摩訶止觀 8.205

8.205

答：未必併然。自有過難，好法亦不發。魔是惡緣所感；善是心力所致。《釋論》云：「釋迦往昔在惡世，世無佛，求法精進了不能得。魔變化作婆羅門，詭言：『有佛一偈，汝能皮為紙、骨為筆、血為墨，當以與汝。菩薩樂法，即自剝皮，曝令乾，擬書偈，魔即隱去。』佛知其心，從下方涌出，為說深經，得無生忍。」可以為證（云云）。

Answer: Not necessarily so in all cases. Naturally, when there are faults and difficulties, good dharmas do not arise either. Māras are induced by bad conditions; good is brought about by the power of the mind. The Dazhidulun says: 'In the past, Śākyamuni was in an evil age when there was no Buddha; he sought the Dharma vigorously but could not obtain it at all. Māra transformed himself into a brāhmaṇa and deceitfully said: "I have one verse of the Buddha; if you can make paper of your skin, a pen of your bone, and ink of your blood, I will give it to you." The Bodhisattva delighted in the Dharma, immediately flayed his own skin, dried it in the sun, and prepared to write the verse; Māra then vanished. The Buddha, knowing his mind, welled forth from the realm below and preached the profound sūtra to him, and he attained the endurance of the non-arising of dharmas.' This can serve as evidence (and so on).