[470] Setting at Sāvatthī.
Now on that occasion the Blessed One was instructing, urging, rousing, and gladdening the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk (dhammī kathā) connected with Nibbāna. And those bhikkhus, treating it as essential, attending to it, focusing on it with their whole mind, were listening to the Dhamma with ears intent.
Then it occurred to Māra the Evil One (pāpimā): "This ascetic Gotama … the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk connected with Nibbāna … . Suppose I were to approach the ascetic Gotama for the purpose of blinding their vision (vicakkhukammāya)."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.