[510] **"The King of Death does not see" (maccurājā na passatī ti):** Māra is the King of Death; death (maraṇa) too is the King of Death. "Does not see": the King of Death does not see, does not behold, does not attain, does not find, does not obtain.
For this was said by the Blessed One: "Bhikkhus, just as a forest deer, roaming in the forest wilderness, walks confidently, stands confidently, sits confidently, lies down confidently — why is that? Because, bhikkhus, it has gone beyond the hunter's range — even so, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome dhammas, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture (pīti) and pleasure born of seclusion. This bhikkhu, bhikkhus, is said to have blinded Māra; having destroyed Māra's eye so that it is without a track, he has gone where the eye of the Evil One does not see.
"Again, bhikkhus, with the subsiding of thought and examination, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind (citta), is without thought, without examination, and has rapture and pleasure born of concentration (samādhi) … the third jhāna … the fourth jhāna. This bhikkhu, bhikkhus, has blinded Māra; having destroyed Māra's eye so that it is without a track, he has gone where the eye of the Evil One does not see.
"Again, bhikkhus, with the complete transcending of perceptions of form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, [aware that] 'space is infinite,' [a bhikkhu] enters and dwells in the sphere of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana). This bhikkhu, bhikkhus, is said to have blinded Māra; having destroyed Māra's eye so that it is without a track, he has gone where the eye of the Evil One does not see.
"Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, with the complete transcending of the sphere of the infinity of space, [aware that] 'consciousness is infinite,' enters and dwells in the sphere of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana). With the complete transcending of the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, [aware that] 'there is nothing,' he enters and dwells in the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana). With the complete transcending of the sphere of nothingness, he enters and dwells in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana). With the complete transcending of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayitanirodha); and, having seen with wisdom, his taints (āsava) are utterly destroyed. This bhikkhu, bhikkhus, is said to have blinded Māra; having destroyed Māra's eye so that it is without a track, he has gone where the eye of the Evil One does not see; he has crossed over clinging (visattikā) in the world. He walks confidently, stands confidently, sits confidently, lies down confidently. Why is that? Because, bhikkhus, he has gone beyond the range of the Evil One."
Thus "the King of Death does not see." Therefore the Blessed One said:
Look upon the world as empty,
Mogharāja, ever mindful;
having uprooted the view of self (attānudiṭṭhi),
thus one may cross beyond death.
The King of Death does not see
one who looks upon the world thus.
Together with the conclusion of the verse … "Venerable sir, the Blessed One is my teacher; I am a disciple."
The Exposition of the Question of the Young Man Mogharāja, the Fifteenth, is concluded.
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The Exposition of the Question of the Young Man Piṅgiya
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.