Mara
Mara
AKA Kleśa-māra, Mṛtyu-māra, Skandha-māra, Devaputra-māra
Titles:
Enlightenment Antagonist, Basker in Destruction
Culture:
Buddhist
Kin:
Tanha, Arati, Raga (daughters)
Appearance:
Mara is portrayed as a demonic celestial king. He is also depicted by some sources as having a phallic body, a reference to lust and attachment as obstacles to achieving enlightenment.
Purpose/Role:
- Most known for attempting to corrupt Siddartha Gautama by sending his daughters forth as a means of temptation
- His daughters represent Attraction, Aversion and Delusion, three poisons to the Buddhist disciple
- Kleśa-māra: embodiment of useless emotions, e.g. greed, hate, etc.
- Mṛtyu-māra: embodiment of death
- Skandha-māra: metaphor for the entirety of conditioned existence
- Devaputra-māra: embodiment of sensuality
