Māra [fr. mṛ, later Vedic, māra killing, destroying, bringing death, pestilence, cp. Lat. mors death, morbus illness, Lith. māras death, pestilence] death; usually personified as Np. Death, the Evil one, the Tempter (the Buddhist Devil or Principle of Destruction). Sometimes the term māra is applied to the whole of the worldly existence, or the realm of rebirth, as opposed to Nibbāna. Thus the defn of m. at Nd2 506 gives "kammâbhisankhāra -- vasena paṭisandhiko khandha-māro, dhātu˚, āyatana˚. -- Other general epithets of M (quasi twin -- embodiments) are given with Kaṇha, Adhipati, Antaka, Namuci, Pamattabandhu at Nd1 489=Nd2 507; the two last ones also at Nd1 455. The usual standing epithet is pāpimā "the evil one," e. g. S i.103 sq. (the famous Māra -- Saŋyutta: see Windisch, Māra & Buddha); Nd1 439; DhA iv.71 (Māravatthu) & freq. -- See e. g. Sn 32, 422, 429 sq., 1095, 1103; Dh 7, 40, 46, 57, 105, 175, 274; Nd1 475; Vism 79, 228, 376; KhA 105; SnA 37, 44 sq., 225, 350 sq., 386 sq.; Sdhp 318, 449, 609. Further refs. & details see under Proper Names.    -- âbhibhū overcoming M. or death Sn 545=571. -- kāyika a class of gods Miln 285; KvuA 54. -- dhītaro the daughters of M. SnA 544. -- dheyya being under the sway of M.; the realm or kingdom of Māra A iv.228; Sn 764; Dh 34 (=kilesa -- vaṭṭa DhA i.289). -- bandhana the fetter of death Dh 37, 276, 350 (=tebhūmaka -- vaṭṭasankhātaŋ DhA iv.69). -- senā the army of M. Sn 561, 563; SnA 528.