Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.4

The Related Suttas Collection 11.4

1. Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Vepacittisutta

With Vepacitti

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi.

“Once upon a time, bhikkhus, a battle was fought between the gods and the demons.

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.

Then Vepacitti, lord of demons, addressed the demons, ‘My good sirs, if the demons 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 demons.’

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.

Meanwhile, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the gods of the Thirty-Three, ‘My good sirs, if the gods defeat the demons in this battle, bind Vepacitti by his limbs and neck and bring him to my presence in the Hall of Justice of the gods.’

Tasmiṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, saṅgāme devā jiniṁsu, asurā parājiniṁsu. Atha kho, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā sakkassa devānamindassa santike ānesuṁ sudhammasabhaṁ.

In that battle the gods won and the demons 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 Justice of the gods.

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:

And as Sakka was entering and leaving the hall, Vepacitti abused and insulted him with rude, harsh words. So Mātali the charioteer addressed Sakka in verse,

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

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

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

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

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

‘Etadeva ahaṁ maññe, bālassa paṭisedhanaṁ; Paraṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā, yo sato upasammatī’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 titikkhāya, vajjaṁ passāmi vāsava; Yadā naṁ maññati bālo, bhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati; Ajjhāruhati dummedho, gova bhiyyo palāyinan’ti.

‘I see this fault, Vāsava, in just being patient. When a fool thinks, “He puts up with me out of fear,” the idiot will go after you even harder, like a cow chasing someone who runs away.’

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

‘Let him think this if he wishes, or not—“He puts up with me out of fear.” Of goals culminating in one’s own good, none better than patience is found.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

So, bhikkhus, even Sakka, lord of gods—while living off of the fruit of his good and bad deeds, and ruling as sovereign lord over these gods of the Thirty-Three—will speak in praise of patience and gentleness. But since you have gone forth in such a well explained teaching and training, it would be truly beautiful for you to be patient and gentle!”