Then Mara the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall away from concentration, approached her & addressed her in verse:
You've come, nun,Then the thought occurred to Uppalavanna the nun: "Now who has recited this verse -- a human being or a non-human one?" Then it occurred to her: "This is Mara the Evil One, who has recited this verse wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in me, wanting to make me fall away from concentration."
to this sal-tree
with its fine flowering crest,
and stand alone
at its root,
with no one
to match you in beauty.
In your foolishness,
aren't you afraid
of rape?
Then, having understood that "This is Mara the Evil One," she replied to him in verses:
If even a hundred-thousand rapistsThen Mara the Evil One -- sad & dejected at realizing, "Uppalavanna the nun knows me" -- vanished right there.
came across me like this,
I wouldn't stir a hair.
I'd feel no terror,
and I'm not afraid of you, Mara,
even alone like this.Here -- I disappear.
I slip into your belly
or stand between your eyebrows,
and you
don't see me.
I have mastery
over the mind,
have well-developed
the bases of power.
I'm released from all bonds,
and not afraid of you,
my friend.