Māra Skt., Pali, lit. “murder, destruction”; although actually the embodiment of death, Māra symbolizes in Buddhism the passions that overwhelm human beings as well as everything that hinders the arising of the wholesome roots (kushala) and progress on the path of enlightenment.
Māra is the lord of the sixth heaven of the desire realm (triloka, deva) and is often depicted with a hundred arms, riding on an elephant.
According to legend, the Buddha Shākyamuni was attacked by Māra as he was striving for enlightenment, because Māra wanted to prevent him from showing men the way that liberates from suffering. Māra first called up a horde of demons, but Shākyamuni did not fear them. Then he sent his most beautiful daughter to seduce Shakyamuni , but before Shākyamuni’s eyes she turned into an ugly hag, where upon Māra admitted conclusive defeat.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen. Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Māra documents
Books on Māra
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