Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Pfc. Sandoval, Ashley Wells, Xochitl, Irma Quintero, Wisdom Quarterly based Ven. Thanissaro (trans.), Marapasa Sutta, "Death's Influence" (SN 35.115)
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| Sugar candy skulls (calaveras) characteristic of Day of the Dead celebrations (ALC) |
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| Mara, the personification of death and defilements (Dia de los Muertos, Los Angeles 2007) |
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| Drama Queen Gaga (latestwallpapers.net) |
"One has gone over
to Mara's camp [the place of death and defilements; one has fallen under Mara's [the Killer's] influence. The 'Evil One' [Namuci] can do with one as he wills.
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| Demon in Taoism (asiaobcura.com) |
"There are ideas cognizable by the mind -- enticing, agreeable, pleasing,
charming, endearing, giving rise to desire. If one relishes
them, welcomes them, and remains clinging to them, one is said to be fettered by ideas cognizable by the mind. One has gone over to
Mara's camp; one has fallen under Mara's influence. The 'Evil One' can do with one as he wills.
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| We really die. Deceased Nazi soldier in advanced stage of decomposition (Jesse Davis) |
Escaping death
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| Buddha, Likir Gompa (Fulvio/Ifphotos/flickr) |
"But if one abandons relishing them, welcoming them, or clinging to them, one is said to be freed from forms cognizable by the eye.
"One has avoided Mara's camp; one has avoided falling under Mara's influence.
"The 'Evil One' is helpless to do with one as he wills.
"There are sounds cognizable by the ear... fragrances cognizable by the nose... flavors cognizable by the tongue... tactile sensations cognizable by the body... There are ideas cognizable by the mind -- enticing, agreeable, pleasing,
charming, endearing, giving rise to desire.
"If one abandons
relishing them, welcoming them, or clinging to them, one is said to be freed of ideas cognizable by the mind. One has avoided Mara's camp; one has avoided falling under Mara's influence.
"The 'Evil One' is helpless to do with one as he wills."
10 Defilements
Kilesas from Abhidharma and Path of Purification
Mara's Army
Prof. Ananda W.P. Guruge, The Buddha's Encounters with Mara the Tempter: Their Representation in Literature and Art (edited by Wisdom Quarterly)
In the Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G.P. Malalasekera explains: Mara in the commentarial literature becomes much more than a living individual:
"Day of the Dead"
DEFINITION: The Day of the Dead is a
holiday is a time of family gatherings with friends to remember and
pray for friends and family members who have passed. It is
celebrated in Mexico and elsewhere. The celebration takes place on
October 31st and November 1st and 2nd in connection with the Christian triduum
of Hallowmas: All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. Activities include building private altars called "offerings" (ofrendas) honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds,
and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting
graves with these as gifts. Celebrants also leave possessions of the deceased.
Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. More
"The 'Evil One' is helpless to do with one as he wills."
10 Defilements
Kilesas from Abhidharma and Path of Purification
Mara's Army
Ven. Nyanamoli (trans), Life of the Buddha, p. 20 (Sutta Nipata III, 2).
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| Yama: Lord of Death |
Mara, your first squadron is Sensual-Desires, your second is called Boredom, then Hunger and Thirst compose the third, and Craving is the fourth in rank, the fifth is Sloth and Torpor, while Cowardice lines up as sixth, Uncertainty is seventh, the eighth is Malice paired with Obstinacy; Gain, Honor, and Renown, besides, and ill-won Notoriety, Self-Praise and Denigrating Others -- these are your squadrons, Namuci; these are the Evil One's fighting squadrons; none but the brave will conquer them to gain bliss by the victory [nirvana].
What is "Mara"?Prof. Ananda W.P. Guruge, The Buddha's Encounters with Mara the Tempter: Their Representation in Literature and Art (edited by Wisdom Quarterly)
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| Mexico: skulls celebrating the festival Day of the Dead (diarioelamanecer.com) |
In the Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G.P. Malalasekera explains: Mara in the commentarial literature becomes much more than a living individual:
- "Mention is made of five maras: Khandha-mara [Five Aggregates], Kilesa-mara [defilements], Abhisankhara-mara [karmic constructions], Maccu-mara [Death], and Devaputta-mara [a young deity]. Elsewhere Mara is spoken of as one, three, or four."
- "The term Mara, in the older books, is applied to the whole of worldly existence, the Five Aggregates, or the realm of rebirth, as opposed to nirvana."
- Commentaries speaking of three maras specify them as Devaputta-mara, Maccu-mara, and Kilesa-mara. When four maras are referred to, they appear to be the five maras mentioned in (i) above minus Devaputta Mara.
"The commonest use of the word was evidently in the sense of Death.
From this it was extended to mean 'the world under the sway of death'
(also called Maradheyya, e.g. AN IV 228) and the beings therein.
Then, the defilements (kilesas) also came to be called Mara in that
they were instruments of Death, the causes enabling Death to hold sway
over the world. All temptations brought about by the defilements were
likewise regarded as the work of Death. There was also evidently a
legend of a deva [devaputta, literally "son or offspring of the devas"] of the Vasavatti World called Mara, who
considered himself the head of the Kama-vacara world [the Sensual Sphere] and who recognized any attempt to curb the enjoyment of sensual
pleasures as a direct challenge to himself and to his authority. As time
went on these different conceptions of the word became confused one
with the other, but this confusion is not always difficult to unravel." More
"Day of the Dead"
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| Skull face (festivalearth.com) |
El Dia de los Muertos
Pfc. Sandoval, Ashley Wells, Xochitl, Irma Quintero, Wisdom Quarterly
The USA is eagerly embracing a second Mexican holiday tradition in addition to Cinco de Mayo -- the Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos.
This is an ancient practice predating Spanish invasion and conquest, European hegemony, and Catholic domination. The practice, in fact, exists around the world.
Everywhere people remember those who have passed and attempt to help them along in the afterlife. This was the main focus of Egyptian religion and even prehistoric practices, judging by funereal evidence at archeological sites. Why else are the dearly departed dressed, prepared, and buried with valuable object of use only to living beings? Belief in rebirth is the norm -- even if one merely believes in one more life in only one of two planes as is promulgated by Christians.
Somehow everyone seems to know that "the veil is thin" between the worlds. Ghosts (a catchall for all the shapeshifting oddities of the unfortunate spirit world, the apaya or downfall) are easier to perceive. Hellions (narakas) may get out for a day, not from the lowest worlds of torment perhaps but from the less oppressive levels of "hell."
Creatures, ghouls, goblins, poltergeists, banshees, phantoms, spectres, shadows, ghosts (petas) are all about under ordinary circumstances, their world not being so far off but just a frequency away. The worlds intermingle, laying atop one another, at differing vibrational rates. Mexico is not alone in celebrating and honoring "the ancestors" (los muertos, "the dead" central to the holiday).
Pagan or Catholic?
But in Catholic and Mayan/Aztec-influenced Mexico as well as adjacent Southern California, large communities go en masse to cemeteries to refresh flowers, bring supplies (candy, alcohol, tobacco, etc.), and remember or reestablish connections with departed loved ones.
Catholicism (and other forms of Christianity like Protestantism, Eastern Orthodox, etc.), with its replacement observances, often usurped ancient holidays and co-oped them to its own ends. Christianity was a Roman psychological operation, one of the most successful propaganda campaigns the world has ever seen. But not all people neglect the indigenous origins of the appropriated celebrations in spite of the imperial killers.
As for the dead, there are the "grateful dead," who appreciate a favor or a last wish being fulfilled for them. These are ghosts who do not linger but move on to be reborn in proper (rather than intermediary) planes of existence.
A few troublesome or restless spirits are laid to rest and encouraged to move along according to their karma. Who are our "ancestors," our departed "relatives"? The Buddha said that they consist of those extended family members going back seven generations, quite a coincidence since Native American peoples believe the same thing.
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| Dia de Los Muertos skull sugar candy for the dead (paintersoflouisville.com) |
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| Tutorial (fromdahliastodoxies) |
This is an ancient practice predating Spanish invasion and conquest, European hegemony, and Catholic domination. The practice, in fact, exists around the world.
Everywhere people remember those who have passed and attempt to help them along in the afterlife. This was the main focus of Egyptian religion and even prehistoric practices, judging by funereal evidence at archeological sites. Why else are the dearly departed dressed, prepared, and buried with valuable object of use only to living beings? Belief in rebirth is the norm -- even if one merely believes in one more life in only one of two planes as is promulgated by Christians.
 |
| (individualreisen-mexiko.de) |
Creatures, ghouls, goblins, poltergeists, banshees, phantoms, spectres, shadows, ghosts (petas) are all about under ordinary circumstances, their world not being so far off but just a frequency away. The worlds intermingle, laying atop one another, at differing vibrational rates. Mexico is not alone in celebrating and honoring "the ancestors" (los muertos, "the dead" central to the holiday).
Pagan or Catholic?
 |
| We rule countries after invasion! |
Catholicism (and other forms of Christianity like Protestantism, Eastern Orthodox, etc.), with its replacement observances, often usurped ancient holidays and co-oped them to its own ends. Christianity was a Roman psychological operation, one of the most successful propaganda campaigns the world has ever seen. But not all people neglect the indigenous origins of the appropriated celebrations in spite of the imperial killers.
 |
| When Roman psy-ops rule the world |
A few troublesome or restless spirits are laid to rest and encouraged to move along according to their karma. Who are our "ancestors," our departed "relatives"? The Buddha said that they consist of those extended family members going back seven generations, quite a coincidence since Native American peoples believe the same thing.
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