The Temptation of The One
Before The One was known, the future leader was indistinguishable from an average ascetic. The ascetic was around thirty years of age. Removed from society, the ascetic wandered into the wilderness.
The ascetic fasted for days and weeks. A future following and teaching of the true nature of reality was imminently approaching when a tempter appeared. The tempter was transfixed by the ascetic’s adherence. Humanity was drifting towards disastrous waters, and the ascetic was the anchor that could save humanity.
The tempter tried testing the ascetic’s bodily desire for food. It failed. The tempter tried to intimidate the ascetic, trying to identify a fear or insecurity, but the ascetic was impermeable.
In anger, the tempter intensified the temptations, but the ascetic’s resolve would not dissolve. The efforts of the tempter were ineffectual. the tempter could do or offer could appease the ascetic.
A Tale of Two Ascetics
If this story sounds vaguely familiar, that’s because it is.
This is a common story of the Buddha being tempter by Mara dating back to the fourth or fifth century BCE (before common era). In Buddhism, there are several tellings of this story with varying details and implications.
In the western world, this story is even more familiar as Satan tempting Jesus, told in chapter four of both Matthew and Luke.
In both traditions, the stories are very short and the details are sparse, with one exception, see sources below. Jesus’ story is pretty straight forward. I can easily give both versions. For the Buddhe, I’m just going to share my favorite version. The version of the story that inspired my post. I recommend reading the whole scene here.
An Ending
Satan takes Jesus to the top of a mountain (Mathew) or the top of the temple overlooking Jerusalem (Luke). Satan offers it all to Jesus. Jesus tells him, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him” (Mathew 4:10); or Jesus tells him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’ ” (Luke 4:12).
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him... 17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. (Mathew 4)
13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. 14 Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding region. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. (Luke 4)
From this point the ascetic becomes The One.
Another Ending
Māra, with armies at his command, throws storms of projectiles at The Future Buddha. In frustration:
[Māra] cried out, “Get up, Siddhattha, from that seat! It does not belong to thee! It is meant for me!”
[The Great Being] …said to Māra, standing there before him, “Māra, who is witness that thou hast given alms?”
And Māra stretched forth his hand to the hosts of his followers, and said, “So many are my witnesses.”
And that moment there arose a shout as the sound of an earthquake from the hosts of the Evil One, saying, “I am his witness! I am his witness!”
[Māra] said, “Siddhattha! who is witness that thou hast given alms?”
And the Great Being answered, “Thou hast living witnesses that thou hast given alms: and I have in this place no living witness at all. But not counting the alms I have given in other births, let this great and solid earth, unconscious though it be, be witness of the seven hundredfold great alms I gave when I was born as Vessantara!”
And withdrawing his right hand from beneath his robe, he stretched it forth towards the earth, and said, “Are you, or are you not witness of the seven hundredfold great gift I gave in my birth as Vessantara?”
And the great Earth uttered a voice, saying, “I am witness to thee of that!” overwhelming as it were the hosts of the Evil One as with the shout of hundreds of thousands of foes.
Then the mighty elephant “Girded with mountains,” as he realized what the generosity of Vessantara had been, fell down on his knees before the Great Being. And the army of Māra fled this way and that way, so that not even two were left together: throwing off their clothes and their turbans, they fled, each one straight on before him. (The Nidanakatha pg 177-180)
From this point the ascetic becomes The One.
Conclusion
I'm listening to a lecture series on Buddhism. I was interested how similar the Buddha/Mara story is to the Jesus/Satan story.
The Mara temptation progressed with time as different authors focused on different instructional, historical, and theological points. After a thousand years, The Nidanakatha tells an engaging literary work: the back and forth between the adversaries; the fantastical elements of Mara's army and ability; the Buddha's wit and serenity at the Bodhi Tree; and, then, my favorite part, the finishing touch, a calm hand to the Earth. The touching the Earth an excellent addition, a perfect theological and literary touch.
The Sources
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