摩訶止觀 5.37

5.37

As for the three obstacles and four Māras, the Puxian guan [jing] says: "Because the people of Jambudvīpa have heavy three obstacles." The aggregates, sense-bases, and illness are the karmic-retribution obstacle; defilements, views, and pride are the defilement obstacle; karma, Māra, dhyāna, the two vehicles, and the bodhisattva are the karmic obstacle. They obstruct calming and contemplation so that they are not clear and still, and block the path to bodhi, preventing the practitioner from advancing to the five ranks and the stage of purity of the six sense faculties; therefore they are called "obstacles." As for the four Māras: the aggregates and sense-bases are precisely the aggregate-Māra; karma, dhyāna, the two vehicles, the bodhisattva, and so forth are the formation aggregate and are called the aggregate-Māra. Defilements, views, pride, and so forth are the defilement-Māra. Illness is the cause of death and is called the death-Māra. Māra affairs are the devaputra-Māra. Māra means "destroyer": destroying contemplation is called "destroying life"; destroying calming is called "destroying the body." Again, Māra means "rubbing astray": rubbing contemplation astray causes darkness; rubbing calming astray causes dissipation. Therefore it is called Māra (and so on).