Ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā kosalesu viharati ekasālāyaṃ brāhmaṇagāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivuto dhammaṃ deseti.

Atha kho mārassa pāpimato etadahosi: “ayaṃ kho samaṇo gotamo mahatiyā gihiparisāya parivuto dhammaṃ deseti. Yannūnāhaṃ yena samaṇo gotamo tenu­pasaṅka­meyyaṃ vicak­khu­kam­māyā”ti. Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: 

“Netaṃ tava patirūpaṃ,
yadañ­ña­manu­sā­sasi;
Anu­rodha­viro­dhesu,
mā sajjittho tadācaran”ti.

“Hitānukampī sambuddho,
yadañ­ña­manu­sā­sati;
Anu­rodha­viro­dhehi,
vippamutto tathāgato”ti.

Atha kho māro pāpimā “jānāti maṃ bhagavā, jānāti maṃ sugato”ti dukkhī dummano tat­the­vantara­dhāyīti.