Subhāsitajayasutta
Victory by Good Speech
“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi.
“Once upon a time, mendicants, a battle was fought between the gods and the titans.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:
Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, said to Sakka, lord of gods,
‘hotu, devānaminda, subhāsitena jayo’ti.
‘Lord of gods, let there be victory by fine words!’
‘Hotu, vepacitti, subhāsitena jayo’ti.
‘Vepacitti, let there be victory by fine words!’
Atha kho, bhikkhave, devā ca asurā ca pārisajje ṭhapesuṁ:
Then the gods and the titans appointed a panel of judges, saying,
‘ime no subhāsitadubbhāsitaṁ ājānissantī’ti.
‘These will understand our good and bad statements.’
Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:
Then Vepacitti, lord of titans, said to Sakka, lord of gods,
‘bhaṇa, devānaminda, gāthan’ti.
‘Lord of gods, recite a verse!’
Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Sakka said to him,
‘tumhe khvettha, vepacitti, pubbadevā.
‘Vepacitti, you are the elder god here.
Bhaṇa, vepacitti, gāthan’ti.
Recite a verse.’
Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
So Vepacitti recited this verse:
‘Bhiyyo bālā pabhijjeyyuṁ, ‘Fools would vent even more
no cassa paṭisedhako; if there’s no-one to put a stop to them.
Tasmā bhusena daṇḍena, So an intelligent person should stop
dhīro bālaṁ nisedhaye’ti. a fool with forceful punishment.’
Bhāsitāya kho pana, bhikkhave, vepacittinā asurindena gāthāya asurā anumodiṁsu, devā tuṇhī ahesuṁ.
The titans applauded Vepacitti’s verse, while the gods kept silent.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:
Then Vepacitti said to Sakka,
‘bhaṇa, devānaminda, gāthan’ti.
‘Lord of gods, recite a verse!’
Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
So Sakka recited this verse:
‘Etadeva ahaṁ maññe, ‘I think that this is the only way
bālassa paṭisedhanaṁ; to put a stop to a fool,
Paraṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā, when you know that the other is upset,
yo sato upasammatī’ti. be mindful and stay calm.’
Bhāsitāya kho pana, bhikkhave, sakkena devānamindena gāthāya, devā anumodiṁsu, asurā tuṇhī ahesuṁ.
The gods applauded Sakka’s verse, while the titans kept silent.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo vepacittiṁ asurindaṁ etadavoca:
Then Sakka said to Vepacitti,
‘bhaṇa, vepacitti, gāthan’ti.
‘Vepacitti, recite a verse!’
Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:
So Vepacitti recited this verse:
‘Etadeva titikkhāya, ‘I see this fault, Vāsava,
vajjaṁ passāmi vāsava; in just being patient.
Yadā naṁ maññati bālo, When a fool thinks,
bhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati; “He puts up with me out of fear,”
Ajjhāruhati dummedho, the simpleton will go after you even harder,
gova bhiyyo palāyinan’ti. like a cow chasing someone who runs away.’
Bhāsitāya kho pana, bhikkhave, vepacittinā asurindena gāthāya asurā anumodiṁsu, devā tuṇhī ahesuṁ.
The titans applauded Vepacitti’s verse, while the gods kept silent.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, vepacitti asurindo sakkaṁ devānamindaṁ etadavoca:
Then Vepacitti said to Sakka,
‘bhaṇa, devānaminda, gāthan’ti.
‘Lord of gods, recite a verse!’
Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, sakko devānamindo imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
So Sakka recited this verse:
‘Kāmaṁ maññatu vā mā vā, ‘Let him think this if he wishes, or not—
bhayā myāyaṁ titikkhati; “He puts up with me out of fear.”
Sadatthaparamā atthā, Of goals culminating in one’s own good,
khantyā bhiyyo na vijjati. none better than patience is found.
Yo have balavā santo, When a strong person
dubbalassa titikkhati; puts up with a weakling,
Tamāhu paramaṁ khantiṁ, they call that the ultimate patience,
niccaṁ khamati dubbalo. for a weakling must always be patient.
Abalaṁ taṁ balaṁ āhu, The strength of folly
yassa bālabalaṁ balaṁ; is really just weakness, they say.
Balassa dhammaguttassa, But no-one can challenge a person
paṭivattā na vijjati. who’s strong, guarded by the teaching.
Tasseva tena pāpiyo, When you get angry at an angry person
yo kuddhaṁ paṭikujjhati; you just make things worse for yourself.
Kuddhaṁ appaṭikujjhanto, When you don’t get angry at an angry person
saṅgāmaṁ jeti dujjayaṁ. you win a battle hard to win.
Ubhinnamatthaṁ carati, When you know that the other is angry,
attano ca parassa ca; you act for the good of both
Paraṁ saṅkupitaṁ ñatvā, yourself and the other
yo sato upasammati. if you’re mindful and stay calm.
Ubhinnaṁ tikicchantānaṁ, People unfamiliar with the teaching
attano ca parassa ca; consider one who heals both
Janā maññanti bāloti, oneself and the other
ye dhammassa akovidā’ti. to be a fool.’
Bhāsitāsu kho pana, bhikkhave, sakkena devānamindena gāthāsu, devā anumodiṁsu, asurā tuṇhī ahesuṁ.
The gods applauded Sakka’s verses, while the titans kept silent.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, devānañca asurānañca pārisajjā etadavocuṁ:
Then the panel of judges consisting of both gods and titans said this,
‘bhāsitā kho vepacittinā asurindena gāthāyo.
‘The verses spoken by Vepacitti
Tā ca kho sadaṇḍāvacarā sasatthāvacarā, iti bhaṇḍanaṁ iti viggaho iti kalaho.
evoke punishment and violence. That’s how you get arguments, quarrels, and disputes.
Bhāsitā kho sakkena devānamindena gāthāyo.
The verses spoken by Sakka
Tā ca kho adaṇḍāvacarā asatthāvacarā, iti abhaṇḍanaṁ iti aviggaho iti akalaho.
don’t evoke punishment and violence. That’s how you stay free of arguments, quarrels, and disputes.
Sakkassa devānamindassa subhāsitena jayo’ti.
Sakka, lord of gods, wins victory by fine words!’
Iti kho, bhikkhave, sakkassa devānamindassa subhāsitena jayo ahosī”ti.
And that’s how Sakka came to win victory by fine words.”
