Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Linked Discourses (Saṁyutta)

SN 11.4

With Vepacitti · Vepacittisutta

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At Sāvatthī. “Once upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans. Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, addressed the titans, ‘My good fellows, if the titans defeat the gods in this battle, bind Sakka, the lord of gods, by his limbs and neck and bring him to my presence in the citadel of the titans.’ Meanwhile, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the gods of the thirty-three, ‘My good fellows, if the gods defeat the titans in this battle, bind Vepacitti by his limbs and neck and bring him to my presence in the Hall of Clear Right of the gods.’ In that battle the gods won and the titans lost. So the gods of the thirty-three bound Vepacitti by his limbs and neck and brought him to Sakka’s presence in the Hall of Clear Right of the gods. And as Sakka was entering and leaving the hall, Vepacitti abused and insulted him with rude, harsh words. So Mātali the chariot handler addressed Sakka in verse:

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. “Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo asure āmantesi: ‘sace, mārisā, devānaṁ asurasaṅgāme samupabyūḷhe asurā jineyyuṁ devā parājineyyuṁ, yena naṁ sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā mama santike āneyyātha asurapuran’ti. Sakkopi kho, bhikkhave, devānamindo deve tāvatiṁse āmantesi: ‘sace, mārisā, devānaṁ asurasaṅgāme samupabyūḷhe devā jineyyuṁ asurā parājineyyuṁ, yena naṁ vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā mama santike āneyyātha sudhammasabhan’ti. Tasmiṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, saṅgāme devā jiniṁsu, asurā parājiniṁsu. Atha kho, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā sakkassa devānamindassa santike ānesuṁ sudhammasabhaṁ. Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi baddho sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sudhammasabhaṁ pavisantañca nikkhamantañca asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosati paribhāsati. Atha kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

‘O Maghavā, O Sakka, is it from fear or from weakness that you endure such harsh words in the presence of Vepacitti?’

‘Bhayā nu maghavā sakka, dubbalyā no titikkhasi; Suṇanto pharusaṁ vācaṁ, sammukhā vepacittino’ti.

‘It’s not out of fear or weakness that I’m patient with Vepacitti. For how can a sensible person like me get in a fight with a fool?’

‘Nāhaṁ bhayā na dubbalyā, khamāmi vepacittino; Kathañhi mādiso viññū, bālena paṭisaṁyuje’ti.

‘Fools would vent even more if there’s no one to put a stop to them. So an attentive one should stop a fool with forceful punishment.’

‘Bhiyyo bālā pabhijjeyyuṁ, no cassa paṭisedhako; Tasmā bhusena daṇḍena, dhīro bālaṁ nisedhaye’ti.

‘I think that this is the only way to put a stop to a fool, when you know that the other is upset, be mindful and stay calm.’

‘Etadeva ahaṁ maññe, bālassa paṭisedhanaṁ; Paraṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā, yo sato upasammatī’ti.

‘In this mere endurance, Vāsava, I see a flaw. When a fool thinks, “He endures me out of fear,” the simpleton will go after you even harder, like a cow chasing someone who runs away.’

‘Etadeva titikkhāya, vajjaṁ passāmi vāsava; Yadā naṁ maññati bālo, bhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati; Ajjhāruhati dummedho, gova bhiyyo palāyinan’ti.

‘Let him think this if he wishes, or not— “He endures me out of fear.” For the highest goal, one’s own, naught better than patience is found.

‘Kāmaṁ maññatu vā mā vā, bhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati; Sadatthaparamā atthā, khantyā bhiyyo na vijjati.

When a strong person endures a weakling, they call that the ultimate patience, for a weakling must always be patient.

Yo have balavā santo, dubbalassa titikkhati; Tamāhu paramaṁ khantiṁ, niccaṁ khamati dubbalo.

The strength of folly is really just weakness, they say. But no one can challenge a person who’s strong, guarded by the teaching.

Abalaṁ taṁ balaṁ āhu, yassa bālabalaṁ balaṁ; Balassa dhammaguttassa, paṭivattā na vijjati.

When you get angry at an angry person you just make things worse for yourself. When you don’t get angry at an angry person you win a battle hard to win.

Tasseva tena pāpiyo, yo kuddhaṁ paṭikujjhati; Kuddhaṁ appaṭikujjhanto, saṅgāmaṁ jeti dujjayaṁ.

When you know that the other is angry, you act for the good of both yourself and the other if you’re mindful and stay calm.

Ubhinnamatthaṁ carati, attano ca parassa ca; Paraṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā, yo sato upasammati.

People inexpert in the teaching consider one who heals both oneself and the other to be a fool.’

Ubhinnaṁ tikicchantānaṁ, attano ca parassa ca; Janā maññanti bāloti, ye dhammassa akovidā’ti.

Since, mendicants, even that Sakka, lord of gods—while living off of the fruit of his good deeds, and ruling as sovereign lord over these gods of the thirty-three—will speak in praise of patience and gentleness, you can excel at this, for you who have gone forth in such a well explained teaching and training can develop patience and gentleness.”

So hi nāma, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo sakaṁ puññaphalaṁ upajīvamāno devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kārento khantisoraccassa vaṇṇavādī bhavissati. Idha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sobhetha yaṁ tumhe evaṁ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajitā samānā khamā ca bhaveyyātha soratā cā”ti.