0.3VepacittisuttaWith Vepacitti
1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.
1.2“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi.“Once upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans.
1.3Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo asure āmantesi:Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, addressed the titans,11.4‘sace, mārisā, devānaṁ asurasaṅgāme samupabyūḷhe asurā jineyyuṁ devā parājineyyuṁ, yena naṁ sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā mama santike āneyyātha asurapuran’ti.‘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.’
1.5Sakkopi kho, bhikkhave, devānamindo deve tāvatiṁse āmantesi:Meanwhile, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the gods of the thirty-three,1.6‘sace, mārisā, devānaṁ asurasaṅgāme samupabyūḷhe devā jineyyuṁ asurā parājineyyuṁ, yena naṁ vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā mama santike āneyyātha sudhammasabhan’ti.‘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.’
1.7Tasmiṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, saṅgāme devā jiniṁsu, asurā parājiniṁsu.In that battle the gods won and the titans lost.1.8Atha kho, bhikkhave, devā tāvatiṁsā vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi bandhitvā sakkassa devānamindassa santike ānesuṁ sudhammasabhaṁ.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.
1.9Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo kaṇṭhapañcamehi bandhanehi baddho sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ sudhammasabhaṁ pavisantañca nikkhamantañca asabbhāhi pharusāhi vācāhi akkosati paribhāsati.And as Sakka was entering and leaving the hall, Vepacitti abused and insulted him with rude, harsh words.21.10Atha kho, bhikkhave, mātali saṅgāhako sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:So Mātali the chariot handler addressed Sakka in verse:3
2.1‘Bhayā nu maghavā sakka,‘O Maghavā, O Sakka,42.2dubbalyā no titikkhasi;is it from fear or from weakness2.3Suṇanto pharusaṁ vācaṁ,that you endure such harsh words2.4sammukhā vepacittino’ti.in the presence of Vepacitti?’
3.1‘Nāhaṁ bhayā na dubbalyā,‘It’s not out of fear or weakness3.2khamāmi vepacittino;that I’m patient with Vepacitti.3.3Kathañhi mādiso viññū,For how can a sensible person like me3.4bālena paṭisaṁyuje’ti.get in a fight with a fool?’
4.1‘Bhiyyo bālā pabhijjeyyuṁ,‘Fools would vent even more4.2no cassa paṭisedhako;if there’s no one to put a stop to them.4.3Tasmā bhusena daṇḍena,So an attentive one should stop4.4dhīro bālaṁ nisedhaye’ti.a fool with forceful punishment.’5
5.1‘Etadeva ahaṁ maññe,‘I think that this is the only way5.2bālassa paṭisedhanaṁ;to put a stop to a fool,5.3Paraṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā,when you know that the other is upset,5.4yo sato upasammatī’ti.be mindful and stay calm.’
6.1‘Etadeva titikkhāya,‘In this mere endurance, Vāsava,6.2vajjaṁ passāmi vāsava;I see a flaw.6.3Yadā naṁ maññati bālo,When a fool thinks,6.4bhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati;“He endures me out of fear,”6.5Ajjhāruhati dummedho,the simpleton will go after you even harder,6.6gova bhiyyo palāyinan’ti.like a cow chasing someone who runs away.’
7.1‘Kāmaṁ maññatu vā mā vā,‘Let him think this if he wishes, or not—7.2bhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati;“He endures me out of fear.”7.3Sadatthaparamā atthā,For the highest goal, one’s own,67.4khantyā bhiyyo na vijjati.naught better than patience is found.7
8.1Yo have balavā santo,When a strong person8.2dubbalassa titikkhati;endures a weakling,8.3Tamāhu paramaṁ khantiṁ,they call that the ultimate patience,8.4niccaṁ khamati dubbalo.for a weakling must always be patient.
9.1Abalaṁ taṁ balaṁ āhu,The strength of folly9.2yassa bālabalaṁ balaṁ;is really just weakness, they say.9.3Balassa dhammaguttassa,But no one can challenge a person9.4paṭivattā na vijjati.who’s strong, guarded by the teaching.
10.1Tasseva tena pāpiyo,When you get angry at an angry person10.2yo kuddhaṁ paṭikujjhati;you just make things worse for yourself.10.3Kuddhaṁ appaṭikujjhanto,When you don’t get angry at an angry person10.4saṅgāmaṁ jeti dujjayaṁ.you win a battle hard to win.
11.1Ubhinnamatthaṁ carati,When you know that the other is angry,11.2attano ca parassa ca;you act for the good of both11.3Paraṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā,yourself and the other11.4yo sato upasammati.if you’re mindful and stay calm.
12.1Ubhinnaṁ tikicchantānaṁ,People inexpert in the teaching12.2attano ca parassa ca;consider one who heals both12.3Janā maññanti bāloti,oneself and the other12.4ye dhammassa akovidā’ti.to be a fool.’
13.1So hi nāma, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo sakaṁ puññaphalaṁ upajīvamāno devānaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ issariyādhipaccaṁ rajjaṁ kārento khantisoraccassa vaṇṇavādī bhavissati.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,13.2Idha kho taṁ, bhikkhave, sobhetha yaṁ tumhe evaṁ svākkhāte dhammavinaye pabbajitā samānā khamā ca bhaveyyātha soratā cā”ti.you can excel at this, for you who have gone forth in such a well explained teaching and training can develop patience and gentleness.”