(Skt); bdud (Tib). These are evil forces which act as obstacles to practitioners on the path. There are four kinds of Mara: the Mara of aggregates, related to the physical body; the Mara of defilements, associated with emotions; the Mara of the son of the god, associated with ego; and the Mara of death, associated with physical death. One who has subdued these four is a blessed one for he is not tainted by these evils.

Maras (or marabuntas) are gangs originating from Central American countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Maras are particularly active in the United States mainly in California and Washington D.C.. The word mara is a Central American Spanish slang for gang.