1. deceptive appearance fraud, deceit, hypocrisy Snp.245, Snp.328 (˚kata deceit), Snp.469, Snp.537, Snp.786, Snp.941 (: māyā vuccati vañcanikā cariyā Mnd.422); Vb.357, Vb.361, Vb.389; Mil.289; Vism.106 (+ sātheyya, māna, pāpicchatā etc.), Vism.479 (māyā viya viññāṇaṃ); Vb-a.34 (in detail), Vb-a.85, Vb-a.493 (def.). Is not used in Pali Abhidhamma in a philosophical sense.
2. mystic formula, magic, trick MN.i.381 (āvaṭṭanī m.) khattiya˚; the mystic formula of a kh. Ja.vi.375; Mil.190; Dhp-a.i.166. In the sense of “illusion” often combined with marīci, e.g. at Ja.ii.330; Ja.v.367; Cnd.680#a ii
3. jugglery, conjuring Mil.3
   ■ On māyā in similes see J.P.T.S. 1907, 122; on term in general Dhs trsl.² 255 (“ilḷusion”); Expos. 333, 468ⁿ
   ■ As adj. in amāya (q.v. & in; bahu-māye rich in deceit Snp-a.351
   ■ Note. In the word maṃ at Kp-a.123 (in pop. etym. of man-gala) the ed. of the text sees an acc. of mā which he takes to be a contracted form of māyā (= iddhi).

• -kāra a conjurer, magician SN.iii.142; Vism.366 (in comparison); Vb-a.196.

cp. Vedic māyā. Suggestions as to etym. see Walde, Lat. Wtb. s. v. manticulor