The Samyutta Nikaya
The Grouped Discourses
Samyutta Nikaya XI.5
Subhasita-jaya Sutta
Victory Through What is Well
Spoken
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi
at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he
addressed the monks, "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "Once in the past the devas
& asuras[1] were arrayed for battle. Then Vepacitti
the asura-king said to Sakka the deva-king: 'Let there
be victory through what is well spoken.'
"'Yes, Vepacitti, let there be victory through
what is well spoken.'
"So the devas & asuras appointed a panel of
judges, [thinking,] 'These will decide for us what is well spoken &
poorly spoken.'
"Then Vepacitti the asura-king said to Sakka the
deva-king, 'Say a verse, deva-king!'
"When this was said, Sakka the deva-king said to
Vepacitti the asura-king, 'But you are the senior deity here, Vepacitti.
You say a verse.'
"When this was said, Vepacitti recited this verse:
'Fools would flare up even more
if there were no constraints.
Thus an enlightened one
should restrain the fool
with a heavy stick.'
"When Vepacitti had said this verse, the asuras
applauded but the devas were silent. So Vepacitti said to Sakka, 'Say a
verse, deva-king!'
"When this was said, Sakka recited this verse:
'This, I think,
is the only constraint for a fool:
When, knowing the other's provoked,
you mindfully grow calm.'
"When Sakka had said this verse, the devas
applauded but the asuras were silent. So Sakka said to Vepacitti, 'Say a
verse, Vepacitti!'
"When this was said, Vepacitti recited this verse:
'Vasava,[2] I see a fault
in this very forbearance:
When the fool thinks,
"He's forbearing
out of fear of me,"
the idiot pursues you even more --
as a cow, someone who runs away.'
"When Vepacitti had said this verse, the asuras
applauded but the devas were silent. So Vepacitti said to Sakka, 'Say a
verse, deva-king!'
"When this was said, Sakka recited this verse:
'It doesn't matter
whether he thinks,
"He's forbearing
out of fear of me."
One's own true good
is the foremost good.
Nothing better
than patience
is found.
Whoever, when strong,
is forbearing
to one who is weak:
that's the foremost patience.
The weak must constantly endure.
They call that strength
no strength at all:
whoever's strength
is the strength of a fool.
There's no reproach
for one who is strong,
guarding -- guarded by -- Dhamma.
You make things worse
when you flare up
at someone who's angry.
Whoever doesn't flare up
at someone who's angry
wins a battle
hard to win.
You live for the good of both
-- your own, the other's --
when, knowing the other's provoked,
you mindfully grow calm.
When you work the cure of both
-- your own, the other's --
those who think you a fool
know nothing of Dhamma.'
"When Sakka had said this verse, the devas
applauded but the asuras were silent. Then the deva & asura panel of
judges said, 'The verses said by Vepacitti the asura-king lie in the
sphere of swords & weapons -- thence arguments, quarrels, &
strife. Whereas the verses said by Sakka the deva-king lies outside the
sphere of swords & weapons -- thence no arguments, no quarrels, no
strife. The victory through what is well spoken goes to Sakka the
deva-king.'
"And that, monks, is how the victory through what
was well spoken went to Sakka the deva-king."
Notes
1. The devas & asuras were
two groups of deities who fought for control of heaven (like the gods
& titans in Greek mythology). The devas eventually won. The asuras,
known for their fierce anger, later became classed as angry demons and, in
some Buddhist cosmologies, are regarded as a class of being lower than
human.
[Go back]
2. Vasava --
"Powerful" -- is one of Sakka's epithets.
[Go back]
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