Suddenly Feeling Hatred Toward Someone? Perhaps Mara Is Attacking Your Mind

The power of Mara can influence the mind, causing us to suddenly hate someone we cherish. The Buddha taught us to live without clinging to "mine" in order to enjoy true peace.

Have you ever suddenly felt hatred toward someone you once deeply cherished, without understanding why? Or perhaps a word from your teacher, or from a friend, suddenly made your heart feel uneasy? Do not rush to blame yourself. It may be that an unseen force is attacking your mind.

The Buddha Enters a Village and No One Makes Offerings

On one alms round, the Buddha came to a village of Brahmins. Under the morning sun, his bowl remained empty, because an invisible power had taken hold of the hearts of the entire village, so that not a single person offered even a spoonful of rice. Mara had used his supernatural powers to control people's hearts. Thay Thich Chan Quang recounted:

"Mara can influence people's minds. Making them do this, making them do that."

Not only did the villagers refuse to make offerings, but Mara also wanted the Buddha to be mocked and despised. This was Mara's way of sabotaging the Buddha's teaching.

How Does Mara Wield His Power?

Mara governs beings by controlling their minds. To have power is to make others obey you, regardless of whether they suffer or rejoice. As long as beings still carry afflictions (kleshas), Mara can still strike. But when a person attains realization and is freed from afflictions, Mara loses his power.

"Mara is a being with great power in this universe. But when someone has fully realized freedom from afflictions, Mara can no longer strike at their mind."

For this reason, Mara constantly seeks to undermine the spiritual resolve of practitioners, making them waver, abandon their teachers, and abandon the path. Sometimes a long-time disciple suddenly becomes angry at their teacher over something very small, and you can know right away that Mara has taken hold. People are easily persuaded and easily incited, so Mara need not exert much effort; a little whispering is enough.

Understanding Is Not Enough — One Must See

Those who attained the fruit of Stream-Entry in this story were young women who had "seen" the truth, not merely understood it. Thay Chan Quang used a very accessible example:

"Seeing and understanding are separated by a great distance. A distance from the ordinary to the noble."

It is like a blind person hearing someone describe the color yellow: they may know it by heart, but they can never see it. We study the path and memorize the teachings, yet we still carry countless preconceptions and opinions. When we look at a flower, we see it, but we also think all sorts of things about it. For one who has truly seen the truth, when they look at something, its true nature reveals itself, free of preconception.

Mara Uses Supernatural Powers; the Buddha Uses Teachings That Awaken

The most striking point in this dharma talk is this: Mara uses supernatural powers to overpower the minds of others, while the Buddha never uses supernatural powers. The Buddha only taught so that listeners could reflect for themselves, realize for themselves, and then willingly practice. This is a democratic attitude, one that respects the freedom of all beings.

"Mara uses supernatural powers to pour into people's minds and turn them against the Buddha. But the Buddha does not use supernatural powers to impose upon the minds of others. The Buddha only uses teachings so that the listener may reflect with self-awareness."

If you ever meet a teacher who constantly coerces or deceives, remember that this is not the Buddha's teachings (Dharma). The Buddha's teachings (Dharma) are about opening the heart, a path leading us to freedom and liberation.

Be Wary of the Maras in Daily Life

It is not only Mara the tempter; living maras are also widespread. Those who oppose Buddhism use many schemes, from fabricated stories to slandering teachers and dividing brothers and sisters, causing Buddhists to lose their faith. Thay Chan Quang emphasized:

"This is also a scheme to destroy Buddhism that costs very little money yet is very effective."

We must stay alert. When negative feelings toward a teacher we respect suddenly arise, do not rush to believe them. Ask yourself: could Mara be attacking my mind right now?

Hold firm to your faith and practice according to the Buddha's teachings. When you suddenly feel hatred toward someone without reason, stop and recite the Buddha's name. That is the safest path to escape the net of Mara.