Nandiya — The Book of the Ones · Chapter Three · Poem 5 of 10
Setting
No narrative setting; a direct address to the ‘Dark One’
Speaker
Nandiya, warning Māra of a consequence rather than declaring his own victory
Form
One four-line verse
Length
under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
This reading guide does not assert a specific matching text for this poem in other Buddhist literatures.
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — a direct warning addressed to Māra, in place of a triumphant declaration
Why this text
Nandiya addresses Māra directly as ‘Dark One’: attack a monk ‘who has arrived at the fruit’, whose mind is ‘always full of light’, and ‘you'll fall into suffering’. Rather than declaring his own victory, the verse warns Māra of a consequence.
Reading guide
A direct address to Māra
‘Kaṇha’, ‘Dark One’, is a direct vocative address to Māra — a confrontation with the tempter figure that recurs at several points across this site's translations, most often in the Therīgātha, now appearing here in the Theragātha as well.
A warning of consequence, not a claim of victory
Many Māra-confrontation verses culminate in the speaker declaring their own triumph directly. This one instead stays focused on Māra's own fate: ‘you'll fall into suffering’ is framed as a prediction and a warning, not a celebration of personal victory already won.
The target described through light and attainment
The monk Māra is warned against is characterized in two ways: someone ‘who has arrived at the fruit’ — a specific attainment — and whose mind is ‘always full of light’, an image of radiance rather than a list of qualities or practices.
Key terms
kaṇha — “Dark One” — the direct vocative address to Māra opening this verse.
phalaga — “arrived at the fruit” — describing the monk's specific attainment.
obhāsajāta — “full of light” or “born of radiance” — describing this monk's mind.
āsajja — “having attacked” or “having assaulted” — the action this verse warns Māra against.
dukkha — “suffering” — the consequence this verse predicts for Māra.
The text
The text in full: one verse, with no separate attribution line in this chapter. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1Dark One, after attacking such a monk—one who has arrived at the fruit, and whose mind is always full of light—you’ll fall into suffering.
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
Who does this verse address directly?
Correct: D. A direct vocative confrontation.
Question 2 of 10
What does the verse warn Māra will happen if he attacks this monk?
Correct: A. A predicted consequence, named directly.
Question 3 of 10
Does the verse focus on the speaker's own declared victory, or on Māra's fate?
Correct: D. A warning of consequence, not a triumphant proclamation.
Question 4 of 10
How is the monk Māra is warned against described?
Correct: B. Characterized through attainment and an image of radiance.
Question 5 of 10
What does 'kaṇha' mean?
Correct: A. The direct address opening this verse, naming Māra.
Question 6 of 10
Where else on this site does a similar confrontation with Māra appear?
Correct: C. A recurring motif across this site's translations, now appearing here too.
Question 7 of 10
What does 'obhāsajāta' describe?
Correct: B. Describing the targeted monk's mind.
Question 8 of 10
What does 'phalaga' mean?
Correct: B. The specific attainment named for this monk.
Question 9 of 10
What does 'āsajja' describe?
Correct: A. The action this verse warns Māra against.
Question 10 of 10
Where does this poem fall in Chapter Three?
Correct: C. Continuing the chapter's sequence of ten poems.
