Ask MysticSang'ha anything (Buddhism, disciple, doctrine, experience, pray)

[koan]

Even Mara is just a manifestation of the mind.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by koan

Even Mara is just a manifestation of the mind.

That may be your interpretation of the story. But the original Pali scriptures are of full of references to gods, and in this case it was Brahma, the Vedic creator god, who convinced the Buddha to go out and teach the Dharma. If Brahma was Mara it's curious that he convinced the Buddha instead of tempting him to keep it to himself.

[koan]

Brahma and mara are just manifestations of the mind. Don't forget, the inclusion of Brahma was there to not alienate the Hindus.
Do you also believe the Buddha was born from under his mothers arm and exclaimed upon birth, I am the world honoured one.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by koan

Brahma and mara are just manifestations of the mind. Don't forget, the inclusion of Brahma was there to not alienate the Hindus.
Do you also believe the Buddha was born from under his mothers arm and exclaimed upon birth, I am the world honoured one.

No, I don't really. But I also don't really believe that Jesus was born of a virgin. And yet many people seem to insist the biblical scripture either be taken literally or not at all whereas they have no problem taking what they like from Buddhist scripture and dismissing the rest.

Back to the point, there may be no creator god in your version of Buddhism. There certainly is in other people's Buddhism.