Alternative spellings of this word include Chaturmara.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: 84000: Mañjuśrī­mūla­kalpa (The Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī)

Caturmāra (चतुर्मार) refers to the “four Māras (or, ‘types of demonic influence’)”, according to the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa, a large scripture devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) classified as a kriyā-tantra (containing practices of ritual purification).

In the sūtra system, these four types of demonic influence [i.e., caturmāra] are:

1. the māra of aggregates,
2. the māra of afflictive emotions,
3. the māra of death, and
4. the māra of divine pride.

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Caturmāra (चतुर्मार) refers to the “(way of the) four Māras”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “[...] “How then, son of good family, does the Bodhisattva transcend the way of four Māras and vanquish all Māras and adversaries?”.

The way of four Māras (caturmāra-patha) are:—

1. The Bodhisattva transcends the Māra inherent in the parts of personality by knowing and understanding the fact that all dharmas are just like an illusion;
2. He transcends the Māra of vices by correctly understanding in accordance with tradition;
3. He transcends the Māra of death by understanding the dependent origination;
4. He transcends the Māra of the sons of gods by not forgetting the thought of awakening.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Mara, Catur.

Starts with: Caturmarapatha.

Full-text: Marapatha, Parijnaya, Caturmarapatha, Mara.

Relevant text

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