Uncontrolled Hatred Leads To Harm &
Overcoming Anger
1 (3) (4) The Story of Monk Tissa (Verses 3 & 4)
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Sàvatthi, the
Buddha uttered these Verses, with reference to Monk Tissa.
Tissa, son of the Buddha’s maternal aunt, was at one time
staying with the Buddha. He had become a monk only in his
old age, but he posed as a senior monk and was very pleased
when visiting monks asked his permission to do some service
for him. On the other hand, he failed to perform the duties
expected of junior monks; besides, he often quarrelled with
the younger monks. Should anyone rebuke him on account of
his behaviour, he would go complaining to the Buddha, weep-
ing, very much dissatisfied and very upset.
Once, the Teacher asked him, “Tissa, why have you come
to me so sad and sorrowful with tears in your eyes, weeping?”
The other monks had discussed among themselves, “If he
goes alone, he may cause trouble.” So they too went along with
him, paid obeisance to the Teacher, and sat down respectfully
on one side. Tissa answered the Teacher’s question, “Venerable,
these monks are abusing me.” The Teacher asked, “But where
were you sitting?” “In the centre of the monastery in the Hall
of State, Venerable.” “Did you see these monks when they
came?” “Yes, Venerable I saw them.” “Did you rise and go to
meet them?” “No, Venerable, I did not.” “Did you offer to take
their monastic utensils?” “No, Venerable, I did not offer to
take them.” “Tissa, do not act thus. You alone are to be blamed;
ask their pardon.” “I will not ask their pardon, Venerable.”
Overcoming Anger
1 (3) (4) The Story of Monk Tissa (Verses 3 & 4)
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery in Sàvatthi, the
Buddha uttered these Verses, with reference to Monk Tissa.
Tissa, son of the Buddha’s maternal aunt, was at one time
staying with the Buddha. He had become a monk only in his
old age, but he posed as a senior monk and was very pleased
when visiting monks asked his permission to do some service
for him. On the other hand, he failed to perform the duties
expected of junior monks; besides, he often quarrelled with
the younger monks. Should anyone rebuke him on account of
his behaviour, he would go complaining to the Buddha, weep-
ing, very much dissatisfied and very upset.
Once, the Teacher asked him, “Tissa, why have you come
to me so sad and sorrowful with tears in your eyes, weeping?”
The other monks had discussed among themselves, “If he
goes alone, he may cause trouble.” So they too went along with
him, paid obeisance to the Teacher, and sat down respectfully
on one side. Tissa answered the Teacher’s question, “Venerable,
these monks are abusing me.” The Teacher asked, “But where
were you sitting?” “In the centre of the monastery in the Hall
of State, Venerable.” “Did you see these monks when they
came?” “Yes, Venerable I saw them.” “Did you rise and go to
meet them?” “No, Venerable, I did not.” “Did you offer to take
their monastic utensils?” “No, Venerable, I did not offer to
take them.” “Tissa, do not act thus. You alone are to be blamed;
ask their pardon.” “I will not ask their pardon, Venerable.”
The monks said to the Teacher, “He is an obstinate monk,
Venerable.” The Teacher replied, “Monks, this is not the first
time he has proved obstinate; he was obstinate also in a previ-
ous state of existence.” “We know all about his present obsti-
nacy, Venerable; but what did he do in a previous state of
existence?” “Well then, monks, listen,” said the Teacher. So
saying, he told the following story.
Once upon a time, when a certain king reigned at
Benàres, an ascetic named Devala, who had resided for eight
months in the Himàlaya country, desiring to reside near the
city during the four months of the rains, for salt and vinegar
returned from the Himàlayas. Seeing two boys at the gate of
the city, he asked them, “Where do monks who come to this
city spend the night?” “In the potter’s hall, Venerable.” So
Devala went to the potter’s hall, stopped at the door, and said,
“lf it is agreeable to you, Bhaggava, I would like to spend one
night in your hall.” The potter turned over the hall to him,
saying, “I have no work going on in the hall at night, and the
hall is a large one; spend the night here as you please, Vener-
able.” No sooner had Devala entered the hall and sat down
than another ascetic named Nàrada, returning from the
Himàlayas, asked the potter for a night’s lodging. The potter
thought to himself, “The ascetic who arrived first may or may
not be willing to spend the night with him; I will therefore
relieve myself of responsibility.”
So he said to the ascetic who had just arrived, “Venera-
ble, if the ascetic who arrived first approves of it, spend the
night at your pleasure.” So Nàrada approached Devala and
said, “Teacher, if it is agreeable to you, I would like to spend
one night here.” Devala replied, “The hall is a large one; there
Venerable.” The Teacher replied, “Monks, this is not the first
time he has proved obstinate; he was obstinate also in a previ-
ous state of existence.” “We know all about his present obsti-
nacy, Venerable; but what did he do in a previous state of
existence?” “Well then, monks, listen,” said the Teacher. So
saying, he told the following story.
Once upon a time, when a certain king reigned at
Benàres, an ascetic named Devala, who had resided for eight
months in the Himàlaya country, desiring to reside near the
city during the four months of the rains, for salt and vinegar
returned from the Himàlayas. Seeing two boys at the gate of
the city, he asked them, “Where do monks who come to this
city spend the night?” “In the potter’s hall, Venerable.” So
Devala went to the potter’s hall, stopped at the door, and said,
“lf it is agreeable to you, Bhaggava, I would like to spend one
night in your hall.” The potter turned over the hall to him,
saying, “I have no work going on in the hall at night, and the
hall is a large one; spend the night here as you please, Vener-
able.” No sooner had Devala entered the hall and sat down
than another ascetic named Nàrada, returning from the
Himàlayas, asked the potter for a night’s lodging. The potter
thought to himself, “The ascetic who arrived first may or may
not be willing to spend the night with him; I will therefore
relieve myself of responsibility.”
So he said to the ascetic who had just arrived, “Venera-
ble, if the ascetic who arrived first approves of it, spend the
night at your pleasure.” So Nàrada approached Devala and
said, “Teacher, if it is agreeable to you, I would like to spend
one night here.” Devala replied, “The hall is a large one; there
fore come in and spend the night on one side.” So Nàrada
went in and sat down beside the ascetic who had gone in
before him. Both exchanged friendly greetings.
When it was bedtime, Nàrada noted carefully the place
where Devala lay and the position of the door, and then lay
down. But when Devala lay down, instead of lying down in
his proper place, he lay down directly across the doorway. The
result was that when Nàrada went out at night, he trod on
Devala’s matted locks. Thereupon Devala cried out, “Who is
treading on my locks?” Nàrada replied, “Teacher, it is I.” “False
ascetic,” said Devala, “You come from the forest and tread on
my locks.” “Teacher, I did not know that you were lying here;
please pardon me.” Nàrada then went out, leaving Devala
weeping as if his heart would break. Devala thought to him-
self, “I will not let him tread on me when he comes in also.” So
he turned around and lay down, placing his head where his
feet had been before. When Nàrada came in, he thought to
himself, “The first time I injured the teacher; this time I will go
in past his feet.” The result was that, when Nàrada entered, he
trod on Devala’s neck. Thereupon Devala cried out, “Who is
that?” Nàrada replied, “It is I, teacher.” “False ascetic,” said
Devala, “The first time you trod on my locks. This time you
tread on my neck. I will curse you.” “Teacher, I am not to
blame. I did not know that you were lying in this position.
When I came in I thought to myself, ‘The first time I injured
the teacher; this time I will go in past his feet.’ Please pardon
me.” “False ascetic, I will curse you.” “Do not do so, teacher.”
But Devala, paying no attention to what Nàrada said, cursed
him all the same, saying, “May your head split into seven
pieces at sunrise.”
went in and sat down beside the ascetic who had gone in
before him. Both exchanged friendly greetings.
When it was bedtime, Nàrada noted carefully the place
where Devala lay and the position of the door, and then lay
down. But when Devala lay down, instead of lying down in
his proper place, he lay down directly across the doorway. The
result was that when Nàrada went out at night, he trod on
Devala’s matted locks. Thereupon Devala cried out, “Who is
treading on my locks?” Nàrada replied, “Teacher, it is I.” “False
ascetic,” said Devala, “You come from the forest and tread on
my locks.” “Teacher, I did not know that you were lying here;
please pardon me.” Nàrada then went out, leaving Devala
weeping as if his heart would break. Devala thought to him-
self, “I will not let him tread on me when he comes in also.” So
he turned around and lay down, placing his head where his
feet had been before. When Nàrada came in, he thought to
himself, “The first time I injured the teacher; this time I will go
in past his feet.” The result was that, when Nàrada entered, he
trod on Devala’s neck. Thereupon Devala cried out, “Who is
that?” Nàrada replied, “It is I, teacher.” “False ascetic,” said
Devala, “The first time you trod on my locks. This time you
tread on my neck. I will curse you.” “Teacher, I am not to
blame. I did not know that you were lying in this position.
When I came in I thought to myself, ‘The first time I injured
the teacher; this time I will go in past his feet.’ Please pardon
me.” “False ascetic, I will curse you.” “Do not do so, teacher.”
But Devala, paying no attention to what Nàrada said, cursed
him all the same, saying, “May your head split into seven
pieces at sunrise.”
Now Nàrada, perceiving that the curse would fall back
on his brother-ascetic, he felt compassion for him, and there-
fore put forth the power of his meditation and prevented the
sunrise. When the sun did not rise, the king had to intervene
and ask Devala to apologise. Devala refused. Then said
Nàrada to Devala, “Teacher, I will put forth my power of
meditation and make the sun to rise. At the moment of sun-
rise please keep a lump of clay on your head and submerge in
water and rise in different places as you go your way.” As
soon as the sun’s rays touched the lump of clay on his head, it
divided into seven pieces. Thereupon Devala ducked in the
water, and came up in a different place, and ran away. When
the Buddha had given his instruction, he said, “Monks, at that
time the king was ânanda, Devala was Tissa, and Nàrada
was myself, when at that time he was obstinate.” The Buddha
advised them not to keep thoughts of enmity, for this could
be only appeased by thoughts of friendliness.
Explanatory Translation (Verse 3)
maü akkocchi maü avadhi maü ajini me ahàsi
ye taü upanayhanti tesaü veraü na saümati
maü: me; akkocchi: (he) insulted; maü: me; avadhi: (he)
assaulted; maü: me; ajini (he) defeated; ahàsi: (he) robbed;
me: my (belongings); ye: those who; taü: such thoughts;
upanayhanti: keep coming back to; tesaü: their; veraü:
enmity; na saümati: never ceases.
When a person holds that he was insulted, assaulted, defeated,
or robbed, his anger continues to increase. The anger of such a
person has no way of subsiding. The more he goes over his
on his brother-ascetic, he felt compassion for him, and there-
fore put forth the power of his meditation and prevented the
sunrise. When the sun did not rise, the king had to intervene
and ask Devala to apologise. Devala refused. Then said
Nàrada to Devala, “Teacher, I will put forth my power of
meditation and make the sun to rise. At the moment of sun-
rise please keep a lump of clay on your head and submerge in
water and rise in different places as you go your way.” As
soon as the sun’s rays touched the lump of clay on his head, it
divided into seven pieces. Thereupon Devala ducked in the
water, and came up in a different place, and ran away. When
the Buddha had given his instruction, he said, “Monks, at that
time the king was ânanda, Devala was Tissa, and Nàrada
was myself, when at that time he was obstinate.” The Buddha
advised them not to keep thoughts of enmity, for this could
be only appeased by thoughts of friendliness.
Explanatory Translation (Verse 3)
maü akkocchi maü avadhi maü ajini me ahàsi
ye taü upanayhanti tesaü veraü na saümati
maü: me; akkocchi: (he) insulted; maü: me; avadhi: (he)
assaulted; maü: me; ajini (he) defeated; ahàsi: (he) robbed;
me: my (belongings); ye: those who; taü: such thoughts;
upanayhanti: keep coming back to; tesaü: their; veraü:
enmity; na saümati: never ceases.
When a person holds that he was insulted, assaulted, defeated,
or robbed, his anger continues to increase. The anger of such a
person has no way of subsiding. The more he goes over his
imaginary trouble the greater becomes his desire to avenge it.
Explanatory Translation (Verse 4)
maü akkocchi maü avadhi maü ajini me ahàsi
ye taü na upanayhanti tesaü veraü saümati.
maü: me; akkocchi: (he) insulted; maü: me; avadhi: (he)
assaulted; maü: me; ajini: (he) defeated; ahàsi: (he) robbed;
me: my (belongings); ye: those who; taü: such thoughts;
na upanayhanti: does not constantly return to; tesaü: their;
veraü: enmity; saümati: ceases.
Living in human society, people often quarrel with one
another. When such conflicts occur, people often keep think-
ing about the wrongs done to them by others. When that hap-
pens, their anger tends to grow. But in those who forgive and
forget the wrongs done to them, anger quickly vanishes. They
are then at peace.
Commentary
This pair of verses reveals the psychological principle that is basic to emotional
control. Emotion is an excitement of the body that begins with a thought. A
thought creates a mental picture which, if held onto, excites a corresponding
emotion. It is only when this mental picture is discarded and paid no attention
to, that the emotion subsides. The Buddha’s constant advice to His followers
was not to retaliate but to practice patience at all times and places, even under
provocation. The Buddha praises those who forebear the wrongs of others, even
though they have the power to retaliate. In the Dhammapada itself there are
many instances that show how the Buddha practiced patience, even when he
was severely criticised, abused, and attacked. Patience is not a sign of weakness
or defeatism but the unfailing strength of great men and women. The secret of
patience is to change the mental picture or how you interpret a situation. An
example is given in the Shàntivàdi Jàtaka, where the saint Shàntivàdi was the
Buddha Gotama in his former life. The saint kept repeating the thought, “Long
live the king may he be free from harm,” while his limbs were severed until
death, by this cruel king who wanted to test his patience.
Explanatory Translation (Verse 4)
maü akkocchi maü avadhi maü ajini me ahàsi
ye taü na upanayhanti tesaü veraü saümati.
maü: me; akkocchi: (he) insulted; maü: me; avadhi: (he)
assaulted; maü: me; ajini: (he) defeated; ahàsi: (he) robbed;
me: my (belongings); ye: those who; taü: such thoughts;
na upanayhanti: does not constantly return to; tesaü: their;
veraü: enmity; saümati: ceases.
Living in human society, people often quarrel with one
another. When such conflicts occur, people often keep think-
ing about the wrongs done to them by others. When that hap-
pens, their anger tends to grow. But in those who forgive and
forget the wrongs done to them, anger quickly vanishes. They
are then at peace.
Commentary
This pair of verses reveals the psychological principle that is basic to emotional
control. Emotion is an excitement of the body that begins with a thought. A
thought creates a mental picture which, if held onto, excites a corresponding
emotion. It is only when this mental picture is discarded and paid no attention
to, that the emotion subsides. The Buddha’s constant advice to His followers
was not to retaliate but to practice patience at all times and places, even under
provocation. The Buddha praises those who forebear the wrongs of others, even
though they have the power to retaliate. In the Dhammapada itself there are
many instances that show how the Buddha practiced patience, even when he
was severely criticised, abused, and attacked. Patience is not a sign of weakness
or defeatism but the unfailing strength of great men and women. The secret of
patience is to change the mental picture or how you interpret a situation. An
example is given in the Shàntivàdi Jàtaka, where the saint Shàntivàdi was the
Buddha Gotama in his former life. The saint kept repeating the thought, “Long
live the king may he be free from harm,” while his limbs were severed until
death, by this cruel king who wanted to test his patience.
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