Tolerance is a quality of wise people

Ven. Maharambewewe
Palitha
Lecturer, Department of Pali and
Buddhist Studies,
University of Peradeniya

‘Then the gods of the thirty-three binding Vepacitti, the king of the Titans’ neck with the fivefold bond took him to the presence of Sakka the king of gods, in the Sudhamma assembly. Then Vepacitti the king of the Titans from the time he was brought to the Sudhamma assembly, his neck bound with the fivefold bond, until he left the hall, was scolding and reviling them. Then Matali the charioteer said this stanza to Sakka the king of gods.

Once upon time the Buddha was living in the monastery of Jeta’s grove in Savatthi and preached a sermon addressing monks about one of the battle story which took place between Sakka the chief of gods and Vepacitti the chief of the Titans. This story illustrates the social reality of good and bad. (This sermon is included in the Vepacitti sutta, Sakka Samyutta of Samyuttanikaya) Sakka the chief of gods always represents good and Vepacitti the chief of the Titans always represents bad. There was a wager between these two parties that the defeated party should face a hazardous situation that the chief of the defeated party should be seized with five folds bond and presented to the chief of the winning party.

The Buddha preached this story addressing as follows: “Bhikkhus, in the past there was a fight between the gods and the Titans.

“Then Vepacitti the chief of the Titans addressed the Titans: ‘Friends, in this battle between the gods and Titans if the Titans win and the gods be defeated, seize Sakka the king of gods by his neck and binding him with the fivefold bond bring him to my presence, to the city of the Titans.”

“Sakka the king of gods too addressed the gods: friends, in this battle between the gods and Titan if the gods win and the Titans be defeated, seize Vepacitti the king of Titans by his neck and binding him with the fivefold bond bring him to my presence, to the Sudhamma assembly.

Finally gods won that battle and the Titans were defeated.

Suddhamma assembly

”Then the gods of the thirty-three binding Vepacitti, the king of the Titans’ neck with the fivefold bond took him to the presence of Sakka the king of gods, in the Sudhamma assembly. Then Vepacitti the king of the Titans from the time he was brought to the Sudhamma assembly, his neck bound with the fivefold bond, until he left the hall, was scolding and reviling them. Then Matali the charioteer said this stanza to Sakka the king of gods.

Matali: “Is it out of fear the Sakka was silent, or did you endure the weak one’s activities? You listened to the debasing words of Vepacitti done to your face?”

Sakka: “I have no fear, and I do not approve the weak activities of Vepacitti how could a wise one like me argue with a fool?

“The foolish make others angry, not holding back their anger.

Therefore, enduring with patience, the wise keep away from the foolish.

“I think it is protecting yourself from the foolish.

If you appease yourself mindfully, when you know the other is angry.

Matali: Sakka I see the faults of patience in this manner.

ON the day the fool thinks, the other is patient, frightened of me,

He rises into the air, as the cattle that run away through fear.”

Sakka: “Let it be, I am patient out of fear, or not out of fear, when in great trouble, a lot of patience is not evident, if a powerful one appeases and endures for the sake of the weaker. To that is said the highest patience, the weak one endures all the time. To a weakness they said strength, when a fool showed his strength. To strong one protected by the Teaching does not change his path. Because of that it is evil, to make someone angry in return. Someone not arousing the anger of one, who made him angry, wins a battle. He behaves for the welfare of both, his own and the other. If someone appeases himself mindfully, knowing the other is angry, He heals the wounds of both, his own and the others. People not clever in the teaching say they are foolish.”

The dialogue which took place between chief of gods and his driver Matali, provides a good illustration on Buddhist conflicts settlement procedures. The procedure followed in respect of the party getting defeated in the battle of other conflict situations. This minimizes the recurrence of a war. The individual who was defeated at the battle is in a wrathful and angry mood. Instead of forgiving them and having mercy on such individuals many are encouraged to fight by some other means. Certain statements made by the driver Matali of that dialogue, encouraged the chief of gods for war once again. But being intelligent he evaded the situation.

Further it clearly points out this preaching of the Buddha describing the true mental attitude, stresses that acting patiently on such occasions is a quality of an intelligent person. If we do not act intelligently on such occasions it is seen that there is a space for further conflicts.

Finally the Buddha advised monks as follows:

“Bhikkhus, Sakka, the king of gods, supported by the fruits of his merits holds power over the splendour of the thirty-three and rules over them praising the arousing of effort. You having gone forth in this well declared dispensation become resplendent if you become patient and gentle.”

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