Verse 385

Dhammapada Verse 385

The Story of Mara

On one occasion, Mara came to the Buddha disguised as a man and asked him, "Venerable Sir, You often say the word 'param'. What is the meaning of that word?" The Buddha, knowing that it was Mara who was asking that question, chided him, "O wicked Mara! The words 'param' and 'aparam' have nothing to do with you. 'Param' which means 'the other shore' can be reached only by the arahats who are free from moral defilements."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Yassa param aparam va
paraparam na vijjati
Vitaddaram visamyuttam
tamaham brumi brahmanam.

Verse 385: Him I call a brahmana who has for him neither this shore (i.e., the sense-bases) nor the other shore (i.e., the sense objects), and who is undistressed and free from moral defilements.