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in the Sudhammā assembly hall. There, it is said, monks, Vepacitti, the lord of asuras, bound with five-fold neck bonds, reviled and abused Sakka, the lord of devas, with unseemly and harsh words, both when he entered and when he left the Sudhammā assembly hall. Then, monks, Mātali the charioteer addressed Sakka, the lord of devas, with verses: "From fear, Maghavā, Sakka, Or from weakness, do you endure? Hearing harsh words, Face to face with Vepacitti?" "Not from fear, nor from weakness, Do I endure Vepacitti; How could one like me, discerning, Engage with a fool?" "Fools would break out more, If there were no one to restrain them; Therefore, with a strong stick, A wise person should restrain a fool." "This indeed I consider The restraint of a fool: Knowing another is enraged, One who, mindful, calms down." "This indeed, Vāsava, I see as a fault in patience: When the fool thinks, 'He endures me from fear'; The dullard mounts him, Like a cow on one fleeing more." "Let him think, or not think, 'He endures me from fear'; The highest good is one's own welfare, Nothing greater than patience exists. "He who, being strong, Endures the weak; That they call supreme patience, The weak always endures. "That strength they call no strength, Whose strength is the strength of a fool; For the strong, protected by Dhamma, There is no opponent. "Worse for him by that, Who returns anger to the angry; Not returning anger to the angry, One wins a battle hard to win. "He acts for the good of both, Of himself and of the other; Knowing another is enraged, One who, mindful, calms down. "Of both... those who desire their own and others' harm; People think them foolish, those unskilled in the Dhamma." "It is indeed fitting, monks, that Sakka, king of the gods, living on the fruit of his own merit, ruling over the dominion and sovereignty of the Tāvatiṃsa gods, should be an advocate of patience and gentleness. It is fitting here, monks, that you, having gone forth in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma and Discipline, should be patient and gentle." 5. The Discourse on Victory by Well-Spoken Words 251. At Sāvatthī. "Formerly, monks, a battle was arrayed between gods and asuras. Then, monks, Vepacitti, king of the asuras, said to Sakka, king of the gods: 'Let there be, king of the gods, victory by well-spoken words.' 'Let there be, Vepacitti, victory by well-spoken words.' Then, monks, the gods and asuras appointed arbiters: 'These will discern for us what is well-spoken and ill-spoken.' Then, monks, Vepacitti, king of the asuras, said to Sakka, king of the gods: 'Speak, king of the gods, a verse.' When this was said, monks, Sakka, king of the gods, said to Vepacitti, king of the asuras: 'You, Vepacitti, are the former gods. Speak, Vepacitti, a verse.' When this was said, monks, Vepacitti, king of the asuras, spoke this verse: "Fools would increase greatly, if there were no one to restrain them; Therefore, with a strong stick, the wise should restrain the fool." "When this verse was spoken by Vepacitti, king of the asuras, monks, the asuras rejoiced, but the gods remained silent. Then, monks, Vepacitti, king of the asuras, said to Sakka, king of the gods: 'Speak, king of the gods, a verse.' When this was said, monks, Sakka, king of the gods, spoke this verse: "This indeed I consider the restraint of a fool: Knowing another to be angry, one who is mindful calms down." "When this verse was spoken by Sakka, king of the gods, monks, the gods rejoiced, The Asuras were silent. Then, monks, Sakka, king of the gods, said to Vepacitti, king of the Asuras: "Speak, Vepacitti, a verse!" When this was said, monks, Vepacitti, king of the Asuras, spoke this verse: "This indeed, O Vāsava, I see as a fault in patience: When a fool thinks of it, 'He endures out of fear of me'; The foolish one then presses on, Like a cow on one who flees." When this verse was spoken by Vepacitti, king of the Asuras, the Asuras rejoiced, the gods were silent. Then, monks, Vepacitti, king of the Asuras, said to Sakka, king of the gods: "Speak, king of the gods, a verse!" When this was said, monks, Sakka, king of the gods, spoke these verses: "Let him think or not think, 'He endures out of fear of me'; The highest good is one's own welfare, There is nothing greater than patience. He who, being strong, endures the weak; That they call supreme patience, The weak always endure. That strength they call no strength, Whose strength is the strength of a fool; For one whose strength is guarded by Dhamma, There is no opponent. Worse for him by that, Who retaliates against the angry; Not retaliating against the angry, One conquers a battle hard to conquer. He acts for the good of both, Of himself and of the other; Who, knowing the other to be enraged, Mindfully calms down. For those who heal both, Themselves and others; People think them fools, Those who are unskilled in the Dhamma." When these verses were spoken by Sakka, king of the gods, the gods rejoiced, the Asuras were silent. Then, monks, the assembly of gods and Asuras said this: "Verses have been spoken by Vepacitti, king of the Asuras. And these are associated with clubs, associated with weapons, thus quarrel, thus dispute, thus contention. Verses have been spoken by Sakka, king of the gods. And these are not associated with clubs, not associated with weapons, thus no quarrel, thus no dispute, thus no contention." 'Iggaha' means no quarrel. By the good saying of Sakka, lord of devas, there is victory. Thus, monks, by the good saying of Sakka, lord of devas, there was victory. 6. The Discourse on the Nestlings At Savatthi. Formerly, monks, a battle of devas and asuras was arrayed. And in that battle, monks, the asuras won, the devas were defeated. And the defeated devas, monks, fled northwards, and the asuras pursued them. Then, monks, Sakka, lord of devas, addressed Matali the charioteer with a verse: "Matali, the nestlings in the silk-cotton tree, avoid them with the chariot pole; Willingly let us give up our lives to the asuras, but let not these birds be without their nests." "'Yes, venerable one,' monks, Matali the charioteer, having assented to Sakka, lord of devas, turned back the thousand-yoked noble chariot. Then, monks, it occurred to the asuras: 'Now the thousand-yoked noble chariot of Sakka, lord of devas, has turned back. The devas will surely fight the asuras a second time!' Frightened, they entered the city of the asuras. Thus, monks, by righteousness, Sakka, lord of devas, was victorious. 7. The Discourse on Not Harming At Savatthi. Formerly, monks, Sakka, lord of devas, having gone into seclusion, reflecting, such a thought arose in his mind: 'Even if someone were my greatest enemy, I would not harm him.' Then, monks, Vepacitti, lord of asuras, knowing with his mind the mental reflection of Sakka, lord of devas, approached Sakka, lord of devas. Sakka, lord of devas, monks, saw Vepacitti, lord of asuras, coming from afar. Having seen Vepacitti, lord of asuras, he said this: 'Stop, Vepacitti, you are caught!' 'Whatever thought, friend, you had before, do not abandon that.' laughed. "And my friend, Vepacitti, do not harm me." "Whatever evil there is for one who speaks falsely, whatever evil there is for one who slanders the noble ones; Whatever evil there is for one who betrays a friend, whatever evil there is for one who is ungrateful; May that very evil befall him, who harms you, Sujampati." 8. The Discourse on Verocana, the Lord of Asuras 254. At Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove. At that time, the Blessed One was dwelling in solitude during the day. Then Sakka, the lord of devas, and Verocana, the lord of asuras, approached the Blessed One; having approached, they stood leaning against a doorpost each. Then Verocana, the lord of asuras, spoke this verse in the presence of the Blessed One: "A person should strive, until the goal is achieved; The goal achieved is beautiful, this is Verocana's word." "A person should strive, until the goal is achieved; The goal achieved is beautiful, nothing is greater than patience." "All beings are born for a purpose, each in their own place, as is fitting; Indeed, union is the highest, for the enjoyments of all living beings; The goal achieved is beautiful, this is Verocana's word." "All beings are born for a purpose, each in their own place, as is fitting; Indeed, union is the highest, for the enjoyments of all living beings; The goal achieved is beautiful, nothing is greater than patience." 9. The Discourse on the Hermits in the Forest Dwelling 255. At Sāvatthī. "Formerly, bhikkhus, many hermits, virtuous and of good conduct, dwelt in leaf-huts in a forest dwelling. Then, bhikkhus, Sakka, the lord of devas, and Vepacitti, the lord of asuras, approached those virtuous hermits of good conduct. Then, bhikkhus, Vepacitti, the lord of asuras, put on his sandals, slung his sword, and with an umbrella held over his head, at the front entering the hermitage by the wrong way, he passed by those ascetics, virtuous, of good conduct, making them turn their backs. Then, monks, Sakka, king of devas, took off his sandals, gave his sword to others, removed his parasol, entered the hermitage by the door, and stood reverently, with clasped hands, facing those ascetics, virtuous, of good conduct. Then, monks, those ascetics, virtuous, of good conduct, addressed Sakka, king of devas, with a verse – “The scent of ascetics long-ordained, emanating from their bodies, goes with the wind; Go back from here, O thousand-eyed one, The scent of ascetics is impure, O king of devas.” “The scent of ascetics long-ordained, emanating from their bodies, may it go with the wind, like a beautiful flower garland on the head; This scent we desire, venerable sirs, Here the devas are not repulsed.” 10. The Discourse on the Ocean 256. At Sāvatthī. “Formerly, monks, many ascetics, virtuous, of good conduct, dwelt in leaf-huts on the seashore.