On one occasion the venerable Maha Moggallana was living in the Bhagga country at Sumsumaragira in the Bhesakala Grove, the Deer Park. Now on that occasion, venerable Maha Moggallana was walking up and down in the open. Then Mara the Evil One went into the venerable Maha Moggallana's belly and entered his bowels. Then the venerable Maha Moggallana considered thus: "Why is my belly so heavy? One would think it full of beans." Thus he left the walk and went into his dwelling, where he sat down on a seat made ready.When he had sat down, he gave thorough attention to himself, and he saw that Mara the Evil One had gone into his belly and had entered his bowels.
When he saw this, he said: "Come out, Evil One! Come out, Evil One! Do not harass the Tathagata, do not harass the Tathagata's disciple, or it will lead to your harm and suffering for a long time." Then Mara the Evil One thought: "This recluse does not know me, he does not see me when he says that. Even his teacher would not know me so soon, so how can this disciple know me?"
Then the venerable Maha Moggallana said: "Even thus I know you, Evil One. Do not think: 'He does not know me.' You are Mara, Evil One. You were thinking thus, Evil One: 'This recluse does not know me, he does not see me when he says that. Even his teacher would not know me so soon, so how can this disciple know me?'" Then Mara the Evil One thought: "The recluse knew me, he saw me when he said that," whereupon he came up from the venerable Maha Moggallana's mouth and stood against the door bar.
Venerable Maha Moggallana saw him standing there and said: "I see you there too, Evil One. Do not think: 'He does not see me.' You are standing against the door bar, Evil One. " It happened once, Evil One, that I was a Mara named Dusi and I had a sister named Kali. You were her son, so you were my nephew. Now on that occasion the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, had appeared in the world. The Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, had an auspicious pair of chief disciples named Vidhura and Sanjiva. Among all the disciples of the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, there was none equal to the venerable Vidhura in teaching the Dhamma. That was how the venerable Vidhura came to have the designation 'Vidhura.' But the venerable Sanjiva went to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, entered without difficulty upon the cessation of perception and feeling."
"It happened once, Evil One, the venerable Sanjiva had seated himself at the root of a certain tree and entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling. Some cowherds, shepherds, and ploughmen passing by saw the venerable Sanjiva sitting at the root of the tree having entered upon the cessation of perception and feeling, and they thought: 'It is wonderful, sirs, it is marvellous! There is this recluse sitting here dead. Let us cremate him.' Then they collected grass, wood, and cow dung, and having piled it up against the venerable Safijiva's body, they set fire to it and went on their way.
"Now, Evil One, when the night had ended, venerable Sanjiva emerged from the attainment. He shook his robe, and the next morning, he got dressed and taking his bowl and outer robe, he went into the village for alms. The cowherds, shepherds, and ploughmen passing by saw venerable Sanjlva wandering for alms, and they thought: 'It is wonderful, sirs, it is marvellous! This recluse who was sitting there dead has come back to life!' That was how the venerable Sanjiva came to have the designation 'Sanjlva.'
"Then, Evil One, the Mara Dusi considered thus: 'There are these virtuous bhikkhus of good character, but I do not know their coming or their going. Let me now take possession of the brahmin householders, telling them: "Come now, abuse, revile, scold, and harass the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Mara Dusi may find an opportunity.'"
"Then, Evil One, the Mara Dusi took possession of those brahmin householders, telling them: 'Come now, abuse, revile, scold, and harass the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Mara Dusi may find an opportunity.' Then, when the Mara Dusi had taken possession of the brahmin householders, they abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed the virtuous bhikkhus of good character thus: 'These bald recluses, these swarthy menial offspring of the Kinsman's feet claim: "We are meditators, we are meditators!" and with shoulders drooping, heads down and all limp, they meditate, premeditate, outmeditate, and mismeditate. Just as an owl on a branch waiting for a mouse meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, or just as a jackal on a river-bank waiting for fish meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, or just as a cat by a door-post or a dust-bin or a drain, waiting for a mouse, meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, or just as a donkey unladen, standing by a door-post or a dust-bin or a drain, meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, so too, these bald recluses, these swarthy menial offspring of the Kinsman's feet, claim: "We are meditators, we are meditators!" and with shoulders drooping, heads down and all limp, they meditate, premeditate, out-meditate, and mismeditate.'
Now, Evil One, on that occasion most of those human beings, when they died, reappeared on the dissolution of the body, after death, in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. Then the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, addressed the bhikkhus thus: 'Bhikkhus, the Mara Dusi has taken possession of the brahmin householders, telling them: "Come now, abuse, revile, scold and harass the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed by you, some change will come about in their mind whereby the Mara Dusi may find an opportunity."
Come, bhikkhus, abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so everywhere, and to all as to yourselves, abide pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will. Abide pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with compassion...with a mind imbued with appreciative joy.. .with a mind imbued with equanimity... abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will.'
"So, Evil One, when those bhikkhus had been thus advised and instructed by the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, went to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, they abided pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness...with a mind imbued with compassion...with a mind imbued with appreciative joy...with a mind imbued with equanimity...without hostility and without ill will. "
"Then, Evil One, the Mara Dusi considered thus: "Though I do as I am doing, still I do not know the coming or the going of these virtuous bhikkhus of good character. Let me now take possession of the brahmin householders, telling them: "Come now, honor, respect, revere, and venerate the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are honored, respected, revered, and venerated by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Mara Dusi may find an opportunity."
"Then, Evil One, the Mara Dusi took possession of those brahmin householders, telling them: 'Come now, honor, respect and revere the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are honored, respected and revered by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Mara Dusi may find an opportunity.' Then, when the Mara Dusi had taken possession of the brahmin householders, they honored, respected, revered, and venerated the virtuous bhikkhus of good character. Now, Evil One, on that occasion most of those human beings, when they died, reappeared on the dissolution of the body, after death, in a happy destination, even the heavenly world.
"Then, Evil One, the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, addressed the bhikkhus thus: 'Bhikkhus, the Mara Dusi has taken possession of those brahmin householders, telling them: "Come now, honor, respect, revere, and venerate the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are honored, respected, revered, and venerated by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Mara Dusi may find an opportunity." Come, bhikkhus, abide contemplating foulness in the body, perceiving repulsiveness in nutriment, perceiving disenchantment with all the world, contemplating impermanence in all formations.'
"So, Evil One, when those bhikkhus had been thus addressed and instructed by the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, then they went to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty hut, they abided contemplating foulness in the body, perceiving repulsiveness in nutriment, perceiving disenchantment with all the world, contemplating impermanence in all formations. Then the next morning, the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, he went into the village for alms with the venerable Vidhura as his attendant. "
"Then the Mara Dusi took possession of a certain boy, and picking up a stone, he struck venerable Vidhura on the head with it and cut his head. With blood running from his cut head, venerable Vidhura followed close behind the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened. Then the Blessed One Kakusandha, accomplished and fully enlightened, turned around and looked at him with the elephant look: 'This Mara DusI knows no bounds.' And with that look, Evil One, the Mara Dusi fell from that place and reappeared in the Great Hell."
"Now, Evil One, there are three names for the Great Hell: the hell of the six bases for contact, the hell of, the impalement with stakes, and the hell to be felt for oneself. Then, Evil One, the wardens of hell came up to me and said: 'Good sir, when stake meets stake in your heart, then you will know: "I have been roasting in hell for a thousand years.'"
"For many a year, Evil One, for many a century, for many a millennium, I roasted in that Great Hell. For ten millennia I roasted in the auxiliary of that Great Hell, experiencing the feeling called that of emergence from ripening. My body had the same form as a human body, Evil One, but my head had the form of a fish's head.
"What can hell be well compared to Wherein Dusi was roasted, assailant Of Vidhura the disciple And the brahmin Kakusandha? Stakes of steel, even a hundred, Each one suffered separately; This hell is well compared to Wherein Dusi was roasted, For striking Vidhura the disciple And the brahmin Kakusandha. "
Dark One, you have much to suffer for assaulting such a bhikkhu, An Enlightened One's disciple Who directly knows this fact.
"In the middle of the ocean, there are mansions aeon-lasting, Sapphire-shining, fiery-gleaming With a clear translucent lustre, Where iridescent sea-nymphs dance in complex, intricate rhythms. " Dark One, you have much to suffer for assaulting such a bhikkhu, An Enlightened One's disciple Who directly knows this fact.
"I am one who, when exhorted By the Enlightened One in person, Shook Migara's Mother's Palace With his toe, the Order watching. " Dark One, you have much to suffer for assaulting such a bhikkhu, An Enlightened One's disciple Who directly knows this fact.
"I am one who, wielding firmly Strength of supernormal powers, Shook all Vejayanta Palace with his toe to incite the gods" Dark One, you have much to suffer for assaulting such a bhikkhu, An Enlightened One's disciple Who directly knows this fact.
"I am one who, in that palace, Posed to Sakka this question: 'Do you know then, friend, deliverance due to craving's full destruction?' Whereupon Sakka then answered Truly to the question " Dark One, you have much to suffer for assaulting such a bhikkhu, An Enlightened One's disciple Who directly knows this fact.
"I am one who thought of posing Brahma this question In Sudhamma Hall in heaven: 'Is there still found in you, friend, the wrong view you once accepted? Is the radiance of heaven clearly seen by you as passing?' Brahma then answered my question truthfully and in due sequence: 'There is no more wrong view left in me that once I held; All the radiance of heaven I now clearly see as passing; I disclaim my prior claim That it is permanent, eternal'" Dark One, you have much to suffer for assaulting such a bhikkhu, An Enlightened One's disciple Who directly knows this fact.
"I am one who, by liberation, Has touched the peak of Mount Sineru, Visited India and Pubbavideha And all the regions of the earth. " Dark One, you have much to suffer for assaulting such a bhikkhu, An Enlightened One's disciple Who directly knows this fact.
"There has never been found a fire Which intends, 'Let me burn the fool,' But a fool who assaults a fire Burns himself by his own doing. So it is with you, O Mara: By assaulting the Tathagata, Like a fool who plays with fire You only burn yourself alone. By assaulting the Tathagata, You generate much demerit. Evil One, do you imagine That your evil will not ripen? Doing thus, you store up evil Which will last long, O End-maker! Mara, shun the Enlightened One, Play no more your tricks on bhikkhus."
So the bhikkhu chastened Mara In the Bhesakala thicket whereupon the sombre spirit disappeared right then and there.
In summary, Mara the evil one attempted to harass venerable Maha Moggallana, but the latter relates a story of the distant past to warn Mara of the dangers in creating trouble for a disciple of the Buddha. Maha Moggallana's told Mara his previous attempt to upset bhikkhus where he ends up in Niraya hell with the body of a man and the head of a fish boiling for many hundreds of thousands of years. Venerable Maha Moggallana warned Mara the evil one not to harass the Tathagata or the Tathagata's disciple as it will lead to his harm and suffering for a long time. At the end of the sutta, Mara was defeated and left.
References: 1. www.accesstoinsight.org 2. https://suttacentral.net/ 3. The Middle discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)