The Secret of a Great Disciple and the Demon Within

**Summary:** The story of the Venerable Moggallana confronting an Evil Demon within his belly, revealing his past life and a lesson on the correlation between the immaterial and material worlds.

The atmosphere at Sumsumaragira, in the Bhesakala grove, was so serene that the sound of a dry leaf falling to the ground could be heard. Under the late afternoon sunlight filtering through the ancient tree canopies, the tall silhouette of a monk was slowly pacing in walking meditation. This was the Venerable Great Moggallana, the Buddha's foremost disciple in supernatural powers. Each of his steps was steady and calm, as if his mind had merged into nature's profound stillness.

Suddenly, a strange, heavy sensation arose in his belly. It was not an ordinary cramp, but a layered, oppressive weight, as if someone had stuffed an invisible stone inside his body. The Venerable one paused, his brow slightly furrowed. He wondered, "Why is my belly so heavy? What is hiding within?"

With complete mindfulness, the Venerable slowly entered the monastery and sat in his prepared place. He closed his eyes and brought his mind into a state of deep mindfulness. Immediately, with his divine eye, he saw clearly through flesh and organs, perceiving a dark, distorted entity coiled inside his stomach. It was the Evil Demon, Mara.

The Venerable opened his eyes, his voice resonant and firm within the silent space: "Come out, Evil Demon! Do not harass the Tathagata and his disciples. Do not bring misfortune and long-lasting suffering upon yourself."

The events unfolded so swiftly and accurately that the Evil Demon was stunned. It thought, "Why does this monk, who does not know me or see me, speak in such a way? Even his own master would have difficulty recognizing me so quickly. How could he know?"

As if reading its thoughts, the Venerable Moggallana continued, his gaze still fixed on the empty space before him where the demon was hiding: "Do not think that I do not know you."

The paralysis of suspicion caused the Evil Demon to panic. It knew it had been completely exposed. From the Venerable's mouth, a wisp of black smoke escaped, condensing into the shape of an ugly creature, leaning against the monastery doorframe. The Venerable looked at it, showing neither disgust nor anger, only a mix of compassion and sternness: "Evil Demon, I see you here as well. Do not think that I do not see you. You are now standing leaning against this door."

Then the Venerable recounted an ancient story, an earth-shattering secret that few could have imagined: "In the distant past, I too was an Evil Demon named Dusi. And you, Evil Demon, you are the son of my sister, named Kali. Thus, you are my nephew."

This confession shook the very space. A Noble Elder, a symbol of wisdom and liberation, admitted that in a past life he had been one who specialized in destroying wholesome deeds. But that was not all. The Venerable continued, speaking of the time of the Buddha Kakusandha. At that time, His two chief disciples were the Venerable Vidura and the Venerable Sanjiva, who were renowned everywhere. In particular, the Venerable Sanjiva would often enter the Cessation of Perception and Feeling meditation under a tree. Herders and farmers, seeing him sitting motionless, thought he was dead. They gathered dry grass and cow dung, setting a fire to cremate his body. When the night passed, he emerged from his meditation, brushed off his robes, and the next morning donned his robe to go for alms. Those people were astonished and exclaimed, "How wondrous! This monk sat in death, and now he lives again!" For this reason, he was called Sanjiva, meaning "the one who lives again."

The Evil Demon Dusi, Moggallana's past incarnation, had then used insidious schemes. He possessed the minds of Brahmin householders, inciting them to insult and slander the monks with harsh words: "You are bald-headed slaves, meditating in delusion like owls, lurking like cats..." The aim was to provoke the monks into anger and aversion, thereby allowing the Evil Demon to control them.

But the Buddha Kakusandha taught his disciples to radiate compassion pervading all ten directions, maintaining a mind free from hatred and anger. The scheme failed. The Evil Demon changed tactics, inciting people to respect, make offerings to, and praise the monks, hoping to lure forth arrogance. This time, the Buddha taught his disciples to contemplate the impurity of the body, to feel disenchantment with food, and to see the impermanence (anicca) of all conditioned phenomena. Once again, the Evil Demon failed.

Finally, on one occasion when the Buddha Kakusandha was going for alms with his attendant Vidura, the Evil Demon possessed a child and threw a stone, splitting the Venerable Vidura's head open. Blood flowed steadily, yet the monk remained dignified and calm, following behind the Buddha. The Buddha turned and looked with the gaze of a noble elephant, thinking, "The Evil Demon does not know the truth." At that very moment, the Evil Demon Dusi died and fell into the Avici Hell, enduring the suffering of being boiled in scalding waters for countless eons.

As the story concluded, the Venerable Moggallana looked at the Evil Demon trembling before him, now stripped of all its authority. He did not mock or despise it, but gently reminded it of the law of cause and effect (karmic law). His courage in admitting past errors became a valuable lesson for future generations.

**Meaning of the Story**

The story vividly illustrates the intimate connection between the immaterial world and the physical world. Evil Demons are not merely abstract concepts but real beings with supernatural powers and the ability to strongly influence human minds by inciting greed, hatred, delusion, or arrogance. The core lesson lies in mindfulness: We must be vigilant against adverse circumstances (being insulted) and favorable circumstances (being praised, offered gifts), as these can be the demon's tactics to breach our mental defenses. At the same time, the example of the Venerable Moggallana teaches us the qualities of courage and honesty: daring to acknowledge past mistakes without concealment, and maintaining a mind of equanimity amid life's vicissitudes so as not to be swayed by external conditions.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang