Lessons from the Lamrim: Part 3

Here are more questions and answers from Lamrim class, for your learning pleasure. Do take the time to read the answers and if you have any questions or require any clarification, please reach out and ask!

Question:

“Queens are no different from the daughters of Māra”

Can a Kecharian explain this further please?

Answers:

“Queens are no different from the daughters of Māra”

The sentence above was uttered by Atisha as part of a response to his parents trying to distract him by saying he ought to go deeper into his royal duties. What Atisha’s parents were doing, was no different to what Mara’s daughters had attempted to do to Buddha Shakyamuni. The daughters of Mara had been sent to Buddha Shakyamuni to try and seduce him, and distract him from achieving enlightenment.

It is also said that Mara’s daughters were sent as a vision. Not only was their beauty temporary/impermanent, but they themselves (as visions) were illusory too, just as one’s status of a royal is temporary and the value of royalty is illusory.

Hope that helps

Reflections and Teachings