SN21:9 Tissa
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī. sn.ii.282 Then the Venerable Tissa, the Blessed One's paternal cousin, [n.395] He was the Buddha’s pitucchāputta, son of the Buddha’s paternal aunt, Amitā (DPPN, s.v. Tissa Thera (14)). approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side—miserable, sorrowful, with tears streaming down. Then the Blessed One said to him:
"Tissa, why are you sitting there, miserable, sorrowful, with tears streaming down?"
"Because, venerable sir, the bhikkhus have attacked me on all sides with sharp words." [n.396] Spk explains that while he was still a novice, when elders arrived at the monastery from distant regions to see the Buddha he remained seated and did not perform any services to them or show them due respect. This was all because of his khattiya pride and his pride of being the Buddha’s cousin. The other bhikkhus had surrounded him and censured him sharply for his lack of courtesy. A variant of this incident is recorded at Dhp-a I 37–39; see BL 1:166–67.
"That, Tissa, is because you admonish others but cannot bear being admonished yourself. Tissa, this is not proper for you, a clansman who has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness, that you admonish others but cannot accept admonition in turn. This is proper for you, Tissa, a clansman who has gone forth out of faith from the household life into homelessness, that you admonish others and accept admonition in turn."
2This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
3"Why are you angry? Don’t be angry!
Nonanger is better for you, Tissa.
It is to remove anger, conceit, and scorn,
That the holy life is lived, O Tissa."
1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. Atha kho āyasmā tisso bhagavato pitucchāputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi dukkhī dummano assūni pavattayamāno. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ tissaṁ etadavoca:
"Kiṁ nu kho tvaṁ, tissa, ekamantaṁ nisinno dukkhī dummano assūni pavattayamāno"ti?
"Tathā hi pana maṁ, bhante, bhikkhū samantā vācāyasannitodakena sañjambharimakaṁsū"ti.
"Tathāhi pana tvaṁ, tissa, vattā no ca vacanakkhamo; na kho te taṁ, tissa, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa, yaṁ tvaṁ vattā no ca vacanakkhamo. Etaṁ kho te, tissa, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa: ‘Yaṁ tvaṁ vattā ca assa vacanakkhamo cā’"ti.
2Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
3"Kiṁ nu kujjhasi mā kujjhi,
Akkodho tissa te varaṁ;
Kodhamānamakkhavinayatthañhi,
Tissa brahmacariyaṁ vussatī"ti.
Navamaṁ.