“Mendicants, these seven things that please and assist an enemy happen to an irritable woman or man. “Sattime, bhikkhave, dhammā sapattakantā sapattakaraṇā kodhanaṁ āgacchanti itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā. What seven? Katame satta?

Firstly, an enemy wishes for an enemy: Idha, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati: ‘If only they’d become ugly!’ ‘aho vatāyaṁ dubbaṇṇo assā’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because an enemy doesn’t like to have a beautiful enemy. Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa vaṇṇavatāya nandati. An irritable individual, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, is ugly, even though they’re nicely bathed and anointed, with hair and beard dressed, and wearing white clothes. Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto, kiñcāpi so hoti sunhāto suvilitto kappitakesamassu odātavatthavasano; atha kho so dubbaṇṇova hoti kodhābhibhūto. This is the first thing that pleases and assists an enemy which happens to an irritable woman or man. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy: Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati: ‘If only they’d sleep badly!’ ‘aho vatāyaṁ dukkhaṁ sayeyyā’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy who sleeps at ease. Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa sukhaseyyāya nandati. An irritable individual, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, sleeps badly, even though they sleep on a couch spread with woolen covers—shag-piled, pure white, or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide, with a canopy above and red pillows at both ends. Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto, kiñcāpi so pallaṅke seti gonakatthate paṭalikatthate kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇe sauttaracchade ubhatolohitakūpadhāne; atha kho so dukkhaññeva seti kodhābhibhūto. This is the second thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy: Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati: ‘If only their needs are not amply satisfied!’ ‘aho vatāyaṁ na pacurattho assā’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy whose needs are amply satisfied. Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa pacuratthatāya nandati. When an irritable individual, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, gets what they don’t need they think, ‘I’ve got what I need.’ When they get what they need they think, ‘I’ve got what I don’t need.’ Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto, anatthampi gahetvā ‘attho me gahito’ti maññati, atthampi gahetvā ‘anattho me gahito’ti maññati. When an angry person gets these things that are the exact opposite of what they need, it’s for their lasting harm and suffering. Tassime dhammā aññamaññaṁ vipaccanīkā gahitā dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya saṁvattanti kodhābhibhūtassa. This is the third thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy: Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati: ‘If only they weren’t wealthy!’ ‘aho vatāyaṁ na bhogavā assā’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy who is wealthy. Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa bhogavatāya nandati. When an individual is irritable, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, the rulers seize the legitimate wealth they’ve earned by their efforts, built up with their own hands, gathered by the sweat of their brow. Kodhanassa, bhikkhave, purisapuggalassa kodhābhibhūtassa kodhaparetassa, yepissa te honti bhogā uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatā bāhābalaparicitā sedāvakkhittā dhammikā dhammaladdhā, tepi rājāno rājakosaṁ pavesenti kodhābhibhūtassa. This is the fourth thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy: Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati: ‘If only they weren’t famous!’ ‘aho vatāyaṁ na yasavā assā’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because an enemy doesn’t like to have a famous enemy. Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa yasavatāya nandati. When an individual is irritable, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, any fame they have acquired by diligence falls to dust. Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto, yopissa so hoti yaso appamādādhigato, tamhāpi dhaṁsati kodhābhibhūto. This is the fifth thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy: Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati: ‘If only they had no friends!’ ‘aho vatāyaṁ na mittavā assā’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy with friends. Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa mittavatāya nandati. When an individual is irritable, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin avoid them from afar. Kodhanaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalaṁ kodhābhibhūtaṁ kodhaparetaṁ, yepissa te honti mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā, tepi ārakā parivajjanti kodhābhibhūtaṁ. This is the sixth thing … Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, chaṭṭho dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy: Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati: ‘If only, when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell!’ ‘aho vatāyaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyyā’ti. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy who goes to a good place. Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa sugatigamane nandati. When an individual is irritable, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati. So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya …pe… When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati kodhābhibhūto. This is the seventh thing that pleases and assists an enemy which happens to an irritable woman or man. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

These are the seven things that please and assist an enemy which happen to an irritable woman or man. Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta dhammā sapattakantā sapattakaraṇā kodhanaṁ āgacchanti itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vāti.

An irritable person is ugly Kodhano dubbaṇṇo hoti, and they sleep badly. atho dukkhampi seti so; When they get what they need, Atho atthaṁ gahetvāna, they take it to be what they don’t need. anatthaṁ adhipajjati.

An angry person Tato kāyena vācāya, kills with body or speech; vadhaṁ katvāna kodhano; overcome with anger, Kodhābhibhūto puriso, they lose their wealth. dhanajāniṁ nigacchati.

Mad with anger, Kodhasammadasammatto, they fall into disgrace. āyasakyaṁ nigacchati; Family, friends, and loved ones Ñātimittā suhajjā ca, avoid an irritable person. parivajjanti kodhanaṁ.

Anger creates harm; Anatthajanano kodho, anger upsets the mind. kodho cittappakopano; That person doesn’t recognize Bhayamantarato jātaṁ, the danger that arises within. taṁ jano nāvabujjhati.

An angry person doesn’t know the good. Kuddho atthaṁ na jānāti, An angry person doesn’t see the truth. kuddho dhammaṁ na passati; When a person is beset by anger, Andhatamaṁ tadā hoti, only blind darkness is left. yaṁ kodho sahate naraṁ.

An angry person destroys with ease Yaṁ kuddho uparodheti, what was hard to build. sukaraṁ viya dukkaraṁ; Afterwards, when the anger is spent, Pacchā so vigate kodhe, they’re tormented as if burnt by fire. aggidaḍḍhova tappati.

Their look betrays their sulkiness Dummaṅkuyaṁ padasseti, like a fire’s smoky plume. dhūmaṁ dhūmīva pāvako; And when their anger flares up, Yato patāyati kodho, they make others angry. yena kujjhanti mānavā.

They have no conscience or prudence, Nāssa hirī na ottappaṁ, nor any respectful speech. na vāco hoti gāravo; One overcome by anger Kodhena abhibhūtassa, has no island refuge anywhere. na dīpaṁ hoti kiñcanaṁ.

The deeds that torment a man Tapanīyāni kammāni, are far from those that are good. yāni dhammehi ārakā; I’ll explain them now; Tāni ārocayissāmi, listen to this, for it is the truth. taṁ suṇātha yathā tathaṁ.

An angry person slays their father; Kuddho hi pitaraṁ hanti, their mother, too, they slay. hanti kuddho samātaraṁ; An angry person slays a saint; Kuddho hi brāhmaṇaṁ hanti, a normal person, too, they slay. hanti kuddho puthujjanaṁ.

A man is raised by his mother, Yāya mātu bhato poso, who shows him the world. imaṁ lokaṁ avekkhati; But an angry ordinary person slays Tampi pāṇadadiṁ santiṁ, even that good woman who gave him life. hanti kuddho puthujjano.

Like oneself, those sentient beings Attūpamā hi te sattā, hold themselves most dear. attā hi paramo piyo; But when angered, they kill themselves in different ways, Hanti kuddho puthuttānaṁ, distraught in many respects. nānārūpesu mucchito.

Some kill themselves with swords, Asinā hanti attānaṁ, some, distraught, take poison. visaṁ khādanti mucchitā; Some hang themselves with rope, Rajjuyā bajjha mīyanti, or fling themselves down a mountain gorge. pabbatāmapi kandare.

When they commit deeds of killing babes Bhūnahaccāni kammāni, and killing themselves, attamāraṇiyāni ca; they don’t realize what they do, Karontā nāvabujjhanti, for anger leads to their downfall. kodhajāto parābhavo.

The snare of death in the form of anger Itāyaṁ kodharūpena, lies hidden in the heart. maccupāso guhāsayo; You should cut it out by self-control, Taṁ damena samucchinde, by wisdom, energy, and right ideas. paññāvīriyena diṭṭhiyā.

An astute person should cut out Yathā metaṁ akusalaṁ, this unskillful thing. samucchindetha paṇḍito; And they’d train in the teaching in just the same way, Tatheva dhamme sikkhetha, not yielding to sulkiness. mā no dummaṅkuyaṁ ahu.

Free of anger, free of despair, Vītakodhā anāyāsā, free of greed, with no more longing, Vītalobhā anussukā; tamed, having given up anger, Dantā kodhaṁ pahantvāna, the undefiled are fully extinguished.” Parinibbanti anāsavā”ti.

Abyākatavaggo chaṭṭho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Abyākato purisagati, Tissa sīha arakkhiyaṁ; Kimilaṁ satta pacalā, Mettā bhariyā kodhekādasāti.