Calling the earth to witness

"OK," he drawled. "OK. So you can't be tempted. Well, bully for you. Just one last question, though. What I wanna know is this: who gives you license to sit here and decide what you know, what you think you know, is worth hearing, let alone with teaching?....What gives you the right?"

"Siddhartha reached down with his right hand and lightly touched the earth. There was a stillness in the grove, and Mara could see the eyes staring at him from all directions. Bird eyes, rabbit eyes, snake eyes, mole eyes, bug eyes, tree eyes, stone eyes, all peering at him, surrounding the Buddha, and the wind through the trees whistling."

--Jeff Greenwald, Shopping for Buddhas (Thanks, George Landow)