{"id":"sn11.5","title":"Victory by Good Speech","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"sn11.5","title":"Victory by Good Speech","units":[{"id":"sn11.5:0","sourceIds":["sn11.5:0.1","sn11.5:0.2","sn11.5:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Saṁyutta Nikāya 11.5\n1. Paṭhamavagga\nSubhāsitajayasutta","en":"Linked Discourses 11.5\nChapter One\nVictory by Good Speech"}},{"id":"sn11.5:1","sourceIds":["sn11.5:1.1","sn11.5:1.2","sn11.5:1.3","sn11.5:1.4","sn11.5:1.5","sn11.5:1.6","sn11.5:1.7","sn11.5:1.8","sn11.5:1.9","sn11.5:1.10","sn11.5:1.11","sn11.5:1.12","sn11.5:1.13"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Sāvatthinidānaṁ.\n“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi.\nAtha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:\n‘hotu, devānaminda, subhāsitena jayo’ti.\n‘Hotu, vepacitti, subhāsitena jayo’ti.\nAtha kho, bhikkhave, devā ca asurā ca pārisajje ṭhapesuṁ:\n‘ime no subhāsitadubbhāsitaṁ ājānissantī’ti.\nAtha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:\n‘bhaṇa, devānaminda, gāthan’ti.\nEvaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ etadavoca:\n‘tumhe khvettha, vepacitti, pubbadevā.\nBhaṇa, vepacitti, gāthan’ti.\nEvaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:","en":"At Sāvatthī.\n“Once upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans.\nThen Vepacitti, lord of titans, said to Sakka, lord of gods,\n‘Lord of gods, let there be victory by fine words!’\n‘Vepacitti, let there be victory by fine words!’\nThen the gods and the titans appointed a panel of judges, saying,\n‘These will understand our good and bad statements.’\nThen Vepacitti, lord of titans, said to Sakka, lord of gods,\n‘Lord of gods, recite a verse!’\nWhen he said this, Sakka said to him,\n‘Vepacitti, you are the elder gods here.\nRecite a verse.’\nSo Vepacitti spoke this verse:"}},{"id":"sn11.5:2","sourceIds":["sn11.5:2.1","sn11.5:2.2","sn11.5:2.3","sn11.5:2.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"‘Bhiyyo bālā pabhijjeyyuṁ,\nno cassa paṭisedhako;\nTasmā bhusena daṇḍena,\ndhīro bālaṁ nisedhaye’ti.","en":"‘Fools would vent even more\nif there’s no one to put a stop to them.\nSo an intelligent person should stop\na fool with forceful punishment.’"}},{"id":"sn11.5:3","sourceIds":["sn11.5:3.1","sn11.5:3.2","sn11.5:3.3","sn11.5:3.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Bhāsitāya kho pana, bhikkhave, vepacittinā asurindena gāthāya asurā anumodiṁsu, devā tuṇhī ahesuṁ.\nAtha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:\n‘bhaṇa, devānaminda, gāthan’ti.\nEvaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:","en":"The titans applauded Vepacitti’s verse, while the gods kept silent.\nThen Vepacitti said to Sakka,\n‘Lord of gods, recite a verse!’\nSo Sakka spoke this verse:"}},{"id":"sn11.5:4","sourceIds":["sn11.5:4.1","sn11.5:4.2","sn11.5:4.3","sn11.5:4.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"‘Etadeva ahaṁ maññe,\nbālassa paṭisedhanaṁ;\nParaṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā,\nyo sato upasammatī’ti.","en":"‘I think that this is the only way\nto put a stop to a fool,\nwhen you know that the other is upset,\nbe mindful and stay calm.’"}},{"id":"sn11.5:5","sourceIds":["sn11.5:5.1","sn11.5:5.2","sn11.5:5.3","sn11.5:5.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Bhāsitāya kho pana, bhikkhave, sakkena devānamindena gāthāya, devā anumodiṁsu, asurā tuṇhī ahesuṁ.\nAtha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ etadavoca:\n‘bhaṇa, vepacitti, gāthan’ti.\nEvaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:","en":"The gods applauded Sakka’s verse, while the titans kept silent.\nThen Sakka said to Vepacitti,\n‘Vepacitti, recite a verse!’\nSo Vepacitti spoke this verse:"}},{"id":"sn11.5:6","sourceIds":["sn11.5:6.1","sn11.5:6.2","sn11.5:6.3","sn11.5:6.4","sn11.5:6.5","sn11.5:6.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"‘Etadeva titikkhāya,\nvajjaṁ passāmi vāsava;\nYadā naṁ maññati bālo,\nbhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati;\nAjjhāruhati dummedho,\ngova bhiyyo palāyinan’ti.","en":"‘In this mere endurance, Vāsava,\nI see a flaw.\nWhen a fool thinks,\n“He endures me out of fear,”\nthe simpleton will go after you even harder,\nlike a cow chasing someone who runs away.’"}},{"id":"sn11.5:7","sourceIds":["sn11.5:7.1","sn11.5:7.2","sn11.5:7.3","sn11.5:7.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Bhāsitāya kho pana, bhikkhave, vepacittinā asurindena gāthāya asurā anumodiṁsu, devā tuṇhī ahesuṁ.\nAtha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:\n‘bhaṇa, devānaminda, gāthan’ti.\nEvaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo imā gāthāyo abhāsi:","en":"The titans applauded Vepacitti’s verse, while the gods kept silent.\nThen Vepacitti said to Sakka,\n‘Lord of gods, recite a verse!’\nSo Sakka spoke this verse:"}},{"id":"sn11.5:8","sourceIds":["sn11.5:8.1","sn11.5:8.2","sn11.5:8.3","sn11.5:8.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"‘Kāmaṁ maññatu vā mā vā,\nbhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati;\nSadatthaparamā atthā,\nkhantyā bhiyyo na vijjati.","en":"‘Let him think this if he wishes, or not—\n“He endures me out of fear.”\nFor the highest goal, one’s own,\nnaught better than patience is found."}},{"id":"sn11.5:9","sourceIds":["sn11.5:9.1","sn11.5:9.2","sn11.5:9.3","sn11.5:9.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Yo have balavā santo,\ndubbalassa titikkhati;\nTamāhu paramaṁ khantiṁ,\nniccaṁ khamati dubbalo.","en":"When a strong person\nendures a weakling,\nthey call that the ultimate patience,\nfor a weakling must always be patient."}},{"id":"sn11.5:10","sourceIds":["sn11.5:10.1","sn11.5:10.2","sn11.5:10.3","sn11.5:10.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Abalaṁ taṁ balaṁ āhu,\nyassa bālabalaṁ balaṁ;\nBalassa dhammaguttassa,\npaṭivattā na vijjati.","en":"The strength of folly\nis really just weakness, they say.\nBut no one can challenge a person\nwho’s strong, guarded by the teaching."}},{"id":"sn11.5:11","sourceIds":["sn11.5:11.1","sn11.5:11.2","sn11.5:11.3","sn11.5:11.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tasseva tena pāpiyo,\nyo kuddhaṁ paṭikujjhati;\nKuddhaṁ appaṭikujjhanto,\nsaṅgāmaṁ jeti dujjayaṁ.","en":"When you get angry at an angry person\nyou just make things worse for yourself.\nWhen you don’t get angry at an angry person\nyou win a battle hard to win."}},{"id":"sn11.5:12","sourceIds":["sn11.5:12.1","sn11.5:12.2","sn11.5:12.3","sn11.5:12.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ubhinnamatthaṁ carati,\nattano ca parassa ca;\nParaṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā,\nyo sato upasammati.","en":"When you know that the other is angry,\nyou act for the good of both\nyourself and the other\nif you’re mindful and stay calm."}},{"id":"sn11.5:13","sourceIds":["sn11.5:13.1","sn11.5:13.2","sn11.5:13.3","sn11.5:13.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Ubhinnaṁ tikicchantānaṁ,\nattano ca parassa ca;\nJanā maññanti bāloti,\nye dhammassa akovidā’ti.","en":"People inexpert in the teaching\nconsider one who heals both\noneself and the other\nto be a fool.’"}},{"id":"sn11.5:14","sourceIds":["sn11.5:14.1","sn11.5:14.2","sn11.5:14.3","sn11.5:14.4","sn11.5:14.5","sn11.5:14.6","sn11.5:14.7","sn11.5:14.8"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Bhāsitāsu kho pana, bhikkhave, sakkena devānamindena gāthāsu, devā anumodiṁsu, asurā tuṇhī ahesuṁ.\nAtha kho, bhikkhave, devānañca asurānañca pārisajjā etadavocuṁ:\n‘bhāsitā kho vepacittinā asurindena gāthāyo.\nTā ca kho sadaṇḍāvacarā sasatthāvacarā, iti bhaṇḍanaṁ iti viggaho iti kalaho.\nBhāsitā kho sakkena devānamindena gāthāyo.\nTā ca kho adaṇḍāvacarā asatthāvacarā, iti abhaṇḍanaṁ iti aviggaho iti akalaho.\nSakkassa devānamindassa subhāsitena jayo’ti.\nIti kho, bhikkhave, sakkassa devānamindassa subhāsitena jayo ahosī”ti.","en":"The gods applauded Sakka’s verses, while the titans kept silent.\nThen the panel of judges consisting of both gods and titans said this,\n‘The verses spoken by Vepacitti\nevoke punishment and violence. That’s how you get fights, arguments, and quarrels.\nThe verses spoken by Sakka\ndon’t evoke punishment and violence. That’s how you stay free of fights, arguments, and quarrels.\nSakka, lord of gods, wins victory by fine words!’\nAnd that’s how Sakka came to win victory by fine words.”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/sn11.5/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}