Gileht - Pajna8k-C11

Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 8K
Chapter 11 - Mara’s deeds

(We can transcend Mara's deeds by recognizing them for what they really are — dependently co-arisen, empty of inherent existence, and illusory; using self-reflection, and using temporary antidotes. They test our resolve, compassion, and wisdom, serving as opportunities to directly realize the inconceivable true nature of reality as it is (tathātā, suchness), as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] and the Union of opposites [Uopp]. Ultimately, they hide the inherent purity of everything, which is Buddha-nature.)

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Chapter XI - Mara’s deeds

“Chapter 11 of the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines, titled "Mara’s Deeds," explores the multifaceted obstacles that confront Bodhisattvas as they immerse themselves in the teachings of the Perfection of Wisdom, attributing these hindrances to the symbolic influence of Mara — the archetype of delusion, ignorance, and attachment rather than a literal external demon. Through a series of vivid descriptions and analogies, the chapter illustrates how Mara's "deeds" manifest as internal distractions (such as doubt, mental scattering, or self-deprecation), relational discords (between teachers and pupils), and seductive diversions (toward lesser vehicles like those of the Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas, or even worldly pleasures and heavenly rebirths). These are not absolute entities but dependently co-arisen illusions, empty of inherent existence yet relatively functional, embodying the Union of the Two Truths: they test the practitioner's resolve, urging recognition of their primordial purity and non-dual nature via the Middle Way — neither reifying them as insurmountable nor denying their conventional impact, but transcending them through skillful means and "acting without acting" to align with tathatā, the indescribable suchness of reality.”

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Introduction

Chapter 11 of the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines delves into the myriad obstacles that arise for Bodhisattvas as they engage with the profound teachings of the Perfection of Wisdom, framing these hindrances as the "deeds of Mara."
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Mara, far from a literal demonic entity, symbolizes the delusive forces of ignorance, attachment, and dualistic perception that perpetuate samsaric suffering. These deeds manifest in subtle and overt ways — mental distractions, relational discords, temptations toward lesser paths, and doubts that erode resolve — testing the practitioner's commitment to the Mahayana vehicle.
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Within the Madhyamaka framework, such obstacles are not inherently existent adversaries but dependently co-arisen phenomena (T1: relative appearances) ⇐⇒ empty of independent reality (T2: emptiness) ⇐⇒ embodying the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]. They arise interdependently with the Bodhisattva's karmic propensities, illusory like dreams or mirages — "there, yet not there" — and serve as opportunities to cultivate skill in means, recognizing their primordial purity and non-dual nature beyond extremes (tetralemma: not this, not non-this, not both, not neither).
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The chapter systematically enumerates Mara's influences, from internal disruptions like scattered thoughts or self-doubt during study and writing, to external-like temptations to abandon the Perfection for the sutras of Disciples (Sravakas) or Pratyekabuddhas, which lack the comprehensive compassion for infinite beings.

Analogies abound, equating such abandonment to mistaking a cow's footprint for the ocean or spurning a master's food for scraps, highlighting the rarity and superiority of the Bodhisattva path. Discords between guide and pupil — mismatched diligence, material attachments, or environmental dangers — are also attributed to Mara, underscoring the need for harmonious cooperation in transmitting the teachings.
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These "deeds" intensify because the Perfection threatens delusion's grip, sourcing all-knowledge that liberates beings beyond Mara's reach, yet they are countered by the Tathāgatas' sustaining grace, illustrating the Middle Way: navigating illusions conventionally without absolute reification, "acting without acting" in awareness of the three spheres (subject, action, object) as empty and interdependent.
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Ultimately, Chapter 11 reveals that what seems like a confrontation with evil is the mind's encounter with its own fabrications, urging Bodhisattvas to discern and transcend them (without rejecting them) through insight into the true nature of Reality as it is (tathatā) as pointed by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T].
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This transforms apparent hindrances into catalysts for irreversibility, aligning actions with tathatā (suchness) — the indescribable reality where emptiness [T2] ⇐⇒ and dependent origination [T1] imply each other [U2T], fostering effortless compassion.
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The chapter thus prepares the ground for deeper realization: obstacles are self-liberating when viewed as illusory, primordially pure expressions of the path itself.

Section 1. Various Deeds of Mara – Obstacle

(Summary 1: In this section, Subhuti inquires about potential obstacles that arise for those aspiring to the virtues proclaimed by the Lord, particularly for sons and daughters of good family engaging with the Perfection of Wisdom.
– The Lord affirms that numerous obstacles manifest, perceived as the deeds of Mara, the embodiment of delusion and hindrance on the path.
– These obstacles are not inherently existent entities [T2] ⇐⇒ but arise dependently [T1] ⇐⇒ illustrating the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: they appear relatively functional [T1] ⇐⇒ yet are empty of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ like illusions that seem to disrupt ⇐⇒ but ultimately point to the interdependence of phenomena [T1] [U2T].
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The Lord details various ways Mara’s influence manifests during the discoursing or abiding in the Perfection of Wisdom.
– Practitioners may experience delayed understanding, mental disturbances upon insight, or distractions such as yawning, laughing, sneering, or studying with a scattered mind.
– These are not absolute disruptions [T2] ⇐⇒ but illusory distractions ⇐⇒ empty [T2] ⇐⇒ yet arising from karmic propensities [T1] ⇐⇒ emphasizing the Middle Way: neither affirming them as real threats nor denying their conventional appearance.
– Bodhisattvas might write the text with derision, discord, or a sense of futility, leading to thoughts of inadequacy or non-predestination, prompting them to abandon the practice.
– This abandonment cycles through birth-and-death (saṃsāra) for aeons, yet even then, efforts may resume, highlighting primordial purity — all phenomena, including obstacles, are inherently pure and interconnected, not truly separate from the path.
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Further, if practitioners notice the text does not mention personal details like birthplace, name, or family, they may dismiss it and leave.
– Such reactions stem from attachment to self and particulars, which are empty of inherent existence.
– Refusing to listen deeply prevents access to spiritual dharmas, worldly or supramundane, as the Perfection of Wisdom is the gateway to "acting without acting"—engaging conventionally without absolute reification, aware of the three spheres (subject, action, object) as united in emptiness and dependent origination.
– These deeds of Mara are thus not external forces but reflections of inner delusions, illusory like dreams, urging practitioners toward the Madhyamaka reasoning: tetralemma (not this, not non-this, etc.), leading to the realization that obstacles and the path are non-dual, both empty and dependently arisen.)

TEXT: Subhuti: The Lord proclaims virtues of sons and daughters of good family.
Are any obstacles here which arise in such ones?

The Lord: Many obstacles are here, and are seen and thought of as the deeds of Mara.

Subhuti: What kind of obstacles are these?

The Lord: The Bodhisattvas discoursing/abiding this Perfection of Wisdom, either understand this after a long time, or, as understanding is generated, it immediately becomes disturbed.
Or some write yawning, laughing and sneering, or study this with thoughts disturbed.
Or write with minds on other things, not gaining in mindfulness.
These may write as deriding or sneering at one another, or with distracted eyes.
This writing is in mutual discord.
"We gain no firm footing in it, we derive no enjoyment from it"...with such words these take their leave.
As such thoughts derive from a source seemingly devoid of serene faith these think "I am not predestined for Perfection of Wisdom,"...and get up and leave.
Or, as these merely see and think this book does not name the place they're born, does not mention their own name and clan, nor of their mother and father, nor of their family, these may decide to not listen to Perfection of Wisdom, and take their leave.
Each time these take their leave, again and again these take to birth-and-death for as many aeons as they have productions of thought, and still even now, at some point during these aeons these ones may make new efforts.
All this, and for what reason?
Bodhisattvas refusing to listen deeply to Perfection of Wisdom cannot go forth to spiritual dharmas, be these worldly or supramundane.

Section 2. The Perfection of Wisdom and the Sutras of the Disciples

(Summary 2: This section contrasts the Perfection of Wisdom with the sutras of the Disciples (Sravakas) and Pratyekabuddhas, portraying abandonment of the former for the latter as a deed of Mara.
– Some Bodhisattvas, uncertain of their vehicle, may spurn the Perfection of Wisdom — the root of all-knowing cognition — and seek nourishment in lesser vehicles, likened to a turtle finding a rare float in an infinite ocean or a dog rejecting its master's food for a servant's water.
– These analogies underscore the rarity and superiority of the Mahayana path, where phenomena are not just empty [T2] ⇐⇒ but united with dependent appearances [T1] [U2T], fostering compassion for infinite beings rather than individual liberation.
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The training of Disciples and Pratyekabuddhas focuses on taming one's own self, pacifying personal afflictions, and attaining individual Nirvāṇa, rooted in wholesome roots for self-liberation.
– In contrast, Bodhisattvas train to benefit infinite beings, realizing Suchness (tathatā) and indicating the Bodhisattva vehicle as available to all, clearing paths to liberation without boasting.
– This is "acting without acting": dedicating all exercises to wholesome roots for universal enlightenment [T1] ⇐⇒ aware of the illusory nature of self and others / phenomena [U2T].
– Comparing grasping lesser sutras to mistaking an elephant's foot for the whole elephant or seeking jewels in a cow's footprint illustrates the folly of equating the vast ocean of Mahayana with limited vehicles.
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Bodhisattvas who reject the Perfection of Wisdom, despite vowing the Great Vehicle, exhibit immature roots, obscured intelligence, and weak resolve, akin to measuring a grand palace by the sun's chariot or equating a universal monarch with a fort commander.
– Such deeds of Mara arise from pandering to singular comforts, yielding false humility.
The Lord emphasizes that true skill in means is found only in the Perfection of Wisdom, not in Disciple sutras, and Tathāgatas enthusiastically entrust Bodhisattvas with it for irreversibility.
– Refusing this superior "food" or equating the priceless gem of Mahayana with inferior vehicles is unintelligent, highlighting the Middle Way: neither exalting one truth over the other but recognizing their union as indescribable suchness, beyond extremes.)

TEXT: In addition, some of us may or may not recognize whether or not we belong to this vehicle of the Bodhisattvas, and some give up and think to abandon Perfection of Wisdom...this understanding beyond knowledge which nourishes this cognition of all-knowing. We might decide to look for other Sutras, the understanding of which may or may not come to reveal this uniform awareness for our nourishment, this pure cognition common to beings beyond number, yet exceedingly rare to be found and understood. Indeed, as rare as a turtle which happens upon a single life preserving float amidst an infinite ocean, which ferries it upon it's natural currents to a shore of rest and nourishment. Indeed, Subhuti, exceedingly rare is this.

Many of us do not learn and understand Perfection of Wisdom, and thus presently do not want to train in both worldly and universal spiritual dharmas, nor do we avail ourselves of these. As we do not learn and understand Perfection of Wisdom, we cannot avail ourselves of worldly or universal spiritual dharmas.

Though all possess this identical potential (Buddha-nature), some get rid of and abandon Perfection of Wisdom, which is the root of the comprehension of worldly and universal spiritual dharmas as these are, and instead decide to look for support in what are different branches. As a dog spurns a morsel of food offered by it's master, and takes a mouthful of water from a servant instead, just so, beings recognized as implicitly related to this vehicle of Bodhisattvas spurn Perfection of Wisdom which is the taproot revealing cognizance of all-knowing, yet decide to look for the core, for growth, for Buddhahood, in vehicles of Disciples as Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, which corresponds to branches, leaves and foliage. This also may be seen as done to them by Mara.

Again, all beings have equal potential (Buddha-nature) yet do not equally recognize concentrated right effort and mindfulness towards Perfection of Wisdom and apply this, hereby nourishing cognition of all-knowing. Still most of us at one time or another get rid of, abandon, spurn, or even simply forget Perfection of Wisdom, and decide to study, as if superior to this, Sutras by which we welcome the level of a Disciple or Pratyekabuddha which are compared to branches, leaves and foliage.

A Bodhisattva does not train in the same way in which a being recognized as belonging to the vehicle of a Disciple or Pratyekabuddha is trained.

How does a Disciple and Pratyekabuddha train? Well, I make up my mind thus, following this teacher over here and the knowledge I derive hereof, I in my turn teach others what I come to understand, and so one single self I have tamed, one single self I pacify, one single self I lead to final Nirvāṇa. Thus I undertake exercises and practices which are intended to bring about wholesome roots for the sake of taming myself, pacifying myself, leading myself to Nirvāṇa.

Bodhisattvas train ourselves differently. On the contrary, we train ourselves thus: "To benefit infinite sentient beings equally as one, in coming to realize Suchness as such and indicating such to sentient beings beyond number. This process of Perfection of Wisdom as well as this Bodhisattva vehicle is being so indicated, shown, and proven as available to all, hereby clears the path for liberation from saṃsāra of infinite sentients and revelation of Nirvāṇa. Also, propensities allowing, karma neutralized...the eventual clearing of obstructions to the reality-limit, any may become revealed to full enlightenment and advancement to parinirvāṇa...the whole immeasurable universe of beings. With this right intention a Bodhisattva engages all the exercises which bring about the wholesome root.

But one boasts not regarding this...For imagine a being which, unable to see an elephant, would try to determine it's color and shape. In the darkness this one would touch and examine the foot of the elephant, and decide that the color and shape of the elephant should be inferred from his foot. Is this an intelligent thing to do?

Subhuti: No, Lord!

The Lord: The same is true of any persons who belong to the vehicle of the Bodhisattvas, who do not understand this Perfection of Wisdom and ask no questions.

Yet, while desirous of full enlightenment, these spurn this and prefer to look to the Sutras which welcome the level of Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas. Also this is -seen- as being done -to- any one of these by Mara. If a person who desires jewels would not look for them in the great ocean, but in a puddle in a cows footprint, and would thus in effect equate the great ocean with the water in a cow's footprint, would this one be using one's potential for intelligence wisely?

Subhuti: No, Lord!

The Lord: Well and now, the same applies to any beings which vow to this vehicle of Bodhisattvas which...though we make ourselves available to Perfection of Wisdom, we nevertheless cut ourselves off from continuous exposure and reference to this, without plunging or probing at all times, in all times exceedingly deeper as a means of perfection to endless, placeless, timeless wisdom.

Yet...we may still prefer the Sutras which welcome any level of Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas through advocating dwelling in concentrated but unconcerned inactivity, and which do not recommend the vehicle of the Bodhisattvas, but only the taming, appeasing, Nirvāṇa of one single self. The decision to seclusion, to the fruits of a holy life, from the fruit of a Streamwinner to Pratyekabuddhahood, to enter Parinirvāṇa after one has in this very life freed thought from the outflows without further clinging, -that means to be in accord with the level of a Sravaka as Disciple or Pratyekabuddha.

Bodhisattvas do not focus thought only to such as this. For as we have set out in this Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna) Bodhisattvas don a great armour. Our thoughts are not singularly focused to any unconcernedness whatsoever. For we are concentrated as diamonds, guides of the world, promoters of the world's weal. Here, we continuously and always train in and as these six perfections. But as beings which vow to the vehicle of the Bodhisattvas, and without knowing and understanding Sutras which accord with the six perfections spurn Perfection of Wisdom, and prefer these Sutras which welcome this level of Sravakas as Disciples, or Pratyekabuddha, -our wholesome root is yet immature, our intelligence still obscured and yet lacking in profound qualities, our resoluteness still weak. We may reflect as a mason, or mason's apprentice, who wants to build a palace of the size of the Vaijayanta palace, and who takes its measure from measuring the car of sun or moon. A similar procedure is adopted by us if we are to reject Perfection of Wisdom and in earnest try to find all-knowledge through Sutras in accord with this level of Sravakas as Disciples, and Pratyekabuddhas, Sutras which recommend the taming, appeasing, and Nirvāṇa of nothing more than one individual being as self only. If we would look for such Sutras and train with these intentions, would these Bodhisattvas, this type which we turn to be, be using much of our intelligence?

Subhuti: No, Lord!

The Lord: This also is -seen as being- done to such by Mara. In truth and ultimately undeniable my friend, such is done unto ourselves by this turn within and pandering to what is wantonly believed to be the sole needs and comforts of singularity and individual appeasement, and, while yet donning a cloak of austerity, hereby yielding still only a mask of humility...and misleading and contrived wisdom.

So, suppose a person who first sees a universal monarch, and makes determinations from the signs of what is seen in his complexion, shape, beauty and majesty. Then, this person does the same with the commander of a fort. If the person were unable to make a distinction, and then this one were to say to the commander of a fort, just like this is the universal monarch in complexion, shape, beauty and majesty, if this one were to, in other words, equate universal monarch with the commander of a fort, would this be an intelligent thing to do?

Subhuti: No, Lord!

The Lord: The same applies to persons who avow themselves to this Bodhisattva-vehicle and who in some future reject this Perfection of Wisdom, and seek for all-knowledge through sutras associated with level of Sravaka as Disciple, or Pratyekabuddha. This also is -seen as- done to these ones by Mara. On the contrary, I certainly do not say, "Bodhisattvas, seek for all-knowledge through the Sutras associated with the level of Sravaka as Disciple or Pratyekabuddha." Bodhisattvas certainly do not go forth to reveal supreme enlightenment unless trained in what Tathāgatas have announced in the Perfection of Wisdom as the skill in means of these Bodhisattvas. For the full knowledge of a Bodhisattva is unknown in other Sutras.

Here now, Subhuti, Tathāgatas seeing this advantage in Perfection of Wisdom, by manifold methods show this to Bodhisattvas, instigate and introduce these ones to this, fills these with enthusiasm about this, make these rejoice at this, entrusts these with this, in the knowledge herein that any Bodhisattva may become irreversible to full enlightenment. Subhuti, do these Bodhisattvas appear to be very intelligent who, having obtained and met with the irreversible, the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna), and then again abandon this, turn away from this, and prefer an inferior vehicle?

Subhuti: No, Lord!

The Lord: If a starving man refuses superior and excellent food, and prefers to eat inferior and stale food, is he using the full potential of his intelligence?

Subhuti: No, Lord!

The Lord: Just so, Subhuti, in the future some Bodhisattvas still refuse this Perfection of Wisdom, and prefer the Sutras associated with the level of Sravaka, the Disciple or Pratyekabuddha, and still seek all-knowledge through Sutras which welcome the level of Disciple or Pratyekabuddha. Do these Bodhisattvas use the full potential of their intelligence?

Subhuti: No, Lord!

The Lord: Also, this is -seen as- being done to these ones by Mara. A man who had got a priceless gem and who considered it equal to a gem of inferior value and quality, is he using the full potential of his intelligence?

Subhuti: No, Lord!

The Lord: So, here too, in this future some persons belonging to the vehicle of the Bodhisattvas who, though these have got this deep and brightly shining gem of the Perfection-of-Wisdom, nevertheless think this should be considered equal with the vehicle of Sravakas, these Disciples and Pratyekabuddhas, and decide to seek all-knowledge and skill in means on the level of Disciple or Pratyekabuddha. Are these using the full potential of intelligence?

Subhuti: No, Lord!

The Lord: This also is -seen as- being done to such as these by Mara.

Section 3. Various Deeds of Mara (2)

(Summary 3: Here, additional deeds of Mara are described during the indication, study, or writing of the Perfection of Wisdom, such as bewildering flashes of insight causing confusion, or adhering to the text as either containing or not containing the Perfection — both views empty, as the Perfection is unthinkable and beyond letters.
– Distractions like worldly thoughts (places, people, obligations) or material concerns (gain, honor) arise, arranged by Mara, yet recognized as illusory, avoided by not seeing them as absolute deeds but as dependently arisen phenomena, empty yet functional.
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Mara may bring sutras of lesser vehicles, advising training in them for all-knowledge, but skilled Bodhisattvas discern their lack of Bodhisattva means, though indicating emptiness, signless, and wishless. Spurning the true Perfection for these is Mara's deed, emphasizing primordial purity: all paths are inherently pure, but the Mahayana unites emptiness with compassionate action, acting without attachment to spheres.)

TEXT: Moreover Subhuti, as Perfection of Wisdom is being indicated, demonstrated, explained, learned, recited, repeated, or even merely written down, many flashes of insight come up in bewildering multitudes, and these make for confusion of thought. This also -is seen as having been- done to us by Mara.

Subhuti: Is it at all possible to write down Perfection of Wisdom?

The Lord: No, Subhuti. It is also -seen as- a deed of Mara as one writes down Perfection of Wisdom, this one either thinks this is Perfection of Wisdom which is written down, or is not Perfection of Wisdom which is written down, or
one adheres to Perfection of Wisdom either in the letters,
or as something not in the letters.
(i.e. Mara is also accepting or rejecting words, descriptions, dualities, conceptualization.)

Moreover Subhuti, while these write down Perfection of Wisdom, our minds are on all sorts of things: places, villages, towns, cities, country districts, nations, royal cities, pleasure groves, preceptors, tales, robbers, bathing places, streets, palanquins, occasions for happiness, occasions for fear, women, men, neuters, unsuitable situations, mother and father, brothers and sisters, friends, maternal relatives, kinsmen, chief wives, sons and daughters, houses, food and drink, clothes, beds, seats, livelihood, obligations, occasions of greed, hate and delusion, on right times, lucky times, unlucky times, on songs, music, dances, poems, plays, treatise, business, jokes, musical shows, sorrows, troubles, and...ourselves.

These and other acts of attention Mara, the Evil One, -is seen to- arrange as Perfection of Wisdom is being indicated, studied, or merely written down, and thus he -is seen to cause- obstacles and confusion of thought to Bodhisattvas.

Bodhisattvas recognize this as being -merely seen as a deed of- Mara, and avoid it, mostly by avoiding seeing it as such. [!] In addition, our thoughts may also be on kings, royal princes, elephants, horses, chariots and troops of soldiers. Also this is -seen as having been- done to us by Mara. In addition, our thoughts may be on fire, temptations, money, corn and affluence. This also Mara is -seen as- doing to him.

Moreover, difficulties arise about gain, honor, robes, alms-bowl, lodging, and medicinal appliances for use in sickness, or alternatively, thoughts relishing gain...honor and fame torment Bodhisattvas which indicate, explain, repeat or merely write Perfection of Wisdom. This also is -seen as- Mara doing this to us. We recognize and avoid -seeing these as- "deeds of Mara".

Furthermore, Mara, the Evil One, comes while Bodhisattvas indicate, expound, write, etc., Perfection of Wisdom, and he brings along those very deep Sutras which are in accord with the limits of Sravakas as Disciples and Pratyekabuddhas. He advises us to...train in these, write, expound, and repeat these, for from this all-knowledge is created. But, Bodhisattvas skilled in means are not long for these Sutras. For although these indicate Emptiness, the Signless and Wishless, still any skill in means of Bodhisattvas are neither announced nor alluded to. A Bodhisattva which remains without this more refined knowledge of distinction of the cognition of cognition of skill in means, deeply spurns this true Perfection of Wisdom, and seeks instead skill in means in the Sutras which accord with the limitations of Sravakas as Disciples and Pratyekabuddhas. This also is -seen as- Mara's deed being done to this Bodhisattva.

Section 4. Sources of Discord between Guide and Pupil

(Summary 4: This section outlines Mara-induced discords ruining cooperation between guide (teacher) and pupil in engaging the Perfection of Wisdom. Mismatches in enthusiasm, diligence, knowledge, or material attachments create barriers—e.g., an enthusiastic pupil with an indolent guide, or vice versa. Such discords are not inherent [T1] ⇐⇒ but dependently co-arisen [T1] ⇐⇒ illusory like reflections ⇐⇒ pointing to the Union of the Two Truths: conventional obstacles empty of essence, yet relatively impeding if not transcended via the Middle Way of non-attachment.
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[BLAMING WITHOUT BLAMING MARA:]
Recognition as Mara's deeds allows avoidance, fostering harmony essential for copying, studying, and spreading the Perfection, which requires "acting without acting" — mutual effort aware of interdependence and emptiness.
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MORE: In the context of Section 11.4 from Chapter 11 ("Mara’s Deeds") of the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines, the last summary phrase highlights a pivotal mechanism for overcoming relational obstacles in the Bodhisattva path.
These obstacles, manifested as discords between a guide (teacher or lama) and pupil, are not portrayed as solid, independent entities but as illusory phenomena attributed to Mara — the symbolic force of delusion and hindrance. Recognition of them as "Mara's deeds" is not a literal demonization but a skillful means to discern their empty nature (T2: emptiness of inherent existence) ⇐⇒ while acknowledging their relative functionality (T1: dependent origination).
This discernment aligns with the Middle Way framework, where phenomena are neither affirmed as absolutely real nor wholly denied, but understood via the tetralemma: not inherently existent / functional, not non-existent / non-functional, not both, not neither.
By labeling these discords as Mara's influence — such as mismatched enthusiasm (e.g., an diligent pupil with an indolent guide), geographical separations, lack of knowledge, or attachments to material gains like robes or alms — the practitioner avoids reifying them as insurmountable barriers.
Instead, they become opportunities for insight, revealing the interdependent co-arising of teacher-pupil dynamics, which are like reflections or mirages: "there, yet not there."
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[MAKING EFFORT WITHOUT MAKING EFFORT:]
This avoidance is not passive rejection but an active non-engagement in absolute terms, embodying the Middle Way free from extremes.
– One neither clings to the discord (accepting it as real) nor aggressively combats it (negating its conventional impact), but navigates it conventionally if beneficial for the path.
– For instance, if a guide is unattuned due to sloth or the pupil distracted by worldly obligations, recognizing this as a dependently arisen "deed of Mara" prompts mindful adjustment — perhaps seeking alignment through dialogue or relocation — without attachment to outcomes.
– This fosters harmony, which is essential for the collaborative activities of copying, studying, and spreading the Perfection of Wisdom.
– Harmony here is not a forced unity but a natural interdependence, mirroring the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: the apparent relational functionality [T1] ⇐⇒ inseparable from its emptiness [T2].
– Without such harmony, the transmission of the teachings stalls, as the text requires mutual support to be preserved and disseminated, much like echoes that rely on conditions to propagate yet are empty of essence.
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At the core of this process is "acting without acting," a key expression of the Perfection of Wisdom's praxis. This means engaging in mutual effort — teacher instructing, pupil listening and applying — conventionally and relatively [T1] while remaining aware that in absolute terms, there is no inherent actor, action, or result (the three spheres: subject, relation, object) [T2] [U2T].
– The effort is "without acting" because it transcends reification, effortful striving, or attachment; it flows from realization of interdependence (all phenomena co-arise and co-evolve) [T1] ⇐⇒ and emptiness (nothing inherently exists to grasp or change) [T2] [U2T].
– For example, a guide and pupil might physically converge to study the text, exerting conventional diligence, but with mindfulness that their roles, the text, and the learning are illusory, primordially pure, and "One" in the non-dual sense (beyond tetralemma extremes).
– This awareness prevents discord from solidifying into karmic obstacles, allowing the path to unfold as tathatā (suchness) — indescribable reality pointed to by Union of the Two Truths [U2T].
– Ultimately, this cycle reinforces Madhyamaka reasoning: tetralemma ⇐⇒ emptiness ⇐⇒ dependent origination ⇐⇒ Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ illusory nature ⇐⇒ Middle Way ⇐⇒ Primordial Purity, ensuring the Perfection's perpetuation not through forceful imposition but through effortless accord with Reality as it is.)

TEXT: As well, here are deeds which are seen to be of Mara and have the potential to ruin any or all chances of cooperation between any guide and pupil.

First of all, perhaps the pupil is enthusiastic, and aspires to engage Perfection of Wisdom, but the guide is indolent, and does not aspire to demonstrate Dharma.

Or, the guide is untiring, and inspired to indicate Perfection of Wisdom, while the pupil is tired or too busy. Secondly, it may be that the pupil is quite diligent, and aspires to engage, to bear in mind, indicate, study, spread, or merely to write about this process of Perfection of Wisdom, is clever, intelligent and blest with good memory; but the one who may guide moves into a different district, or is unacquainted with main points, unacquainted with details, and without higher knowledge.

Or, this guide may be untiring, in possession of the higher knowledge, inspired to indicate Perfection of Wisdom; but the pupil set out for another district, or is unacquainted with main points, unacquainted with details, without higher knowledge. Further, the guru may be a person who attaches weight to fleshly things, to gain, honor and robes, while the pupil is a person of few wishes, easily contented, and quite detached.

Or one or the other or both may be persons unwilling to give away anything of value. This also causes discord, when it is a question of training toward the Perfection-of-Wisdom, or of copying this, such as this is. On the other hand, a pupil may be full of faith, inspired by merely hearing of the process of Perfection of Wisdom and of understanding the meaning of this, liberal and generous; but the lama has no faith, is too easily satisfied, and does not aspire to expound regarding Perfection of Wisdom.

Or, the pupil may be full of faith, and aspire to hear and to understand the meaning; but it may be that the guru, because some obstacle hinders access to Dharma, does not have these Sutras, or cannot fathom them; a pupil would obviously be out of touch with a guide who has not obtained these.

Or again, a guide may aspire to point out, while a pupil is not single-minded and aspiring at least to hear this. Further, it may be that the pupil does not want to listen because hindered by sloth, weighed down by bodily fatigue, but the Rinpoche is willing to point out; conversely, any guide may, although the pupil wants to listen, not want to teach because hindered by sloth or physical fatigue. This discord also makes writing, speaking and study difficult.

Section 5. Misdirection of Aim

(Summary 5: In this section, the text describes how Mara, as the symbolic force of delusion, attempts to misdirect Bodhisattvas engaged in writing, indicating, or training in the Perfection of Wisdom by belittling the sufferings of lower realms (hells, animals, pretas, asuras) and conditioned existence, urging them to hastily end their own personal cycle of birth-and-death (aim for individual liberation) rather than persist in the Bodhisattva path for the sake of all beings.
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A. Such misdirection portrays saṃsāra as overwhelmingly ill and conditioned things as inherently painful, prompting a self-focused escape: "do make an end to just this length of cloth, and leave these beings to their fate."
– This is not an absolute evil ⇐⇒ but a dependently arisen temptation [T1] ⇐⇒ empty of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ illustrating the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: the apparent allure of quick liberation co-arises with ignorance [T1] ⇐⇒ yet is ultimately illusory, like a mirage that seems to offer relief but diverts from universal compassion.
– Recognizing it as Mara's deed highlights the Madhyamaka reasoning — tetralemma: neither truly existent as a barrier, nor non-existent as an influence, nor both, nor neither — encouraging the Middle Way of neither grasping personal Nirvāṇa nor rejecting the conventional need to address suffering.
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B. Conversely, Mara may praise the happiness of godly realms, extolling life in heavens where one ends sense-desires in the world of form or attains formless states, presenting these as superior endpoints.
– However, the Lord counters that all such rebirths, even divine, are impermanent and fraught with fear and ill, lasting no longer than a finger-snap, as everything conditioned [T1] ⇐⇒ is empty [T2], without self, and doomed to reversal (impermanent).
– This wisdom reveals dharmas as devoid of eternity, impermanent, and ill, allowing attainment of holy fruits from Streamwinner to Arhatship, yet warns against settling in these "attainments which are really failures, abound in suffering."
– The misdirection creates anxiety in Bodhisattvas, deterring the quest for full enlightenment in favor of aspiring to godly rebirths, seen as Mara's work.
– This underscores primordial purity: all realms, from hells to heavens, are inherently pure and interconnected in non-dual suchness, not 'this' (suffering) or 'non-this' (bliss), but beyond extremes, where nothing is to be accepted or rejected absolutely, only conventionally navigated if it aids the path.
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The Perfection of Wisdom's praxis of "acting without acting" applies here: Bodhisattvas engage in the path conventionally, countering misdirection with awareness of the three spheres (subject tempted, action of aspiring, object of realms) as empty and interdependent, without absolute attachment to escape or indulgence.
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This avoids the illusion of separate realms or attainments, realizing them as dream-like — there yet not there — pointing to the cycle of emptiness ⇐⇒ dependent origination ⇐⇒ Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ illusory nature ⇐⇒ Middle Way ⇐⇒ Primordial Purity.
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Thus, the section subtly warns that such deeds foster a narrow view, mistaking partial liberations for the ultimate, while the Bodhisattva ideal persists in illuminating suffering's true nature for all, without reification or effort in absolute terms.)

TEXT: Moreover, while beings write, or indicate Perfection of Wisdom, or train in the process, someone comes along and belittles life in the hells, in the animal world, among the Pretas and Asuras, saying "so ill are all these forms of life, so ill are all conditioned things; do make an end to just this length of cloth, and leave these beings to their fate." This also is -seen as- a work of Mara.

Or again, some being comes along and praises life among the Gods: "So happy are the Gods, so happy is life in the heavens. One will do well here to end sense-desires in the world of sense-desires, enter into the well-known trances in the world of form, and enter into the well-known attainments in the formless world."

Considered in a view with wisdom, all this is nothing but rebirth in suffering.
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The Lord has said: "I do not praise any kind of rebirth in becoming, because this lasts no longer than a finger-snap. For everything conditioned is impermanent.

"Anything causing fear is ill. All in the triple world is empty. All dharmas are without self. As any of these wise may come to understand all is thus devoid of eternity, is impermanent and ill, doomed to reversal, now these may just here attain to the fruits of holy life, from the fruit of a Streamwinner to Arhatship.

"However, let us now beware of meeting any further with such attainments, which are really failures, and which abound in suffering. But nevertheless, to some Bodhisattvas this is a source of anxiety [because these come to feel deterred from the quest for full enlightenment in favor of aspiring to rebirth among the Gods.] This also is -seen as- Mara doing this."

Section 6. More Discord between Lama and Pupil

(Summary 6: Further discords arise from lifestyle preferences (solitude vs. community), dangers in locations, or attachments to benefactors, preventing teaching or learning. Mara subtly rejects pupils through warnings, leading to misinterpretation and abandonment. These are recognized as Mara's works, avoided to enable cooperation in the Perfection, embodying the Middle Way: navigating conventional challenges without absolute fixation, aware of Union of the Two Truths [U2T].)

TEXT: Furthermore, the Lama may be a monk who is fond of solitude while the pupils prefer a communal life. He tells them he will give this Perfection of Wisdom to any coming to where he is, but not to any who do not. In their desire and zeal for dharma which these value they go to where the lama is, and still he gives these no opportunity to learn anything. He is one eager for trifling bits of fleshy things, but these do not want to give him anything that he values. Wherever he goes he is short of food, surrounded by troubles, and in danger of his life. And his pupils hear from others that that place is short of food, full of troubles and dangers to life. And that lama will say to these children of good family: This place is short of food. Of course, all you of good family, you may come here if you wish. But I am afraid that you will regret having come. This is a subtle device by which he outwardly rejects them. In disgust they will interpret these remarks as signs of refusal, not as signs of a desire to give. Convinced he does not want to give, they do not go to where he is.

Moreover, this lama may have set out for a spot where there is danger from vermin, from beasts of prey, from ghosts. And he yet still moves from there to a wilder place with beasts of prey, snakes and robbers, marked by drought and famine. To these prospective pupils he says: "You are aware, I suppose, in this spot for which we have set out are many dangers, from vermin, beasts of prey, flesh-eating ghosts, and it is swarming with snakes and robbers, it has neither food nor water. So you must be able to experience a great deal of suffering." Thus he outwardly rejects these with a subtle device. Disgusted, they do not go with him, and turn back.

Finally, the teacher may be one of the monks who attaches weight to relations with the friendly families who feed them. All the time he goes to see them, he is kept very busy that way, and refuses those prospective pupils on the ground that, first of all, there is someone I must go and see. This also is a source of discord when this Perfection of Wisdom is being written and studied. This also is -seen as- Mara's work. In such ways Mara appears to bestir himself to prevent people from learning, studying, teaching and writing this Perfection of Wisdom. Here then, Subhuti, all these factors which prevent cooperation between guide and pupil needs be only recognized as Mara's deeds, and being so seen, one is admonished to try to avoid them.

Section 7. Mara seen as Dissuading from the Perfection-of-Wisdom

(Summary 7: Subhuti questions Mara's efforts: the Perfection sources all-knowledge, leading beings to undefiled states where Mara cannot enter, causing him distress. Mara disguises as mendicants or Buddhas to sow doubt or redirect to Disciple paths, targeting new Bodhisattvas.
Recognition and vigorous avoidance allow perseverance, as obstacles provoke hostility due to the Perfection's value — deep, hard to get, like precious gems.)

TEXT: Subhuti: What, O Lord, is the reason why Mara is seen to make such great efforts and bestir himself to prevent, by this or that device, people from learning and studying this process of Perfection of Wisdom?

The Lord: Perfection of Wisdom is a beginningless and thus endless source of all-knowledge of Buddhas, the Lords, which in its turn is the source of endless devotion of Tathāgatas, which leads immeasurable and incalculable beings to dissolve their defilements and obscurations by this simple revelation. So, to any, having dissolved their defilements, Mara is seen as not being able to gain entry, and this gives him cause for distress and being dispirited, and the dart of sorrow is realized as having vexed him. In consequence, as the process of this Perfection of Wisdom is being written and studied, he is seen as making in his great tribulation a tremendous effort, bestirring himself, and with this or that device, to attempt to prevent the study of this Perfection of Wisdom. Mara, the Evil One, is seen moreover, as coming along in a guise of a Sramana, a religious mendicant, and attempting to cause dissent.

In order to dissuade the ones born of good family who have but recently set out in the vehicle he will say: "This is not the great Perfection of Wisdom which your Honors listen to. As it has been handed down in my Sutras, as it is included in my Sutras, such is the Perfection of Wisdom.” Thus it is seen as some 'him', or an 'other', attempting to sow doubts in the minds of the Bodhisattvas having but recently set out in the vehicle, whose intelligence is usually not too expansive, but rather sluggish and limited, who are usually lacking in vision, and whose enlightenment in any future is not as yet predicted. Seized by doubt these will not learn, study or write this Perfection of Wisdom. This also is seen as Mara doing this to them.
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Moreover, Mara may be seen as coming along in guise of a Buddha, with magically created monks around him, and maintain that some Bodhisattva coursing/abiding in profound Dharmas is one who realizes the reality-limit, and should be happy to become a Disciple and NOT a Bodhisattva, as this Bodhisattva certainly has. This also is seen as one of Mara's deeds.
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Subhuti, when this Perfection of Wisdom is being written and studied, Mara, the Evil One, produces these deeds which I mention, as well as many others.
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These all may come to be seen, recognized by a Bodhisattva, and avoided, not cultivated. The Bodhisattva may come to reply to these with vigour, mindfulness and self-possession.

Section 8. Antagonism between Mara and Buddha

(Summary 8: Precious teachings invite hostility; those beset by Mara (recent, limited intelligence) falter, but Tathāgatas' might opposes, sending help. While Mara's deeds arise, agencies counter them, swaying practitioners via Buddha's grace — illustrating interdependence: delusions and enlightenment united in emptiness, both illusory yet functional on the path.)

TEXT: Subhuti: So it is, O Lord. Whatever is very precious, this provokes much hostility.
Because it is so superior, being hard to get, and of great value.
One can herein expect as a rule many obstacles will arise to this Perfection of Wisdom.
When, overawed by these obstacles, someone becomes lazy, one can come to know that those people who decide not to learn, study and write this Perfection of Wisdom are people who are seen as beset by Mara have but recently set out in the vehicle, their intelligence is small, sluggish, limited and perverted, and their thought refuses to function in these very sublime dharmas.

The Lord: So it is, Subhuti. And while it is true that these deeds of Mara which we see as such are bound to arise, a great many agencies will arise in their turn which oppose the faults of Mara.
Those who decide to learn, study and write this Perfection of Wisdom are swayed by Buddha’s might, by his sustaining power, by his grace.
For whereas Mara, the Evil One, will be seen to make great efforts to cause obstacles, the Tathāgatas in turn send help.

Section 9. Added Conclusion to Chapter 11

A. Mara’s Deeds – The Subtle Dynamics of Delusion and the Path to Transcendence

Chapter 11 of the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines delves deeply into the myriad obstacles that arise for Bodhisattvas as they engage with the Perfection of Wisdom, framing these as "deeds of Mara."

Far from a simplistic portrayal of Mara as an external, demonic entity akin to a devil whimsically "pulling one's toes" to cause mischief, the chapter reveals Mara as a profound symbol for the interdependent arising of delusion within the practitioner's own mind and circumstances.
– Mara is not an inherently existent adversary but a manifestation of ignorance (avidya) and attachment, co-emerging from the habitual patterns of dualistic perception that reify self, others, and phenomena.
– These "deeds" – ranging from mental distractions and doubts during study, to relational discords between teacher and pupil, to temptations toward lesser vehicles or worldly pleasures – are dependently originated (T1: relatively functional appearances) ⇐⇒ yet empty of inherent existence (T2: devoid of independent reality) ⇐⇒ embodying the Union of the Two Truths [U2T].
– They arise precisely because the Perfection of Wisdom threatens the very fabric of samsaric illusion, challenging the ego's grasp on apparent solidity and prompting a confrontation with the emptiness that underlies all things.
– In this sense, what is "really going on" is an internal alchemical process: the surfacing of latent karmic propensities and cognitive obscurations that must be recognized and transcended to purify the path, turning potential hindrances into gateways for deeper insight and compassionate action.

At the heart of the chapter's subtlety lies the illusory nature of these obstacles, likened to dreams, reflections, or mirages – "there, yet not there."
– Mara's deeds are not imposed from an outside force but co-arise interdependently with the Bodhisattva's own unresolved attachments, such as craving for personal validation (e.g., seeing one's name in the text), material gain (e.g., honor or robes), or expedient escapes (e.g., aspiring to heavenly realms or individual Nirvāṇa).
– For instance, the temptation to abandon the Perfection for the sutras of Disciples or Pratyekabuddhas reflects not an external sabotage but an inner immaturity of wholesome roots – a weak resolve obscured by the delusion of separateness, where one prioritizes self-taming over universal liberation.
– This misdirection underscores the Madhyamaka reasoning: obstacles conform to the tetralemma (not existent as absolute threats, not non-existent as they impact conventionally, not both, not neither), pointing to the Middle Way free from extremes.
– By recognizing them as Mara's influence without reifying Mara as "real," the practitioner avoids absolute rejection or affirmation, instead navigating them conventionally if beneficial – perhaps by seeking harmony in teacher-pupil relations or persisting in inquiry – while remaining unattached in absolute terms.
– This "acting without acting" – engaging effortfully on the relative level ⇐⇒ without grasping at inherent actor, action, or result – transforms discord into an opportunity for skill in means, revealing the primordial purity of all phenomena: even delusions are inherently interconnected, pure, and "One" in the non-dual sense, beyond 'this' (hindrance) or 'non-this' (unobstructed path).

The chapter's emphasis on rarity and superiority of the Mahayana path further illuminates the dynamics at play.
– Abandoning the Perfection – the "taproot" of all-knowing cognition – for branch-like lesser vehicles is akin to a dog spurning its master's food or mistaking an elephant's foot for the whole beast, symbolizing how delusion fragments the holistic vision of Union of the Two Truths [U2T].
– What's truly occurring is a test of the Bodhisattva's alignment with suchness (tathatā): the indescribable reality where emptiness and dependent origination imply each other [U2T], and where the two truths themselves are united, empty and interdependent [U2T-2T].
– Mara's efforts intensify because the Perfection sources undefiled states inaccessible to delusion, causing "distress" in the metaphorical Mara – really, the ego's resistance to dissolution.
– Yet, this antagonism is countered by the Tathāgatas' grace, sustaining practitioners and opposing faults, highlighting interdependence: delusions and enlightenment co-evolve, both empty, fostering a cycle where recognition of Mara's deeds accelerates irreversibility.
– Subtly, the chapter warns that without this discernment, Bodhisattvas risk falling into subtle obscurations, realizing only partial fruits; with it, they embody the Perfection's praxis, acting compassionately for infinite beings while aware of the three spheres' emptiness.

Ultimately, Chapter 11 unveils Mara not as a cosmic villain but as the shadow side of the mind's dualistic tendencies, arising to refine the Bodhisattva's commitment to the Great Vehicle.
– What's "really going on" is the unraveling of ignorance through direct confrontation with its manifestations, leading to the realization that obstacles are self-liberating illusions – empty, signless, wishless – that propel one toward full enlightenment. This process cycles back to the Madhyamaka core: tetralemma ⇐⇒ emptiness ⇐⇒ dependent origination ⇐⇒ Union of the Two Truths [U2T] ⇐⇒ illusory nature ⇐⇒ Middle Way ⇐⇒ Primordial Purity, ensuring the path remains dynamic, non-attached, and aligned with Reality as it is. By transcending the simplistic externalization of evil, the chapter invites a profound introspection: Mara's deeds are mirrors of one's own unresolved delusions, and their mastery lies in non-grasping awareness, paving the way for universal benefit without the burden of inherent struggle.

B. Refined and Expanded Explanation: The Apparent Timeless Confrontation and the Cycle of Illusion

In essence, what appears as the timeless "war" between good and evil — symbolized by the deeds of Mara (delusion's manifestations) versus the illuminating grace of the Tathāgatas (embodiments of awakened awareness) — is not a dualistic clash of external, independent forces, but an intrinsic tension arising within the universal mind's encounter with the inconceivable Reality as it is (tathatā, or suchness) and the multilayered veils of conditioned fabrications that obscure it. These fabrications emerge from the boundless, centerless web of karma, spanning physical, conceptual, and mental dimensions, encompassing all illusions, the fabricated ego-self, and the chronic habit of reifying phenomena as inherently existent, separate, and oppositional. Grounded in fundamental ignorance (avidya) of Reality's true nature, these manifest as Mara's "deeds": illusory oppositions, distractions, doubts, interpersonal discords, and seductive temptations that appear to derail the Bodhisattva from the Perfection of Wisdom. Yet, no genuine war exists, for tathatā is utterly inconceivable and inexpressible, transcending any notion of conflict, polarity, or resolution; it serves as the non-dual foundation where emptiness of inherent existence [T2] and dependent co-arising of relative appearances [T1] seamlessly interpenetrate and imply each other [U2T], liberated from all conceptual extremes and middles, such as existence/eternalism/realism (affirming inherent being), non-existence/annihilationism/nihilism (denying all validity), both together (dualistic compromise), and neither (monistic absolutism or indifference).

This process is entirely natural and inevitable — an intrinsic outflow of dependent co-arising intertwined with emptiness — wherein sentient beings perpetually generate physical, conceptual, and mental constructs, tools, frameworks, and narratives in an attempt to comprehend and navigate this unfathomable Reality. Such constructs range from elaborate philosophical systems and religious doctrines to empirical scientific models, cultural myths, and even mundane perceptual habits, functioning as temporary, adapted skillful means to approximate and interact with the apparent world of phenomena. Nonetheless, these are perpetually "not It" — never capturing the unconditioned essence of tathatā/suchness itself — but rather provisional pointers, inherently limited, relative, and imperfect, akin to fingers futilely gesturing toward the moon, or maps that depict terrain without embodying it. The core deception unfolds through habitual forgetfulness and clinging: we hypostatize these creations, erroneously ascribing to them independent, inherent, or absolute validity, as if they encapsulate ultimate essence. This hypostatization cements artificial dualities — self versus other, good versus evil, obstacle versus path, saṃsāra versus Nirvāṇa — fueling endless suffering (duhkha) by ensnaring us in spirals of desire (craving for affirmation), aversion (rejection of discomfort), and delusion (misapprehension of reality). Consequently, it spawns additional karmic imprints, thickening the veils that conceal the primordial purity of all phenomena: inherently interdependent, untainted, perfected, complete, divine, and "One" in the profound non-dual sense, transcending the tetralemma (not 'this' as graspable entity, not 'non-this' as utter void, not both as contradictory hybrid, not neither as evasive neutrality).

Enmeshed in this ostensibly endless cycle of illusions — saṃsāra's hallucinatory matrix of dream-like echoes, reflections, mirages, and apparitions — we perceive Mara's deeds not as assaults from an extrinsic entity but as auto-generated phantoms sprouting from our own obscured primordial awareness. This "confrontation" is fundamentally illusory: vividly "there" in conventional experience, yet utterly "not there" in absolute truth, a byproduct of the mind's ingrained propensity to clutch at extremes, overlooking the Middle Way that eschews absolute acceptance (clinging to fabrications as real), rejection (dismissing their relative utility), or alteration (forcing change without insight), instead employing them conventionally only insofar as they facilitate liberation without attachment.

The Perfection of Wisdom pierces this veil by unveiling the Union of the Two Truths about all phenomena [U2T] — where relative functionality and emptiness are inseparable, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, and co-imputed — including the two truths themselves [U2T-2T], and even the apparent dichotomy of saṃsāra (cyclic illusion) and Nirvāṇa (timeless peace). Neither truth reigns supreme; one is not "reality" while the other is "illusory," but both are complementary, imperfect tools pointing to the indescribable tathatā beyond them.

Through the praxis of "acting without acting" — engaging in mindful, compassionate activity on the conventional plane without any absolute reification, effort, or attachment to the three spheres (subject/actor, relation/action, object/result) — the Bodhisattva progressively erodes these illusory layers of conditioning and karma. This involves physical, conceptual, or mental endeavors conducted with unwavering awareness of their interdependent emptiness, transforming seeming adversarial conflicts into spontaneous, effortless harmony with Reality as it is, as illuminated by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T].

In the dawn of this penetrating direct realization, the cycle self-liberates without external force or annihilation: illusions evaporate not via combative eradication but through profound insight into their dual essence—dependently co-arisen ⇐⇒ empty of inherent existence ⇐⇒ primordially pure and liberated—dismantling the contrived "war" and disclosing the boundless, equanimous peace of full awakening that encompasses all beings. What is truly transpiring, then, is not a grandiose cosmic strife but the innate unfolding of the universal mind's odyssey from entrenched delusion to luminous awakening, wherein Mara (delusion's archetype) and Buddha (awareness's embodiment) reveal themselves as non-different, non-identical, inseparable facets of ultimate suchness—empty, illusory, and eternally at peace.

This insight invites perpetual vigilance: our fabrications, while useful, must be wielded lightly, lest they perpetuate the very cycle they seek to map, reminding us that true freedom lies in transcending the tools themselves to abide without abiding in the inconceivable.