{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn11.4/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn11.4","id":"suttacentral_sn11.4","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn11.4/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At S\u0101vatth\u012b. \u201cOnce upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans. Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, addressed the titans, \u2018My 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.\u2019 Meanwhile, Sakka, lord of gods, addressed the gods of the thirty-three, \u2018My 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.\u2019 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\u2019s 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 M\u0101tali the chariot handler addressed Sakka in verse: \u2018O Maghav\u0101, O Sakka, is it from fear or from weakness that you endure such harsh words in the presence of Vepacitti?\u2019 \u2018It\u2019s not out of fear or weakness that I\u2019m patient with Vepacitti. For how can a sensible person like me get in a fight with a fool?\u2019 \u2018Fools would vent even more if there\u2019s no one to put a stop to them. So an attentive one should stop a fool with forceful punishment.\u2019 \u2018I 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.\u2019 \u2018In this mere endurance, V\u0101sava, I see a flaw. When a fool thinks, \u201cHe endures me out of fear,\u201d the simpleton will go after you even harder, like a cow chasing someone who runs away.\u2019 \u2018Let him think this if he wishes, or not\u2014 \u201cHe endures me out of fear.\u201d For the highest goal, one\u2019s own, naught better than patience is found. When a strong person endures a weakling, they call that the ultimate patience, for a weakling must always be patient. The strength of folly is really just weakness, they say. But no one can challenge a person who\u2019s strong, guarded by the teaching. When you get angry at an angry person you just make things worse for yourself. When you don\u2019t get angry at an angry person you win a battle hard to win. When you know that the other is angry, you act for the good of both yourself and the other if you\u2019re mindful and stay calm. People inexpert in the teaching consider one who heals both oneself and the other to be a fool.\u2019 Since, mendicants, even that Sakka, lord of gods\u2014while living off of the fruit of his good deeds, and ruling as sovereign lord over these gods of the thirty-three\u2014will 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.\u201d","title":"With Vepacitti","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":511}