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in various places? For example, in the Sīlava Jātaka, he did not even allow his ministers to touch weapons when they rose to prevent the rival king, who had been brought by his queen’s corrupt and evil minister, from seizing the kingdom three hundred yojanas wide. Again, when he was being buried with a thousand ministers, after digging a pit up to their necks in a charnel ground, Without even a trace of ill-will, having gained his life back through the help of the jackals who had come to eat the corpse, by their digging up the earth, and by the power of the yakkha, he descended into his own chamber of glory, and seeing his enemy lying on the royal couch, he did not become angry, but instead, they made a mutual oath, established him as a friend, and he said – "A man should indeed aspire, A wise one should not despair; I see myself, As I wished, so it has become." In the Khantivādi Jātaka, when asked by the foolish King of Kasi, "What do you preach, ascetic?" and having said, "I am called Khantivādi (Preacher of Forbearance)," even when beaten with thorny whips and his hands and feet were being cut off, he did not show even a trace of anger. And this is not surprising, that an old man who has gone forth would act thus. But in the Cūḷadhammapāla Jātaka, even while lying on his back – "Anointed with sandalwood paste, Dhammapāla's arms are cut off; O god, the life of the heir to the earth, My life is being destroyed!" When his mother was lamenting thus, and his father, King Mahāpatāpa, had his four hands and feet cut off as if they were bamboo shoots, and not being satisfied even with that, commanded, "Cut off his head!" he did not show even a trace of ill-will, having firmly resolved, "Now is the time for you to control your mind. Now, O Dhammapāla, be equanimous towards these four: your father who commanded the beheading, the men who are beheading, your lamenting mother, and yourself." And this too is not surprising, that a human being would act thus. But even as an animal, being an elephant named Chaddanta, though struck in the navel by a poisoned arrow, he did not corrupt his mind towards the hunter who was causing him harm. As it is said – "The elephant, struck by the great arrow, With an uncorrupted mind, addressed the hunter; 'For what purpose, or for what reason, friend, Did you kill me? Whose is this device?'" And having said this, to the chief queen of the King of Kasi, your tusk When it was said, "I am sent for your benefit, venerable sir," fulfilling her wish, he cut off his own teeth, beautiful and resplendent with the emission of six-colored rays, and gave them. Having become a Great Monkey, by the man whom he himself had rescued from a mountain precipice – "This is food for humans, just like other beasts in the forest. Why not kill this one, and, being hungry, eat the monkey? I will go, having taken it, taking the flesh as provisions. I will cross the wilderness, it will be my journey's food." Thinking thus, and having lifted a stone, (when his head was about to be crushed), looking at that man with eyes full of tears – "Do not be so, venerable sir, do not do such a thing. You are indeed long-lived, you ought to restrain others." Having spoken, without polluting his mind towards that man, and without thinking of his own suffering, he brought that very man to a place of safety. Having become the Nāga king named Bhūridatta, having undertaken the Uposatha observances, lying on an anthill, even when his whole body was being sprinkled with medicine like the fire at the end of a world-cycle, even when he was put in a basket and made to perform throughout the entire Jambudīpa, he did not harbor even a trace of ill-will towards that brahmin. As it is said – "Even when put in a basket, and crushed by hand, I do not get angry at Alampāna, for fear of breaking my virtue." Campeyya, having also become a Nāga king, being tormented by a snake-charmer, did not produce even a trace of ill-will. As it is said – "Even then, me, a practitioner of Dhamma, who had observed the Uposatha, the snake-charmer, having seized me, played with me at the king's gate. Whatever color he thinks of, blue, yellow, or red, following his mind, I become like what is thought. I could make land water, and water land. If I were to get angry at him, I would turn him to ashes in a moment. If I were to be controlled by my mind, I would fall away from virtue. For one fallen from virtue, the highest goal is not achieved." Having been Saṅkhapāla, the Nāga King, pierced in eight places with sharp spears, having had thorny creepers inserted into the wounds, and a strong rope put through his nose, being carried by sixteen bhojaputtas with a pole, his body dragged on the ground, experiencing great suffering, even though he was capable of turning all the bhojaputtas to ashes just by looking at them with anger, he did not even open his eyes or show any sign of ill will. As it is said: “On the fourteenth and fifteenth, I always observed the Uposatha; Then came sixteen bhojaputtas, Taking a rope and a strong noose. “Having pierced my nose and tightly pulled the rope, The cruel ones led me away, seizing me; Such suffering I endured, Without disturbing the Uposatha.” Not only these, but he also performed many other wonders in the Mātuposaka Jātaka and other stories. Therefore, it is exceedingly improper and unfitting for anyone in the world of devas and humans to harbor a mind of resentment towards that Blessed One, the Teacher, who has now attained omniscience, and whose quality of patience is unmatched by anyone. 248. If, however, even after reflecting on such past virtuous deeds of the Teacher, the resentment of one who has long been enslaved by defilements does not subside, then one should reflect on the beginningless nature of existence. For it is said: “That being, monks, is not easily found, who has not been a mother, who has not been a father, who has not been a brother, who has not been a sister, who has not been a son, who has not been a daughter.” Therefore, one should generate such a thought towards that person: “This one, it seems, in the past, having been my mother, carried me in her womb for ten months, and without disgust, like fragrant sandalwood, removed urine, feces, phlegm, and snot, making me dance on her chest, nourishing me by carrying me on her body. Having been my father, he went on goat paths and difficult paths, engaging in trade, and for my sake, even his life…” Having abandoned, having entered battles arrayed on both sides, having plunged into the great ocean by boat, and having done other difficult deeds, thinking 'I will support my children,' having gathered wealth by various means, he supported me. Even being a brother, a sister, a son, or a daughter, they have done this and that favor. Therefore, it is not proper for me to defile my mind." 249. If, however, one cannot extinguish the mind even in this way, then by him, the benefits of loving-kindness should be reflected upon thus: "Oh, ascetic, has it not been said by the Blessed One – 'Indeed, monks, by the liberation of mind through loving-kindness, practiced, developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, accumulated, and properly undertaken, eleven benefits are to be expected. Which eleven? He sleeps happily, he wakes happily, he sees no evil dreams, he is dear to humans, he is dear to non-humans, deities protect him, fire, poison, or weapons do not affect him, his mind is quickly concentrated, his facial complexion is serene, he dies unconfused, and if he does not penetrate further, he goes to the Brahma world.' (A.N. 11.15) "If you do not extinguish this mind, you will be excluded from these benefits." 250. If one is unable to extinguish it even in this way, then an analysis of the elements should be made. How? "Oh, ascetic, being angry at this one, at whom are you angry? Are you angry at the hairs, or at the body-hairs, nails... or at the urine are you angry? Or are you angry at the earth element in the hairs and so on, at the water element, the fire element, the air element are you angry? Or, based on which five aggregates, twelve sense-bases, eighteen elements, is this venerable one called 'so-and-so'? Among these, are you angry at the form aggregate, or at the feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness aggregate are you angry? Or are you angry at the eye sense-base, are you angry at the form sense-base... are you angry at the mind sense-base, are you angry at the phenomena sense-base? Why are you angry with the eye-element? Why with the form-element? Why with the eye-consciousness-element? ... Why with the mind-element? Why with the phenomena-element? Why with the mind-consciousness-element? For one who thus analyzes the elements, there is no place for anger to stand, like a mustard seed on the tip of an awl, or like a painting in the sky. 251. But for one unable to analyze the elements, a distribution of gifts should be made. One's own possessions should be given to another; another's possessions should be taken by oneself. If, however, the other person has a broken livelihood and is unworthy of receiving requisites, then only one's own possessions should be given. For one acting thus, anger towards that person will certainly subside. And the anger that has pursued the other from past existences will also subside at that very moment, just as it did for the Great Elder who had been made to vacate his lodging three times in Cittala-pabbata Vihāra, when he received the bowl given by the alms-round elder, who said: "Venerable sir, this bowl, worth eight kahāpaṇas, was given by my mother, the female lay follower, as a righteous gain; may the great female lay follower make a meritorious gain." So great is the power of giving. It has also been said: Giving tames the untamed, Giving accomplishes all aims; By giving and pleasant speech, They rise up and bow down. 252.