha’s awakening and who do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra.

A demonic entity synonymous with the negative forms of conduct, the afflictions, and the deception that binds beings to saṃsāra.

The deities ruled over by Māra, the adversary of the Buddha and the personification of everything that hinders awakening.

The deities ruled over by Māra, who attempted to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment. They are also symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent awakening. These are traditionally four in number: the “divine māra” (devaputramāra; lha’i bu’i bdud) who embodies the distraction of pleasures; the “māra of death” (mṛtyumāra; ’chi bdag gi bdud); the “māra of the aggregates” (skandhamāra; phung po’i bdud); and the “māra of the afflictive emotions” (kleśamāra; nyon mongs pa’i bdud).

The principal deity in the highest heaven in the desire realm. He is also portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s awakening. The name Māra is also used as a generic name for the deities in his realm and also as an impersonal term for the factors that keep beings in saṃsāra.

The deities ruled over by Māra, they are also symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent awakening. These four personifications are (1) devaputramāra (lha’i bu’i bdud), the divine māra, which is the distraction of pleasures, (2) mṛtyumāra (’chi bdag gi bdud), the māra of the Lord of Death, (3) skandhamāra (phung po’i bdud), the māra of the aggregates, i.e., the body, and (4) kleśamāra (nyon mongs pa’i bdud), the māra of the afflictive emotions. 

The name of the demonic being or beings that work to reinforce and maintain the veils of ordinary existence that obscure the nature of reality.

Literally “Death” or “Demon.” The personification of everything that functions as a hindrance to awakening.

(1) A demonic being often bearing the epithet of the “Evil One” (pāpīyān, sdig can), sometimes said to be the principal deity in Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations, the highest paradise in the desire realm; also one of the names of the god of desire, Kāma in the Vedic tradition. He is portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment. In early soteriological religions, the principal deity in saṃsāra, such as Indra, would attempt to prevent anyone’s realization that would lead to such a liberation.

(2) The devas ruled over by Māra and assisting his attempts to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment; they do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra. More generally, they are symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent enlightenment. These four personifications are the māra of the sons of gods (devaputramāra, lha’i bu’i bdud), which is the distraction of pleasures; the māra of death (mṛtyumāra, ’chi bdag gi bdud); the māra of the aggregates (skandhamāra, phung po’i bdud), which is the body; and the māra of the afflictions (kleśamāra, nyon mongs pa’i bdud).

The principal deity in the highest paradise in the desire realm who attempted to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment. Also a name for the deities ruled over by him, and further used in the sense of a demon or demonic influence in general that creates obstacles for spiritual practice and enlightenment. Symbolically, the defects within a person that prevent enlightenment.

A class of beings related to the demon Māra (literally “death” in Sanskrit) or a term for the demon Māra himself. Māra and the māras are portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of people who vow to take up the religious life, and māras can be understood as a class of demonic beings responsible for perpetuating the illusion that keeps beings bound to the world and worldly attachments and the mental states those beings elicit.

The personification of evil and temptation in Buddhism; a powerful deity in the realm of sensuous desire who tried to prevent Gautama, the Buddha, from reaching awakening under the Bodhi tree but failed.

A class of beings related to the demon Māra or a term for the demon Māra himself. Māra and the māras are portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of people who vow to take up the religious life, and can be understood as a class of demonic beings responsible for perpetuating the illusion that keeps beings bound to the world and worldly attachments and the mental states those beings elicit.

In Sanskrit and Pāli, lit. “Maker of Death”; a demon in Buddhism who is the personification of evil and spiritual death. He notoriously assailed the future Buddha as he sat beneath the Bodhi tree and similarly impedes the spiritual progress of Buddhist practitioners in general.

The being who orchestrates and perpetuates the illusion of cyclic existence.

The being who orchestrates and perpetuates the illusion of cyclic existence.

The class of beings known as the māras is led by Māra, who is best known in Buddhist traditions as the demonic force that perpetuates the illusion of saṃsāra.

The leader of the class of beings known as the māras, Māra is best known in Buddhist traditions as the demonic force that perpetuates the illusion of saṃsāra.

The demon opposing the Buddha’s teaching; in the plural (māras) it denotes all such nonhuman beings; a personification of evil.

This term, usually occuring in the plural, is applied to the followers of Māra, or the personified negative forces in general.

Sometimes said to be the principal deity in Paranirmita­vaśavartin, the highest paradise in the desire realm. He is portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment. The word māra is also used as an impersonal term for the factors that keep beings in saṃsāra.

A class of beings related to the demon Māra. Both Māra and the māras are portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of those who vow to take up the religious life, and māras can be understood as a class of demonic beings responsible for perpetuating the illusion that keeps beings bound to the world and worldly attachments and as the mental states those beings elicit.

A class of beings related to the demon Māra. Both Māra and the māras are portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of those who vow to take up the religious life, and māras can be understood as a class of demonic beings responsible for perpetuating the illusion that keeps beings bound to the world and worldly attachments and as the mental states those beings elicit.

Said to be the principal deity in Paranirmitavaśavartin, the highest paradise in the desire realm, and also portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment. In early soteriological Indian religions, the principal deity in saṃsāra, such as Indra, would attempt to prevent anyone’s realization that would lead to such a liberation. The name Māra, literally “death,” is also used as an impersonal term for the factors that keep beings in samsara.

Said to be the principal deity in Paranirmitavaśavartin, the highest paradise in the desire realm, and also portrayed as attempting to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment. In early soteriological Indian religions, the principal deity in saṃsāra, such as Indra, would attempt to prevent anyone’s realization that would lead to such a liberation. The name Māra, literally “death,” is also used as an impersonal term for the factors that keep beings in samsara.

The name of the being who maintains the illusions of the world that bind beings in cyclic existence.

When spelled with the lowercase, the term refers to the minions of Māra.

The demon that personifies evil and opposes the teachings of the Buddha.

A class of beings portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of people who vow to take up the religious life, they are the personification of everything that functions as a hindrance to awakening.

A class of beings related to the demon Māra or a term for the demon Māra himself. Māra and the māras are portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of people who vow to take up the religious life. They can be understood as a class of demonic beings responsible for perpetuating the illusion that keeps beings bound to the world and worldly attachments and the mental states those beings elicit.

A class of beings portrayed as the primary adversaries and tempters of people who vow to take up the religious life. They can be understood to perpetuate the illusion that keeps beings bound to the world and worldly attachments and the mental states those attachments elicit.

A māra is a demon, in the sense of something that plagues a person. The four māras are (1) māra as the five aggregates (skandhamāra, phung po’i bdud), māra as the afflictive emotions (kleśamāra, nyon mongs pa’i bdud), māra as death (mṛtyumāra, ’chi bdag gi bdud), and the god māra (devaputramāra, lha’i bu’i bdud).

The demon who assailed Śākyamuni prior to his awakening; any demonic force; the personification of conceptual and emotional obstacles.

See “māra.”

The embodiment of evil, anti-spiritual forces.

A demonic being opposed to the spread of the Dharma and the happiness of beings.

See “māra.”

The deities ruled over by Māra who attempted to prevent the Buddha’s enlightenment, and who do not wish any being to escape from saṃsāra. Also, they are symbolic of the defects within a person that prevent enlightenment. These four personifications are: Devaputra-māra (lha’i bu’i bdud), the Divine Māra, which is the distraction of pleasures; Mṛtyumāra (’chi bdag gi bdud), the Māra of Death; Skandhamāra (phung po’i bdud), the Māra of the Aggregates, which is the body; and Kleśamāra (nyon mongs pa’i bdud), the Māra of the Afflictions.