Mara (マーラ Māra) are Demons that possess statues of Buddha or Kannon in temples.
Overview
Mara are Demons with a long history, having supposedly tempted Buddha when he was about to reach enlightenment. They take advantage of the weaknesses and uncertainties of the human soul and attack humans openly.[1]
Mara take on the appearance of the statue they possess, but unlike other Demons such as Peg Lanterns or Possessed Statues, the body of the statues Mara possesses does not become mobile, instead simply teleporting from place to place whilst maintaining the same pose. Once they reveal themselves, a purple haze rises from the statue and its eyes glow red.[2]
Despite being quite formidable, a pair of Mara having managed to subdue the entire staff of a temple, they are quite vulnerable to attack, a single Exorcist's pistol bullet or the reading of a sutra being enough to exorcize them. Once exorcised, a black fog rises from the statue.[2]
Powers and Abilities
Emotion Reading: Mara are capable of discerning the dark feelings within humans in an attempt to unsettle them.[2]
Teleportation: Mara can teleport over short distances, vanishing from one point and shortly reappearing in another.
Trivia
- Mara was the name of a demon said to have tempted Buddha with visions of beautiful women as he attempted to reach enlightenment.
References
- ↑ Ao no Exorcist: Guide to Satan
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ao no Exorcist Anime: Episode 16