{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn11.5/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn11.5","id":"suttacentral_sn11.5","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn11.5/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, said to Sakka, lord of gods, \u2018Lord of gods, let there be victory by fine words!\u2019 \u2018Vepacitti, let there be victory by fine words!\u2019 Then the gods and the titans appointed a panel of judges, saying, \u2018These will understand our good and bad statements.\u2019 Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, said to Sakka, lord of gods, \u2018Lord of gods, recite a verse!\u2019 When he said this, Sakka said to him, \u2018Vepacitti, you are the elder gods here. Recite a verse.\u2019 So Vepacitti spoke this verse: \u2018Fools would vent even more if there\u2019s no one to put a stop to them. So an intelligent person should stop a fool with forceful punishment.\u2019 The titans applauded Vepacitti\u2019s verse, while the gods kept silent. Then Vepacitti said to Sakka, \u2018Lord of gods, recite a verse!\u2019 So Sakka spoke this verse: \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 The gods applauded Sakka\u2019s verse, while the titans kept silent. Then Sakka said to Vepacitti, \u2018Vepacitti, recite a verse!\u2019 So Vepacitti spoke this verse: \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 The titans applauded Vepacitti\u2019s verse, while the gods kept silent. Then Vepacitti said to Sakka, \u2018Lord of gods, recite a verse!\u2019 So Sakka spoke this verse: \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 The gods applauded Sakka\u2019s verses, while the titans kept silent. Then the panel of judges consisting of both gods and titans said this, \u2018The verses spoken by Vepacitti evoke punishment and violence. That\u2019s how you get fights, arguments, and quarrels. The verses spoken by Sakka don\u2019t evoke punishment and violence. That\u2019s how you stay free of fights, arguments, and quarrels. Sakka, lord of gods, wins victory by fine words!\u2019 And that\u2019s how Sakka came to win victory by fine words.\u201d","title":"Victory by Good Speech","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":495}