Suttas about night when Buddha got Awakened

Hello there! :slight_smile:

I’m trying for hours now to find sutta or suttas that speaks about Buddha’s night of Awakening, but cannot find them. Are there any EBTs that actually speak about the night when Buddha got tevijjas (three knowledges)? Also is there an EBT which describes moment when Buddha-to-be had a “battle with Mara” during that night, or is it just a later legend?

With gratitude :anjal:

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Maybe it’s in Ud 1.3 and in the Vinaya Kd1

“When things become clear
“Yadā have pātubhavanti dhammā,
to the keen, meditating brahmin,
Ātāpino jhāyato brāhmaṇassa;
he remains, scattering Māra’s army,
Vidhūpayaṁ tiṭṭhati mārasenaṁ,
as the sun lights up the sky.”
Sūriyova obhāsayamantalikkhan”ti.

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Sorry for bothering you, I’ve finally found (with help of ChatGPT I must say xD first time using it for finding suttas) the one on tevijjas.

MN36:

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward recollection of past lives. I recollected my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.

This was the first knowledge, which I achieved in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed and knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understood how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds.

This was the second knowledge, which I achieved in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed and knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. I truly understood: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.’ I truly understood: ‘These are defilements’ … ‘This is the origin of defilements’ … ‘This is the cessation of defilements’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements.’

Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When it was freed, I knew it was freed.

I understood: ‘Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.’

This was the third knowledge, which I achieved in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed and knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind.

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Ah I thought your main focus is this part. Maybe you can try to ask ChatGPT about this?

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The ‘battle’ with Mara is in this sutta. Though it became way more developed later.
https://suttacentral.net/snp3.2/en/sujato

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I did, it said it is also in MN36 but it’s not there. :smiley: But it seems @Danny has found it.

Thanks to both of you! :slight_smile: :anjal:

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