Demonic possession: The Blade Sutra (video)

ABC News; Ashley Wells, Sheldon S., Dhr. Seven (eds.), Satti Sutra: "The Blade or Spear Discourse" based on Ven. Thanissaro translation (SN 20.5, PTS: S ii 265, CDB i 707), Wisdom Quarterly

(ABC News) Possessed: The Modern Exorcism, Jan. 2011. We go behind the scenes as a Catholic priest casts "demons" out of creepy, possessed American woman Becky Parker (Paulist Productions, Inc.)

I will bend this sharp spear by hand.

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Savatthi.

There he said, "Meditators, suppose there were a sharp blade (spear), and a person were to say, 'Using only my hand I will bend back this sharp blade, fold it in two, and roll it up.'

"What do you think, Would that person be able to bend it, fold it, and roll it up by hand?"

"No, venerable sir. Sharp blades are difficult to bend, fold, and roll up. That person would reap only weariness and vexation."

I will infest, possess your mind. Mwah ha ha.

"In the same way, meditators, when a meditator's liberation through loving-kindness (metta) is cultivated, pursued, developed, handed the reins, made a basis, grounded, steadied, consolidated, and skillfully undertaken, if any nonhuman beings were to think of possessing that meditator's mind, they would only reap weariness and vexation.

"So train yourselves, 'Our [heart's] liberation through loving-kindness will be cultivated, pursued, developed, handed the reins, made a basis, grounded, steadied, consolidated, and skillfully undertaken. Train yourselves in this way."

• See also the Metta Sutra (AN 11.16)
• "Demon" yakkhas and rakshasas
• "Fallen angels" (devas) are asuras
• Buddhist cosmology of the Theravada school