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that ‘another sorcerer, having been corrupted with the chief queen in the inner palace of the king of Bārāṇasī, and having been captured, disappeared in an instant by the power of a charm’?” “Yes, venerable sir, it is heard.” “Was not that sorcerer, great king, freed from capture by the power of a protective charm?” “Yes, venerable sir.” “Then, great king, there is power in protective charms.” “Venerable Nāgasena, do protective charms protect everyone?” “Some, great king, they protect; some they do not protect.” “Then, venerable Nāgasena, protective charms are not universally effective?” “But, great king, does food protect the life of everyone?” “Some, venerable sir, it protects; some it does not protect.” “For what reason?” “Because, venerable sir, some, having eaten too much of that very food, die from cholera.” “Then, great king, does food not protect the life of everyone?” “For two reasons, venerable Nāgasena, food takes life: either by being overeaten, or by weakness of digestion. Food, venerable Nāgasena, which gives life, takes life through improper use.” “Just so, Indeed, great king, the protective chant protects some, but not others. "For three reasons, great king, the protective chant does not protect: due to an obstruction of kamma, due to an obstruction of defilements, and due to lack of faith. The protection of beings, great king, the protective chant, abandons its protection due to one's own doing. Just as, great king, a mother nourishes her son while he is in the womb, brings him forth with care and kindness, and after giving birth, removes his filth, mucus, and snot, and anoints him with the finest fragrant perfumes. Later, that son strikes the sons of others who are reviling or hitting him. They, angered by him, drag him before the assembly, seize him, and bring him to the master. If that son has committed an offense, has transgressed the boundary, then the master's men, dragging him, beat and crush him with sticks, clubs, knees, and fists. Now, great king, can his mother prevent the dragging, the pulling, the seizing, the bringing before the master?" "No, venerable sir." "For what reason, great king?" "Due to his own offense, venerable sir." "Even so, great king, the protection of beings, the protective chant, becomes fruitless due to one's own offense." "Excellent, venerable Nāgasena, the question is well-decided, the obscure has been made clear, the darkness has been made light, the net of views has been untangled. You are indeed the foremost among the assembly of excellent ones!" The fourth question: Release from the Snare of Death. 5. The question of obstacles to the Tathāgata's gains. 5. "Venerable Nāgasena, you say 'the Tathāgata is endowed with gains of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and requisites for the sick, medicine, and other necessities.' Yet, the Tathāgata entered the brahmin village of Pañcasāla for alms, and obtaining nothing at all, departed with a clean bowl. If, venerable Nāgasena, the Tathāgata is endowed with gains of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and requisites for the sick, medicine, and other necessities, then the statement that he entered the brahmin village of Pañcasāla for alms and obtaining nothing at all, departed with a clean bowl, is false. Indeed, if, having entered the brahmin village of Pañcasāla for alms, having obtained nothing whatsoever, he departed with a bowl as clean as it was when he entered, then the statement "the Tathāgata is a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, and requisites" that statement is false. This too is a two-edged question, very great, difficult to resolve, that has come to you; it must be resolved by you. "The Tathāgata, O great king, is a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, and requisites. And having entered the brahmin village of Pañcasāla for alms, he departed having obtained nothing whatsoever, with a bowl as clean as it was when he entered. But that was due to Māra, the Evil One." "Then, Venerable Nāgasena, how was the merit accumulated by the Blessed One over countless aeons completed? How was the force and power of that merit obstructed by Māra, the Evil One, who has just arisen? Then, Venerable Nāgasena, in that matter, criticism arises on two points: that demerit is stronger than merit, and that Māra's power is stronger than the Buddha's power. Then, indeed, the top of a tree would be heavier than its root, and evil, though surrounded by good qualities, would be stronger." "Not, O great king, by that alone is demerit stronger than merit, nor is Māra's power stronger than the Buddha's power. But here, a reason should be sought. "Just as, O great king, a man might bring honey or a lump of honey or some other gift to a universal monarch. And the king's doorkeeper would say to him thus: 'Sir, this is not the time to see the king. Therefore, sir, take your gift and quickly return, before the king inflicts punishment upon you.' Then that man, terrified and agitated by the fear of punishment, would take his gift and quickly return. Is it then..." So, great king, is a Wheel-turning Monarch weaker than a doorkeeper because of a mere lack of offerings? Or does he not receive any other offerings? No, venerable sir. That doorkeeper, venerable sir, being overcome by envy, prevented the offering. But by another door, offerings a hundred thousand times greater reach the king. Just so, great king, Māra the Evil One, overcome by envy, possessed the five hundred Brahmin householders. But many other hundreds of thousands of deities came bearing the deathless divine essence, saying, "We will place essence in the Blessed One's body!" They stood with joined palms, revering the Blessed One. Let it be, venerable Nāgasena. The four requisites are easily obtained by the Blessed One. He is the supreme person in the world. The Blessed One consumes the four requisites only when requested by gods and humans. However, Māra's intention was fulfilled by that act where he caused an obstruction to the Blessed One's food. Here, venerable sir, my doubt is not cut off. I am full of uncertainty, plunged into perplexity there. My mind does not accept that Māra caused an obstruction to gain for the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, the foremost, excellent person in the world with its deities, the source of excellent wholesome merit, the incomparable, the peerless, the unequalled, a mean, wretched, small, evil, ignoble, and failed thing. There are four kinds of obstructions, great king: the unseen obstruction, the specifically-made obstruction, the prepared obstruction, and the consumption obstruction. Among these, what is the unseen obstruction? Someone causes an obstruction without specifying, without seeing, without intending, thinking, "What is given to another?" This is called the unseen obstruction. What is the specifically-made obstruction? Here, food is prepared by pointing out and specifying a certain person. Someone causes an obstruction to that. This is called the specifically-made obstruction. What is the prepared obstruction? Here, whatever is prepared but not yet received, someone causes an obstruction to that. causes an obstruction, this is called an obstruction of preparation. “What is an obstruction of consumption? Here, whatever is consumed, if someone causes an obstruction to it, this is called an obstruction of consumption. These, great king, are the four obstructions. “But as for Māra the Evil One who possessed the brahmin householders of Pañcasāla, that was neither the Blessed One's consumption, nor prepared, nor dedicated to him. It was an obstruction caused by non-appearance, by not having arrived, by not being seen. And that was not only for the Blessed One, but all those who had departed and arrived as guests at that time, all of them did not receive food that day. I do not see, great king, in the world with its devas, Māras, and Brahmās, with its recluses and brahmins, with its devas and humans, anyone who could cause an obstruction to what was dedicated, prepared, or consumed by that Blessed One. If anyone out of envy were to cause an obstruction to what was dedicated, prepared, or consumed, his head would split into a hundred or a thousand pieces. “These four qualities, great king, of the Tathāgata cannot be obstructed by anyone. Which four? The gain, great king, prepared and dedicated to the Blessed One, cannot be obstructed by anyone; the aura, great king, of a fathom's length that follows the Blessed One's body, cannot be obstructed by anyone; the omniscience, great king, the jewel of the Blessed One's knowledge, cannot be obstructed by anyone; the life, great king, of the Blessed One, cannot be obstructed by anyone. These, great king, are the four qualities of the Tathāgata that cannot be obstructed by anyone. All these qualities, great king, are of one essence, healthy, unshakeable, unassailable, and not to be touched by actions. By not being seen, great king, Māra the Evil One, hiding, possessed the brahmin householders of Pañcasāla. “Just as, great king, in a remote, difficult region of the king's territory, robbers, hiding unseen, spoil the road. If the king were to see those robbers, would those robbers escape safely?” “No, venerable sir, with an axe…” would split into a hundred or a thousand pieces.” “Even so, great king, Māra the Evil One, having hidden himself out of sight, possessed the brahmin householders of Pañcasāla. “Or again, great king, just as a married woman, having hidden herself out of sight, consorts with another man, even so, great king, Māra the Evil One, having hidden himself out of sight, possessed the brahmin householders of Pañcasāla. If, great king, a woman consorts with another man in front of her husband, would that woman obtain safety?” “No, venerable sir, her husband would strike her, venerable sir, he would kill her, or bind her, or reduce her to slavery.