Title: The Story of Mara
Author: Brad C
Disclaimers: Kazuya Minekura
Descriptions: Kougaiji, Nii Jienyi, Storytelling
The smells of morning breakfast were severed more than hours ago. Leaving behind the scent of bacon and eggs; freshly brewed black coffee. Some servants were still cleaning up the nearby area, mopping the floor and bringing the dishes back to the main kitchen.
Nii watches quietly, eyeing the co-workers small movements around him; sitting comfortably in a wooden chair, while reading with a large book on his lap. The bunny doll sits and observes, smiling secretly on the table, next to the bunny mug. He reaches over to grabs his cup of coffee that has been sitting on the table for quite sometime. He takes his hand, reaching over the table, and tries to feel around for mug, but unable to reach it from his grasp; nearly knocking over the bunny doll. The doctor shifts the chair with a quick move of his foot, moving the chair to a slanted angle, facing adjacent to the dinning room table. The doctor then reaches over to the table, picking up handle of the bunny mug; closing his eyes and sipping his lukewarm black coffee.
A pace of padding quiet footsteps makes its way into the dinning hall.
The doctor turns his head, placing down his mug on the table and looks up; listening to the sound of footsteps heading towards the chamber. Nii glances upwards, eyeing the young demon prince from behind his black framed glasses, smiling amusingly. The young prince walks into the chamber; still wearing light blue bunny pyjamas, and matching pair of light blue bunny slippers. He rubs his eyes childishly, and yawns; covering his mouth with his free hand. Kou grabs a chair from the far end of the table and sits down; folding his arms on the table, and hiding his head, closing his eyes again.
"You missed breakfast, My Prince…" Nii chirps amusingly, picking up his bunny mug again, sipping his cup of coffee and smiling into the cup as he finishes. "Is not the first time…" Kou answers tiredly, groaning with hint of annoyance in his voice, muffling from against his own arms. "Not the first time…" The doctor says with a surprisingly tone in his voice, watching the young prince from his end of the dinning table. He then grabs a package of cigarette from his black shirt pocket, pulling out a stick of nicotine and places into his mouth, and then lighting it up, blowing a few streaks of smoke into the air.
A servant walks up and taps on the young prince shoulder, bending down slightly and whispers to his ear. Kou lifts up his head, and whispers back to the servant. The servant nods his head, acknowledging to the given instructions. The servant then heads off towards the elevators, to the main kitchen.
Nii as he watches the young prince and servant, raising an eye brow in curiosity. "So what did you order?" The doctor asks curiously, skimming through the pages of the book, flipping over to the next page with a slick finger. "That's none of your business." Kou answers in return, lifting up his head from his arms, glancing at the doctor. "Is not my business then a mere simple question, My Prince," Nii answers casually; mouthing around his cigarette, grinning to himself. "Looks who's talking…" The young prince growls subtly, keeping an eye on the scruffy doctor.
The doctor laughs out loud and nervously, the rawness of his voice echoing through the dinning room. He laughs; laughing for couple of minutes, until his own laughter slowly subsides. Nii then pushes his spectacles from the tip of the nose with two fingers, gazing at the prince keeningly behind his black-framed glasses; the florescent lights glinting off of them. Kou sits there quietly, resting both arms on the table, glancing around idly.
Nii watches the young prince from the corner of his eyes, still curious and amused. "Where did you get that bunny mug?" Kou asks curiously, breaking the silence; gazing at the cup from afar. Nii makes a face, glancing up at the ceiling and laughs nervously. "Is mine," The doctor answers simply, placing his hand over the mug protectively, while trying to keep a straight face. Kou glares at him somewhat childishly and suspiciously. Nii chuckles nervously, still trying to keep a straight a face; amused by the young prince's expression.
A half an hour later, the servant comes with a tray and sets the food on the table in front of the prince, a small bowl of spicy curry with vegetables, a few pan sizes of roti on a large plate, and a hot cup of frothy chai. Kou begins eating quietly, taking a spoon and putting miscellaneous vegetables onto the roti. He rolls up the wrap, and devours the food within two, three bites. The doctor resumes reading his large science book, skimming through the pages, and glances up once a while; watching the prince curiously. The young demon prince takes tears apart of the roti. Taking a spoonful of vegetable and hot curry sauce, placing onto the bread, and eats it in a single bite. Nii continues to read quietly without disturbing the prince. He then glances up, watching the prince's small antics a bit longer this time; smiling amusingly around his nearly finished cigarette.
Kou finishes his meal, washing it all down with lukewarm chai. He then grabs a napkin towel and wipes his mouth. He places head atop of both his arms, glancing over at the doctor, "What are you reading?" The prince asks curiously, glaring at the doctor quietly. Nii perks up, lifting up his head and gazes at the prince. "A science book…" He replies, raising an eye brow. "Tell me a story…" Kou asks childishly, and demandingly. The doctor chokes, removing the cigarette bud from his mouth and placing into the ashtray on the table, "Do you not have anywhere else to be at this time?" Nii asks in return, an odd note of curiosity in his voice.
"Not that I could think of…" The prince answers, glancing up at the ceiling, "You going to tell me a story?" Nii closes his eyes, taking his time and folds up the large book on his lap and places onto the dinning room table, next to his bunny mug. His legs still crossed. "I cannot tell you a story, if you are all the way on the opposite end of the table…" The doctor answers with a stern teacher voice. Kou gets up hesitantly from his own seat, and walks around the table to the other end. He then pulls out an empty chair a seat away from the doctor, seating in the chair comfortably. He then places his arms on the table, resting his head atop of them; watching the doctor carefully.
Nii nods his head acknowledging the prince quiet movements. He then grabs the pack of nicotine on the table, pulling out a stick and lighting up it up with his lighter. He closes his eyes, savouring the cigarette, tasting the black licorice flavour that lingers in his mouth. Letting his mind and thoughts shuffles through various mythologies that he knows. Hoping he would find the perfect story for the prince. Kou watches the doctor, remaining very quiet and still, until the human was ready to tell him a story. He waits anxiously and curiously, a small tinge of fear still lurks within him.
Nii sits up from his chair and uncrosses his legs, leaving the cigarette hanging from the side of his lips. The young demon prince was hesitant to move from his seat again, somehow feeling drawn and pulled in by dark aura that the human carries with him. Kou slides out of the chair and paces over to the older man, kneeling on the floor; placing his arms on the doctor's lap and rests his head atop of it. Nii watches him curiously, looking down at the young prince on his lap. His eyes widen in surprise, smiling crookedly around his nicotine. The doctor remains still on his chair with both feet planted on the floor, making sure the prince stays comfortable from his chosen spot.
"Mara, the Evil One" Nii begins slowly, speaking in a teacher tone of voice.
"He is said to be a demon, the avatar of death that symbolises passion and passionate desires that overwhelmed humans." The doctor says sternly as he continues; taking his hand, running through his fiery red hair; touching the prince's long pointy ear with his gentle fingers. Kougaiji leans into his hand, stifling a small giggle from the touches from behind his ear, sighing quietly. The demon prince opens his eyes, gazing curiously at the older man before him. "He was also one of the highest deity ruling in the heaven sensuous plane, yielding power over creations of others dwell." Nii continues gazing back fondly at the prince on his lap, smiling candidly.
"Did Mara do anything interesting?" Kougaiji asks childishly and curiously.
"Ah... That he did..." Nii replies quietly, taking his hand from behind the young prince's ear. Then use places his hand into his black dress-shirt pocket and fishes out a pack of cigarettes. He begins lighting up his nicotine, inhaling and exhaling slowly, savouring the licorice flavour on the tips of tongue. The doctor smokes carefully, not to get any ashes into the young demon prince's thick, fine red wine hair. He switches hand, placing his free hand hesitantly atop of the younger man's hair.
Kougaiji leans into the older man's gentle fingers, closing his eyes. He opens them again, watching the older man smoke his nicotine. Nii rests his elbow onto the table, placing the cancer stick into the ashtray beside him on the dinning room table. The doctor watches the prince's quiet movements, watching him with his soft gazes behind his black-framed glasses. Nii sits patiently until the prince was ready again, asking his usual questions.
"What did he do?" The young prince asks with a curious note in his voice.
Nii stifles a small laughter, laughing hoarsely and somewhat nervously. He removes his hand from the prince's red wine hair, settling them onto his thighs. He lifts up his head, gazing up at the ceiling, contemplating quietly to himself. The doctor then lowers his head smiling inwardly, before speaking again. "Mara followed Siddhartha for seven years..." Nii answers, taking one of the prince's claws and holds it in his firm and gentle grasp. The doctor reaches over onto the table, placing the cigarette in his mouth, holding the stick in-between his fingers. He savours the licorice flavour in his mouth, inhaling deeply before he blows a few streaks of white smoke into the air, then places back into the ashtray.
"Seven years?" Kou exclaims with his jaw dropping to a thin line. His eyes glow bright and filled with curiosity, and anxiously wanting to know more about the story itself. Not realising he has been behaving much like his younger half-sister.
"Yes, seven years. Six years before his enlightenment and one year after."
"But for what reason?" The prince asks childishly and quietly; the tone of his voice even more curious than before. He gazes at the older man. Nii chuckles slightly, shaking his head back and forth. "He had a very good reason, and as do you..." He says, continuing quietly, using his other hand atop the prince's fiery hair again. Then slides his hand down slowly from his hair and rests onto his cheeks
Kougaiji stares at him confusedly, "What do you mean?"
Nii looks down, gazing fondly at the young prince. He laughs again, light-heartedly this time. He then uses his two fingers and pushes his black-framed glasses back onto his nose. Taking his own and rests them back onto his lap. Kou gazes at the older man, a small pout marring on his face, waiting impatiently for the answer.
"Mara was trying to find a weakness in him within those seven years."
"Did Mara betray him in any way?"
Nii closes his eyes and shakes his head back and forth. "No..." He says simply.
"Then what did he do?" Kou asks curiously.
"Mara urged him on relentlessly remain silent, but he could not deceive him as contemplated." The doctor answers in stern voice, completing on the story itself and his own words as he speaks. "Why did Mara urged him to remain silent?" Kou asks curiously, glancing up and gazing at the older man childishly.
"Mara tried his best to induce him to pass away into demise before without proclaiming dhamma, when it was time for him to pass away, during that time." The doctor says smiling, almost contently with a small curve up his lips, candid and childishly.
"But why would he do that if he did not deceive him?"
"Hmm..." Nii hums, thinking to himself before he continues to speak again.
Kou still remains silent with both hands folded on his lap, and head resting atop of his own arms. He glances up, staring curiously at the older man; and then lowers his head, taking time to contemplate and think quietly on his own. Nii looks down at the prince with curiousness twinkling in his black eyes, wondering what the young prince could be thinking about. The doctor waits patiently, giving the young demon prince some time and space to think for himself.
"Shall we continue?" Nii asks with a quiet note his raw voice, breaking the silence between them once more. Kougaiji nods his head silently and agreeingly. Waiting for the older man to continue, still feeling anxiousness wanting to know what will happen to the character in the story.
"Mara was the originator of temptations..." Nii continues with his teacher voice, still watching the prince on his lap. "And attachment to the worldliness, who falls a victim to them and easily conquered by him." He reaches over to the ashtray, picking up his small stick of cigarette, tapping his fingers lightly on the stick, placing a good amount of burned ashes into tray.
Kou contemplates quietly, before speaks again. "Why is he attached to the world?"
"He is attached to the world of names such as; Black, Chief, Destroyer, Non-Deliver, and Friends of the Passionate are beings that to ever repeated rebirths, old age and death. Therefore they are not freed from the cycle of existence and misery." Nii continues quietly, placing the cigarette into his mouth and inhales deeply. Releasing his own two fingers, and lets the half stubbed cigarette hang from his lips.
"What really happened between Mara and Siddhartha?"
Nii mouths around his cigarette for a few minutes, answering with crooked grin across his lips, "The Buddha lifted up his forehand, glowing light illuminating the world and vanquish Mara, the Devil and the Master of Lust. Mara heard a voice said, "The being who is very pure, who led religious life for many ages. The Son of the King of Suddhodana of Kapliavattu and has renounced the world of desirous of flavouring of other beings with his nectar-like teachings. He is coming today where the Bodhi Tree stands."" Kougaiji watches the older man curiously, "What happened next?"
The doctor removes his stubbed finished cigarette from his mouth, then squishing it into the ashtray, and then continues quietly. "Mara saw the Buddha approaching. He realised that the Buddha was not a common man that would given to lust and temper. But the Buddha did not yield into the temptations." Nii says chuckling to himself, shaking his head back and forth briefly. "What's so funny?" Kou asks curiously, almost laughing a bit himself. "Nothing," Nii answers simply with a smiling inwardly.
"What do you mean nothing?" Kou asks in a demanding voice, pouting childishly.
Nii gazes at the prince's expression and bursts out laughing uncontrollably.
Kougaiji stares at the older man blankly, "Are you going to continue with the story?"
Nii catches his breath, still stifling with laughter, "Yes... Yes..." He says, breathing slowly, still chuckling a bit. He nods his head acknowledging the prince's childishness and slight anger note in his voice. ""The Buddha spoke to Mara in a sweet voice, "Desires is the root of sorrow. It hinders psychic powers."" Nii says as he continues on.
"Did Mara say anything in return?"
"Of course he did..." Nii answers, laughing light-heartedly.
Kou asks gazing at the older man laughing, "What did he say?"
""Mara said, "O Blessed One! Your person is as stainless as lotus flower, and radiates a dazzling light like a golden hill. Your face is as lovely and beautiful as the autumn moon. May your labour be fruitful and your purpose fulfilled."" Nii says gazing at the prince with an odd curiosity behind his eyes. Kou gazes back, taking his hand, hesitantly reaching up and touches the doctor's slightly scruffy and ragged face. The doctor closes his eyes and leans into the young demon prince's touch for a few moments, then opening his eyes again, watching the prince's antics subtly. Kougaiji pulls his hand away immediately, placing his claws back onto the older man's lap.
The prince remains oddly silent, before speaking again, "Then what happened?"
""The Buddha then said, "If the hill of Semeru shakes, if all creatures die, if the countless stars fall down with the moon from the heaven above, even then a man like myself will never attain the highest goals spiritual goal."" Nii answers, smiling inwardly to himself, watching the prince on still on his lap. "What happened to Mara?" Kou asks curiously.
"Mara was very displeased and distressed after he heard what the Buddha said. He disappeared from the scene broken-hearted." Nii says quietly, reaching into his black shirt pocket again and takes out the pack of cigarette. He pulls the stick out from his mouth, and lights it up with a match stick. He inhales deeply before he blows a few grey streaks of cloud into the air. He then leaves his cigarette hanging from the corner of his lips, glancing down at the young prince.
"Speaking of which..." Nii adds with a change of note in his voice, taking his hand and caresses the prince's face softly with his fingers. Kou closes his eyes into the fingers, leaning into the older man's touches on his cheek. "You should be returning to your duties, My Prince..." The doctor says, caressing the prince's face for a few more minutes. He then removes his hand, grabbing his Bunny Doll from beside his bunny mug, and places the toy doll onto his lap facing the prince.
Kou watches the older man. He eyes the toy doll curled up in the older man's fingers, and slowly gets up from his lap, backing away a few centimetres. The prince gazes at the older man with a mere frown on his face, feeling dishearted and fear in his eyes. He begins walking back where he came from earlier, heading towards the large corridors the Great Hall. "You will return?" Nii asks quietly, mouthing around his nicotine, grinning with a crooked smile. Kou stops on his track for a minute; then continues walking with his tendrils following behind him.
Footnote:
1. Mara (Maya) name is translated as Desire. Kama is one of Mara's names, it means Sensual Pleasure. However, Kama (God of Love) is not worshipped.
2. Like Siddhartha, Mara also possesses ten kinds of passions: a) sense pleasure, b) aversion of holy life, c) hunger and thirst, d) craving, e) sloth and torpor, f) fear g) doubts, h) detraction and obstinacy, i) gain and praise, honour and ill-gotten fame, j) extolling oneself and contempt of others.
3. Mara and Siddhartha are very similar. Indra (Vedic God) is known for his combat with Vritra. Indra victory over Vritra is celebrated. One of Vritra's names is Namuci, which is also the name of Mara in the Buddha's texts. Mara is basically one the deities or part of a character that makes up Indra. As other in the Cosmic Trinity are counterparts of the worshipped of the characters in Hindu Trinity.
4. There are many versions of Buddha defeat of Mara, which various throughout Central Asia and South E. Asia. Hindu philosophies, and mythologies are known for war type themes, and whereas the Tibetan version which used in the fiction is rather non-violent.