Words to Subdue Māra

आगमिष्यति मारिष मारः पापीयांस्तस्य पुरत इमे मन्त्रपदा भाषितव्याः ॥
āgamiṣyati māriṣa māraḥ pāpīyāṃs tasya purata ime mantrapadā bhāṣitavyāḥ

Māra, Sir, may come, that sinful one: in front of him, the following mantra-words should be spoken:

बुद्ध श्रेष्ठो न श्रेष्ठस्त्वं नास्ति श्रेष्ठस्तथागतात् ।
बुद्धो हि श्रेष्ठो लोकस्य धर्मराजो ह्यनुत्तरः ॥

buddha śreṣṭho na śreṣṭhas tvaṃ nāsti śreṣṭhas tathāgatāt |
buddho hi śreṣṭho lokasya dharmarājo hy anuttaraḥ ||

धर्म श्रेष्ठो न श्रेष्ठस्त्वं नास्ति श्रेष्ठो ऽत्र धर्मतः।
धर्मो हि श्रेष्ठो लोकस्य विरागोपशमः सुखम् ॥

dharma śreṣṭho na śreṣṭhas tvaṃ nāsti śreṣṭho ‘tra dharmataḥ |
dharmo hi śreṣṭho lokasya virāgopaśamaḥ sukham ||

संघ श्रेष्ठो न श्रेष्ठस्त्वं नास्ति श्रेष्ठो ऽत्र संघतः ।
संघो हि श्रेष्ठो लोकस्य पुण्यक्षेत्रो ह्यनुत्तरः ॥

saṃgha śreṣṭho na śreṣṭhas tvaṃ nāsti śreṣṭho ‘tra saṃghataḥ |
saṃgho hi śreṣṭho lokasya puṇyakṣetro hy anuttaraḥ ||

Translation

O Sir, Māra may come, that sinful one. In front of him, the following mantra-words should be spoken:

The Buddha is supreme, you are not supreme;
Nobody is more supreme than the Tathāgata,
Because the Buddha is supreme within the world,
He is thus the Unexcelled King of Dharma.

The Dharma is supreme, you are not supreme;
Nobody here is more supreme than the Dharma,
Because the Dharma is supreme within the world,
It is thus Pacification Free from Desire, and is Happiness itself.

The Saṃgha is supreme, you are not supreme;
Nobody here is more supreme than the Saṃgha,
Because the Saṃgha is supreme within the world,
It is thus the Unexcelled Field of Merit.