user13084: I've read in several articles that the Lalitavistara identifies Krishna as leader of the "black demons" and is an enemy of the Buddha. I've only been able to check the 84000 translation from Tibetan, and haven't been able to locate the source of this claim. Am I overlooking something?

user471: TL;DR
I couldn't find the connection to Lalitavistara so far either.
But Hindu-leaning pages like this seem to popularize the idea that Buddhist literature denigrate the Hindu deity Krishna, when it actually does not.
Kanha in Pali is Krishna in Sanskrit.
And the term Kanha in Pali literature is mainly used to refer to Mara, the Evil One or Dark One who is the temptor, probably the same person as the Hindu Kamadeva (cupid).
It also refers to Vasudeva, probably the same person as the Hindu deity Krishna. Vasudeva is identified as the past birth of Sariputta, the Buddha's chief disciple.
For what it's worth, Vasudeva (aka Krishna, Kanha, Kesava) is different from Mara, the Evil One.
And if you read further, you will find that the Vasudeva stories from Pali literature may not match exactly with the Krishna stories from Hindu literature.
Details:
From the footnotes of Padhana Sutta:

The "Dark One" or Kanha (Sanskrit: Krishna), is another name for Mara.
He is the Indian Cupid (Kamadeva) and personifies sensual passions. He
carries a lute (vina), mentioned at the close, with which he
captivates beings by his playing. His other equipment includes a bow,
arrows, a noose and a hook.

And from Palikanon's dictionary of proper names on Mara:

Generally regarded as the personification of Death, the Evil One, the
Tempter (the Buddhist counterpart of the Devil or Principle of
Destruction). The legends concerning Māra are, in the books, very
involved and defy any attempts at unravelling them. ....
The later books, especially the Nidānakathā of the Jātaka Commentary
(J.i.71ff.; cp. MA.i.384) and the Buddhavamsa Commentary (p. 239f),
contain a very lively and detailed description of the temptation of
the Buddha by Māra, as the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree immediately
before his Enlightenment. These accounts describe how Māra, the
devaputta, seeing the Bodhisatta seated, with the firm resolve, of
becoming a Buddha, summoned all his forces and advanced against him.
.....
There is no doubt that the Māra legend had its origin in the Padhāna
Sutta. There Māra is represented as visiting Gotama on the banks of
the Nerañjarā, where he is practicing austerities and tempting him to
abandon his striving and devote himself to good works. Gotama refers
to Māra's army as being tenfold. The divisions are as follows:

the first consists of the Lusts;
the second is Aversion;
the third Hunger and Thirst;
the fourth Craving;
the fifth Sloth and Indolence;
the sixth Cowardice;
the seventh Doubt;
the eighth Hypocrisy and Stupidity;
Gains, Fame, Honour and Glory falsely obtained form the ninth; and
the tenth is the Lauding of oneself and the Contemning of others.

Māra bears many names in Pāli Literature, chief of them being Kanha,
Adhipati, Antaka, Namuci and Pamattabandhu. (MNid.ii.489; for their
explanation see MNidA.328; another name of Māra was Pajāpati,
MA.i.28). His usual standing epithet is pāpimā, but other words are
also used, such as anatthakāma, ahitakāma, and ayogakkhemakāma (E.g.,
M.i.118).

The name Kanha can also refer to the Hindu deity Krishna I suppose, as Vasudeva.


Kanha.-A name for Māra. E.g., Sn.v.355; M.i.377; D.ii.262; Thag.v.1189.

Kanha.-The name of the Bodhisatta; he was born in a brahmin family and
later became a sage. He is also called Kanha-tāpasa, and is
mentioned among those the memory of whose lives caused the Buddha to
smile. See Kanha Jātaka (2). DhsA.294, 426.

Kanha.-Another name of Vāsudeva (J.iv.84, 86; vi.421; PvA.94ff ); the scholiast explains that he belonged to the Kanhāyanagotta.

Kanha.-Son of Disā, a slave girl of Okkāka. He was called Kanha because he was black and, like a devil (kanha), spoke as soon as he
was born. He was the ancestor of the Kanhāyanagotta (D.i.93). Later he
went into the Dekkhan and, having learnt mystic verses, became a
mighty seer. Coming back to Okkāka, Kanha demanded the hand of the
king's daughter Maddarūpī. At first the request was indignantly
refused, but when Kanha displayed his supernatural powers he gained
the princess. D.i.96f.; DA.i.266.

Kanha.-A Pacceka Buddha, mentioned in the Isigili Sutta. M.iii.71.

Kanha.-A dog. See Mahā-Kanha.

Kanha.-See Kanhadīpāyana.



The entry on Vāsudeva states:

The eldest of the Andhakavenhudāsaputtā.
The Ghata Jātaka (No. 454) relates how, when Vāsudeva's son died and
Vāsudeva gave himself up to despair, his brother Ghatapandita brought
him to his senses by feigning madness.
Vāsudeva's minister was Rohineyya. Vāsudeva is addressed (J.iv.84; he
is called Kanha at J.vi.421) as Kanha and again as Kesava. The
scholiast explains (J.iv.84) that he is called Kanha because he
belonged to the Kanhāyanagotta, and Kesava because he had beautiful
hair (kesasobhanatāya). These names, however, give support to the
theory (see Andhakavenhudāsaputtā, No.1) that the story of Vāsudeva
was associated with the legend of Krsna.
In the Mahāummagga Jātaka (J.vi.421) it is stated that Jambāvatī,
mother of King Sivi, was the consort of Vāsudeva Kanha. The scholiast
identifies this Vāsudeva with the eldest of the Andhakavenhudāsaputtā,
and says that Jambāvatī was a candalī. Vāsudeva fell in love with her
because of her great beauty and married her in spite of her caste.
Their son was Sivi, who later succeeded to his father's throne at
Dvāravatī.
Vāsudeva is identified with Sāriputta. J.iv.89.

And finally the entry for Andhakavenhu-(dāsa)-puttā gives us the Hindu Krishna story, more or less:

Ten brothers, sons of Devagabbhā and Upasāgara.
As it had been foretold at Devagabbhā's birth that one of her sons
would destroy the lineage of Kamsa, each time a son was born to her,
fearing lest he be put to death, she sent him secretly to her
serving-woman, Nandagopā; the latter had married Andhakavenhu and, by
good fortune, daughters were born to her at the same time as sons to
Devagabbhā; these daughters she sent to Devagabbhā in exchange for the
latter's sons.
The ten sons were named Vāsudeva, Baladeva, Candadeva, Suriyadeva,
Aggideva, Varunadeva, Ajjuna, Pajjuna, Ghatapandita and Ankura. Cowell
sees in this story the kernel of a nature-myth (Jātaka, trans. iv. 51
n. ); cf. with this the Krsna legend in the Harivamsa; see also
Wilson's Visnu Purāna (Hall's Ed.), v. 147f.; and the article on Krsna
in Hopkins' Epic Mythology, pp.214f.


13084: <p>I've read in several articles that the Lalitavistara identifies Krishna as leader of the &quot;black demons&quot; and is an enemy of the Buddha. I've only been able to check the 84000 translation from Tibetan, and haven't been able to locate the source of this claim. Am I overlooking something?</p>
 471: <h1>TL;DR</h1>
<p>I couldn't find the connection to Lalitavistara so far either.</p>
<p>But Hindu-leaning pages like <a href="https://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/krishna-history-behind-the-myth" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a> seem to popularize the idea that Buddhist literature denigrate the Hindu deity Krishna, when it actually does not.</p>
<p>Kanha in Pali is Krishna in Sanskrit.</p>
<p>And the term Kanha in Pali literature is mainly used to refer to Mara, the Evil One or Dark One who is the temptor, probably the same person as the Hindu Kamadeva (cupid).</p>
<p>It also refers to Vasudeva, probably the same person as the Hindu deity Krishna. Vasudeva is identified as the past birth of Sariputta, the Buddha's chief disciple.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, Vasudeva (aka Krishna, Kanha, Kesava) is different from Mara, the Evil One.</p>
<p>And if you read further, you will find that the Vasudeva stories from Pali literature may not match exactly with the Krishna stories from Hindu literature.</p>
<h1>Details:</h1>
<p>From the footnotes of <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.02.irel.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Padhana Sutta</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The &quot;Dark One&quot; or Kanha (Sanskrit: Krishna), is another name for Mara.
He is the Indian Cupid (Kamadeva) and personifies sensual passions. He
carries a lute (vina), mentioned at the close, with which he
captivates beings by his playing. His other equipment includes a bow,
arrows, a noose and a hook.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And from Palikanon's dictionary of proper names on <a href="https://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ma/maara.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Mara</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Generally regarded as the personification of Death, the Evil One, the
Tempter (the Buddhist counterpart of the Devil or Principle of
Destruction). The legends concerning Māra are, in the books, very
involved and defy any attempts at unravelling them. ....</p>
<p>The later books, especially the Nidānakathā of the Jātaka Commentary
(J.i.71ff.; cp. MA.i.384) and the Buddhavamsa Commentary (p. 239f),
contain a very lively and detailed description of the temptation of
the Buddha by Māra, as the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree immediately
before his Enlightenment. These accounts describe how Māra, the
devaputta, seeing the Bodhisatta seated, with the firm resolve, of
becoming a Buddha, summoned all his forces and advanced against him.
.....</p>
<p>There is no doubt that the Māra legend had its origin in the <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.3.02.irel.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Padhāna
Sutta</a>. There Māra is represented as visiting Gotama on the banks of
the Nerañjarā, where he is practicing austerities and tempting him to
abandon his striving and devote himself to good works. Gotama refers
to Māra's army as being tenfold. The divisions are as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li>the first consists of the Lusts;</li>
<li>the second is Aversion;</li>
<li>the third Hunger and Thirst;</li>
<li>the fourth Craving;</li>
<li>the fifth Sloth and Indolence;</li>
<li>the sixth Cowardice;</li>
<li>the seventh Doubt;</li>
<li>the eighth Hypocrisy and Stupidity;</li>
<li>Gains, Fame, Honour and Glory falsely obtained form the ninth; and</li>
<li>the tenth is the Lauding of oneself and the Contemning of others.</li>
</ul>
<p>Māra bears many names in Pāli Literature, chief of them being <strong>Kanha</strong>,
Adhipati, Antaka, Namuci and Pamattabandhu. (MNid.ii.489; for their
explanation see MNidA.328; another name of Māra was Pajāpati,
MA.i.28). His usual standing epithet is pāpimā, but other words are
also used, such as anatthakāma, ahitakāma, and ayogakkhemakāma (E.g.,
M.i.118).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The name <a href="https://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ka/kanha.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kanha</a> can also refer to the Hindu deity Krishna I suppose, as Vasudeva.</p>
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li><p>Kanha.-A name for Māra. E.g., Sn.v.355; M.i.377; D.ii.262; Thag.v.1189.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Kanha.-The name of the Bodhisatta; he was born in a brahmin family and
later became a sage. He is also called Kanha-tāpasa, and is
mentioned among those the memory of whose lives caused the Buddha to
smile. See Kanha Jātaka (2). DhsA.294, 426.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Kanha.-Another name of <a href="https://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/va/vaasudeva.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>Vāsudeva</strong></a> (J.iv.84, 86; vi.421; PvA.94ff ); the scholiast explains that he belonged to the Kanhāyanagotta.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Kanha.-Son of Disā, a slave girl of Okkāka. He was called Kanha because he was black and, like a devil (kanha), spoke as soon as he
was born. He was the ancestor of the Kanhāyanagotta (D.i.93). Later he
went into the Dekkhan and, having learnt mystic verses, became a
mighty seer. Coming back to Okkāka, Kanha demanded the hand of the
king's daughter Maddarūpī. At first the request was indignantly
refused, but when Kanha displayed his supernatural powers he gained
the princess. D.i.96f.; DA.i.266.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Kanha.-A Pacceka Buddha, mentioned in the Isigili Sutta. M.iii.71.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Kanha.-A dog. See Mahā-Kanha.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Kanha.-See Kanhadīpāyana.</p>
</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>The entry on <a href="https://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/va/vaasudeva.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Vāsudeva</a> states:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The eldest of the Andhakavenhudāsaputtā.</p>
<p>The Ghata Jātaka (No. 454) relates how, when Vāsudeva's son died and
Vāsudeva gave himself up to despair, his brother Ghatapandita brought
him to his senses by feigning madness.</p>
<p>Vāsudeva's minister was Rohineyya. Vāsudeva is addressed (J.iv.84; he
is called Kanha at J.vi.421) as Kanha and again as Kesava. The
scholiast explains (J.iv.84) that he is called Kanha because he
belonged to the Kanhāyanagotta, and Kesava because he had beautiful
hair (kesasobhanatāya). <strong>These names, however, give support to the
theory (see <a href="https://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ay/andhakavenhu_puttaa.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Andhakavenhudāsaputtā</a>, No.1) that the story of Vāsudeva
was associated with the legend of Krsna.</strong></p>
<p>In the Mahāummagga Jātaka (J.vi.421) it is stated that Jambāvatī,
mother of King Sivi, was the consort of Vāsudeva Kanha. The scholiast
identifies this Vāsudeva with the eldest of the Andhakavenhudāsaputtā,
and says that Jambāvatī was a candalī. Vāsudeva fell in love with her
because of her great beauty and married her in spite of her caste.
Their son was Sivi, who later succeeded to his father's throne at
Dvāravatī.</p>
<p><strong>Vāsudeva is identified with Sāriputta.</strong> J.iv.89.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And finally the entry for <a href="https://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ay/andhakavenhu_puttaa.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Andhakavenhu-(dāsa)-puttā</a> gives us the Hindu Krishna story, more or less:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Ten brothers, sons of Devagabbhā and Upasāgara.</p>
<p>As it had been foretold at Devagabbhā's birth that one of her sons
would destroy the lineage of Kamsa, each time a son was born to her,
fearing lest he be put to death, she sent him secretly to her
serving-woman, Nandagopā; the latter had married Andhakavenhu and, by
good fortune, daughters were born to her at the same time as sons to
Devagabbhā; these daughters she sent to Devagabbhā in exchange for the
latter's sons.</p>
<p>The ten sons were named <a href="https://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/va/vaasudeva.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Vāsudeva</a>, Baladeva, Candadeva, Suriyadeva,
Aggideva, Varunadeva, Ajjuna, Pajjuna, Ghatapandita and Ankura. Cowell
sees in this story the kernel of a nature-myth (Jātaka, trans. iv. 51
n. ); cf. with this the Krsna legend in the Harivamsa; see also
Wilson's Visnu Purāna (Hall's Ed.), v. 147f.; and the article on Krsna
in Hopkins' Epic Mythology, pp.214f.</p>
</blockquote>
