Categories: Teachings on Mara
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
In our spiritual journey, it is essential to understand the forces that can lead us astray. We have previously discussed the nature of Māra, not just a single being, but the personification of the forces antagonistic to enlightenment. Today, we will explore a critical aspect of this challenge: Māra’s agenda in the modern world. His agents are not mythical figures from ancient texts; they are born into this human world, right now. They walk among us, often in guises we would least expect, with a single, long-term objective: to dismantle the pure teachings of the Buddha, especially the tradition of Theravada Buddhism that has been preserved in Sri Lanka.
The Seeds of Doubt: A Strategy for Future Generations
The methods employed as part of Māra’s agenda are subtle and patient. The words spoken against Theravada Buddhism today are not for immediate effect. Those who work to undermine the Dhamma are not looking for results tomorrow or the next day. They are planting seeds that they expect to harvest in twenty-five, thirty, or even fifty years. They know that a seed of doubt, if planted today in the minds of the young, will grow into a tree of disbelief in the future.
We see this happening from many different angles. There are attempts to corrupt the pure Dhamma taught by the Buddha over 2,500 years ago by misinterpreting other schools of thought, such as Mahayana Buddhism. It is crucial to understand the origins. Theravāda, in its essence, means ‘The Way of the Elders.’ It is the teaching meticulously protected and passed down by the great enlightened monks, the Arahants, since the time of the Buddha.
Distorting History to Create Division
To understand the present, we must look to the past. The division in the Buddhist tradition has historical roots. During the Second Buddhist Council, a group of about ten thousand monks could not agree with certain disciplinary rules (the Vinaya). These monks, who had not attained any of the stages of enlightenment, were separated from the main assembly. It was this group that went on to form what is now known as Mahayana Buddhism, which itself has since splintered into many different schools.
Instead of relying on interpretations you might find online, I encourage you to seek out the sources for yourself. You can find this history detailed in texts like the Samantapāsādikā, the commentary on the Vinaya, and the Mahavamsa, the great chronicle of Sri Lanka. By reading the first eighty pages of the Samantapāsādikā, you can trace the journey of the Dhamma from the Buddha’s final passing into Nibbāna all the way to its arrival in Sri Lanka. This is far more reliable than watching videos on the internet where people often express personal opinions designed to mislead.
Many people lack the time to study these texts, and they can be swayed by someone with a seemingly educated title. But remember, agents of Māra’s agenda are also among the educated. They use their social standing to distort the Buddha’s teachings, which were realized after cultivating countless perfections (pāramī). They are trying to destroy this precious gift.
The Modern Tactics of Māra’s Agenda
The attacks today are multifaceted and aimed at the very heart of the practice. The key tactics include:
- Attacking Spirituality: They ridicule the very idea of a spiritual path.
- Attacking the Path and its Fruits: They deny the reality of the four stages of enlightenment (magga-phala), claiming they are impossible to achieve.
- Distorting the Buddha’s Life: They attempt to rewrite the life story of the Buddha, often with baseless claims, such as saying the Buddha was born in Sri Lanka, for which there is no archaeological evidence.
- Mocking the Buddha’s Being: They belittle the Buddha’s physical characteristics and the reverence with which we speak of his life.
- Promoting False Meditation: They introduce counterfeit forms of meditation, a ‘false concentration’ or micchā-samādhi, where they close their eyes and claim to have visions that support their distorted narratives. This undermines the genuine, profound states of concentration (samādhi) attained through diligent practice.
This campaign is especially targeted at the younger generation, those born after the year 2000. Their minds are being systematically ‘brainwashed’ to erode the faith, respect, and devotion they might have for the Buddha and his teachings. The goal is to make them believe that even venerating a monk (bhikkhu) is inappropriate, attempting to erase the distinction between the ordained and laypeople. They measure a monk by modern, worldly standards, forgetting that in the Tripitaka, a true bhikkhu is one who has either reached a stage of enlightenment or has completely eradicated all mental defilements (kilesas) to become an Arahant, a being of supreme mental purity. By listening to those who lack this inner purity, the youth are led astray.
Undermining Society to Weaken the Dhamma
This plan extends beyond just doctrine. It seeks to weaken the very fabric of society that supports the Dhamma. A systematic effort is underway to diminish the Sinhalese people over the next fifty years by creating social divisions and classifications. I have spoken of this before. For example, in Sri Lanka, we recognize two genders: male and female. Yet, new ideas are being introduced to our youth, promoting same-sex relationships and other identities that deviate from this.
This is not a judgment on individuals but an observation of a strategy. By promoting lifestyles that do not lead to natural procreation, the growth of the Sinhalese people is curtailed. These are all interconnected facets of a single, destructive plan.
You must be mindful. When you watch the news or consume media, observe with clear comprehension. Are these developments leading to a better society, or are we on a path to ruin? The seeds being planted now will bear bitter fruit later in our lives, and we will be able to see it with our own eyes.
The Grave Consequences of Losing the Path
If Māra’s agenda succeeds and Theravada Buddhism is removed from Sri Lanka, the loss will be catastrophic. It would mean the disappearance of the path to achieve the states of Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna), Once-returner (Sakadāgāmī), Non-returner (Anāgāmī), and the fully enlightened Arahant. The practices of tranquility (samatha) and insight (vipassanā) meditation would vanish. The deep meditative states of jhāna would be lost. The five supernormal abilities (pañca-abhiññā) would become mere myths, and the teachers who could guide people in these practices would disappear.
Think about the future. If this mockery of the Buddha and his teachings continues, your descendants might ask, “Did a Buddha ever really exist?” They will be told it was all a myth. Now, consider your own journey through samsāra, the cycle of birth and death. After this life, you may be reborn in a celestial realm.
But when that life ends, and you return to the human world in fifty or sixty years, what if the Buddha’s teaching is gone? You might be forced to follow a different religion, perhaps one that even involves animal sacrifice, causing you to accumulate negative karma (akusala). Instead of finding a path to liberation, you would wander even longer in suffering, unable to hear even a single verse of the Dhamma. This is the future that Māra’s agenda seeks to create.
An Unshakeable Promise: Hope Amidst the Turmoil
But amidst this dire warning, there is a profound reason for hope. The Buddha himself, before his final passing, made a powerful resolution: that his teaching (the Sāsana) would survive for 5,000 years. This is recorded in texts like the Milinda Pañha and the Mahavamsa. This Buddha-resolve remains intact. Forces of good are also at work. Deities (devas) and celestial beings (brahmas) who possess Right View (Sammā Diṭṭhi) are actively working against Māra to protect the Dhamma for the welfare of all beings.
Just as Māra sends his agents, these universal representatives are also born into the human world in Sri Lanka to safeguard the teachings. History shows us this pattern. In the time of King Dutugemunu, the Sāsana was in peril, and he rose to protect it. It faced threats again during the reigns of King Valagamba and King Parakramabahu. History is filled with cycles of decline followed by revival. So, while a period of destruction may occur, a restoration will follow. This is the inevitable outcome of the Buddha’s unshakeable determination.
Your Role: Finding Stability in a World of Deception
So, what is our role in this? Understand that the Tripitaka, the Pali Canon, is like a bridge to cross over the flood of suffering. Māra’s agenda is to stop you from crossing the bridge. Instead, it encourages you to stand on the riverbank and find fault with the bridge’s construction, criticizing its ‘flaws’ by comparing it to modern ideas. A person who has genuinely developed their spirituality will see there are no flaws in the bridge, only in our own understanding. Look closely at those who criticize the Dhamma. Do they have any real spiritual development themselves?
Do not be deceived. Do not get caught up in these arguments. Walk your own path. Be aware that there is a natural limit to these things. When those who spread falsehoods exceed a certain boundary, nature itself will bring about consequences. Until then, we must practice patience and loving-kindness (mettā). Our goal in sharing these teachings is to protect those who are on the path, not to save Māra’s agents. We cannot save them; they are too enveloped in the darkness of ignorance (moha) and wrong views (micchā-diṭṭhi).
By understanding Māra’s agenda, you can avoid those who promote it and focus on what truly matters: your own spiritual development. This will save you from wasting precious time on fruitless conflicts. Those who oppose these very words are demonstrating that they are part of Māra’s legion. But do not worry. The truth of nature will always triumph in the end, though it may take time. We must endure with patience as we continue our journey.
May you all be able to grasp these points and act with wisdom.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!.
