With VepacittiVepacittisutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Once upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans.“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi.

Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, addressed the titans,Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo asure āmantesi: ‘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.’‘sace, mārisā, devānaṁ asurasaṅgāme samupabyūḷhe asurā jineyyuṁ devā parājineyyuṁ, yena naṁ sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā mama santike āneyyātha asurapuran’ti.

Meanwhile, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the gods of the thirty-three,Sakkopi kho, bhikkhave, devānamindo deve tāvatiṁse āmantesi: ‘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.’‘sace, mārisā, devānaṁ asurasaṅgāme samupabyūḷhe devā jineyyuṁ asurā parājineyyuṁ, yena naṁ vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā mama santike āneyyātha sudhammasabhan’ti.

In that battle the gods won and the titans lost.Tasmiṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, saṅgāme devā jiniṁsu, asurā parājiniṁsu. 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.Atha kho, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā sakkassa devānamindassa santike ānesuṁ sudhammasabhaṁ.

And as Sakka was entering and leaving the hall, Vepacitti abused and insulted him with rude, harsh words.Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi baddho sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sudhammasabhaṁ pavisantañca nikkhamantañca asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosati paribhāsati. So Mātali the chariot handler addressed Sakka in verse:Atha kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

‘O Maghavā, O Sakka,‘Bhayā nu maghavā sakka, is it from fear or from weaknessdubbalyā no titikkhasi; that you endure such harsh wordsSuṇanto pharusaṁ vācaṁ, in the presence of Vepacitti?’sammukhā vepacittino’ti.

‘It’s not out of fear or weakness‘Nāhaṁ bhayā na dubbalyā, that I’m patient with Vepacitti.khamāmi vepacittino; For how can a sensible person like meKathañhi mādiso viññū, get in a fight with a fool?’bālena paṭisaṁyuje’ti.

‘Fools would vent even more‘Bhiyyo bālā pabhijjeyyuṁ, if there’s no one to put a stop to them.no cassa paṭisedhako; So an attentive one should stopTasmā bhusena daṇḍena, a fool with forceful punishment.’dhīro bālaṁ nisedhaye’ti.

‘I think that this is the only way‘Etadeva ahaṁ maññe, to put a stop to a fool,bālassa paṭisedhanaṁ; when you know that the other is upset,Paraṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā, be mindful and stay calm.’yo sato upasammatī’ti.

‘In this mere endurance, Vāsava,‘Etadeva titikkhāya, I see a flaw.vajjaṁ passāmi vāsava; When a fool thinks,Yadā naṁ maññati bālo, “He endures me out of fear,”bhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati; the simpleton will go after you even harder,Ajjhāruhati dummedho, like a cow chasing someone who runs away.’gova bhiyyo palāyinan’ti.

‘Let him think this if he wishes, or not—‘Kāmaṁ maññatu vā mā vā, “He endures me out of fear.”bhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati; For the highest goal, one’s own,Sadatthaparamā atthā, naught better than patience is found.khantyā bhiyyo na vijjati.

When a strong personYo have balavā santo, endures a weakling,dubbalassa titikkhati; they call that the ultimate patience,Tamāhu paramaṁ khantiṁ, for a weakling must always be patient.niccaṁ khamati dubbalo.

The strength of follyAbalaṁ taṁ balaṁ āhu, is really just weakness, they say.yassa bālabalaṁ balaṁ; But no one can challenge a personBalassa dhammaguttassa, who’s strong, guarded by the teaching.paṭivattā na vijjati.

When you get angry at an angry personTasseva tena pāpiyo, you just make things worse for yourself.yo kuddhaṁ paṭikujjhati; When you don’t get angry at an angry personKuddhaṁ appaṭikujjhanto, you win a battle hard to win.saṅgāmaṁ jeti dujjayaṁ.

When you know that the other is angry,Ubhinnamatthaṁ carati, you act for the good of bothattano ca parassa ca; yourself and the otherParaṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā, if you’re mindful and stay calm.yo sato upasammati.

People inexpert in the teachingUbhinnaṁ tikicchantānaṁ, consider one who heals bothattano ca parassa ca; oneself and the otherJanā maññanti bāloti, to be a fool.’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,So hi nāma, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo sakaṁ puññaphalaṁ upajīvamāno devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kārento khantisoraccassa vaṇṇavādī bhavissati. you can excel at this, for you who have gone forth in such a well explained teaching and training can develop patience and gentleness.”Idha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sobhetha yaṁ tumhe evaṁ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajitā samānā khamā ca bhaveyyātha soratā cā”ti.