6. Abyākatavagga

Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.64

Numbered Discourses 7.64

6. Abyākatavagga

6. The Undeclared Points

Kodhanasutta

Irritable

“Sattime, bhikkhave, dhammā sapattakantā sapattakaraṇā kodhanaṁ āgacchanti itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

“Mendicants, these seven things that please and assist an enemy happen to an irritable woman or man.

Katame satta?

What seven?

Idha, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati:

Firstly, an enemy wishes for an enemy:

‘aho vatāyaṁ dubbaṇṇo assā’ti.

‘If only they’d become ugly!’

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa vaṇṇavatāya nandati.

Because an enemy doesn’t like to have a beautiful enemy.

Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto, kiñcāpi so hoti sunhāto suvilitto kappitakesamassu odātavatthavasano;

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.

atha kho so dubbaṇṇova hoti kodhābhibhūto.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

This is the first thing that pleases and assists an enemy which happens to an irritable woman or man.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati:

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy:

‘aho vatāyaṁ dukkhaṁ sayeyyā’ti.

‘If only they’d sleep badly!’

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa sukhaseyyāya nandati.

Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy who sleeps at ease.

Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto, kiñcāpi so pallaṅke seti gonakatthate paṭalikatthate kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇe sauttaracchade ubhatolohitakūpadhāne;

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.

atha kho so dukkhaññeva seti kodhābhibhūto.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

This is the second thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati:

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy:

‘aho vatāyaṁ na pacurattho assā’ti.

‘If only their needs are not amply satisfied!’

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa pacuratthatāya nandati.

Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy whose needs are amply satisfied.

Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto, anatthampi gahetvā ‘attho me gahito’ti maññati, atthampi gahetvā ‘anattho me gahito’ti maññati.

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.’

Tassime dhammā aññamaññaṁ vipaccanīkā gahitā dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya saṁvattanti kodhābhibhūtassa.

When an angry person gets these things that are the exact opposite of what they need, it’s for their lasting harm and suffering.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

This is the third thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati:

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy:

‘aho vatāyaṁ na bhogavā assā’ti.

‘If only they weren’t wealthy!’

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa bhogavatāya nandati.

Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy who is wealthy.

Kodhanassa, bhikkhave, purisapuggalassa kodhābhibhūtassa kodhaparetassa, yepissa te honti bhogā uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatā bāhābalaparicitā sedāvakkhittā dhammikā dhammaladdhā, tepi rājāno rājakosaṁ pavesenti kodhābhibhūtassa.

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.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

This is the fourth thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati:

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy:

‘aho vatāyaṁ na yasavā assā’ti.

‘If only they weren’t famous!’

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa yasavatāya nandati.

Because an enemy doesn’t like to have a famous enemy.

Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto, yopissa so hoti yaso appamādādhigato, tamhāpi dhaṁsati kodhābhibhūto.

When an individual is irritable, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, any fame they have acquired by diligence falls to dust.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, pañcamo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

This is the fifth thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati:

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy:

‘aho vatāyaṁ na mittavā assā’ti.

‘If only they had no friends!’

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa mittavatāya nandati.

Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy with friends.

Kodhanaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalaṁ kodhābhibhūtaṁ kodhaparetaṁ, yepissa te honti mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā, tepi ārakā parivajjanti kodhābhibhūtaṁ.

When an individual is irritable, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin avoid them from afar.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, chaṭṭho dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

This is the sixth thing …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṁ icchati:

Furthermore, an enemy wishes for an enemy:

‘aho vatāyaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjeyyā’ti.

‘If only, when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell!’

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa sugatigamane nandati.

Because an enemy doesn’t like to have an enemy who goes to a good place.

Kodhanoyaṁ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto kāyena duccaritaṁ carati, vācāya duccaritaṁ carati, manasā duccaritaṁ carati.

When an individual is irritable, overcome and overwhelmed by anger, they do bad things by way of body, speech, and mind.

So kāyena duccaritaṁ caritvā vācāya …pe…

kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati kodhābhibhūto.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sattamo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṁ āgacchati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā.

This is the seventh thing that pleases and assists an enemy which happens to an irritable woman or man.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, satta dhammā sapattakantā sapattakaraṇā kodhanaṁ āgacchanti itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vāti.

These are the seven things that please and assist an enemy which happen to an irritable woman or man.

Kodhano dubbaṇṇo hoti,

An irritable person is ugly

atho dukkhampi seti so;

and they sleep badly.

Atho atthaṁ gahetvāna,

When they get what they need,

anatthaṁ adhipajjati.

they take it to be what they don’t need.

Tato kāyena vācāya,

An angry person

vadhaṁ katvāna kodhano;

kills with body or speech;

Kodhābhibhūto puriso,

overcome with anger,

dhanajāniṁ nigacchati.

they lose their wealth.

Kodhasammadasammatto,

Mad with anger,

āyasakyaṁ nigacchati;

they fall into disgrace.

Ñātimittā suhajjā ca,

Family, friends, and loved ones

parivajjanti kodhanaṁ.

avoid an irritable person.

Anatthajanano kodho,

Anger creates harm;

kodho cittappakopano;

anger upsets the mind.

Bhayamantarato jātaṁ,

That person doesn’t recognize

taṁ jano nāvabujjhati.

the danger that arises within.

Kuddho atthaṁ na jānāti,

An angry person doesn’t know the good.

kuddho dhammaṁ na passati;

An angry person doesn’t see the truth.

Andhatamaṁ tadā hoti,

When a person is beset by anger,

yaṁ kodho sahate naraṁ.

only blind darkness is left.

Yaṁ kuddho uparodheti,

An angry person destroys with ease

sukaraṁ viya dukkaraṁ;

what was hard to build.

Pacchā so vigate kodhe,

Afterwards, when the anger is spent,

aggidaḍḍhova tappati.

they’re tormented as if burnt by fire.

Dummaṅkuyaṁ padasseti,

Their look betrays their sulkiness

dhūmaṁ dhūmīva pāvako;

like a fire’s smoky plume.

Yato patāyati kodho,

And when their anger flares up,

yena kujjhanti mānavā.

they make others angry.

Nāssa hirī na ottappaṁ,

They have no conscience or prudence,

na vāco hoti gāravo;

nor any respectful speech.

Kodhena abhibhūtassa,

One overcome by anger

na dīpaṁ hoti kiñcanaṁ.

has no island refuge anywhere.

Tapanīyāni kammāni,

The deeds that torment a man

yāni dhammehi ārakā;

are far from those that are good.

Tāni ārocayissāmi,

I’ll explain them now;

taṁ suṇātha yathā tathaṁ.

listen to this, for it is the truth.

Kuddho hi pitaraṁ hanti,

An angry person slays their father;

hanti kuddho samātaraṁ;

their mother, too, they slay.

Kuddho hi brāhmaṇaṁ hanti,

An angry person slays a saint;

hanti kuddho puthujjanaṁ.

a normal person, too, they slay.

Yāya mātu bhato poso,

A man is raised by his mother,

imaṁ lokaṁ avekkhati;

who shows him the world.

Tampi pāṇadadiṁ santiṁ,

But an angry ordinary person slays

hanti kuddho puthujjano.

even that good woman who gave him life.

Attūpamā hi te sattā,

Like oneself, those sentient beings

attā hi paramo piyo;

hold themselves most dear.

Hanti kuddho puthuttānaṁ,

But when angered, they kill themselves in different ways,

nānārūpesu mucchito.

distraught in many respects.

Asinā hanti attānaṁ,

Some kill themselves with swords,

visaṁ khādanti mucchitā;

some, distraught, take poison.

Rajjuyā bajjha mīyanti,

Some hang themselves with rope,

pabbatāmapi kandare.

or fling themselves down a mountain gorge.

Bhūnahaccāni kammāni,

When they commit deeds of killing babes

attamāraṇiyāni ca;

and killing themselves,

Karontā nāvabujjhanti,

they don’t realize what they do,

kodhajāto parābhavo.

for anger leads to their downfall.

Itāyaṁ kodharūpena,

The snare of death in the form of anger

maccupāso guhāsayo;

lies hidden in the heart.

Taṁ damena samucchinde,

You should cut it out by self-control,

paññāvīriyena diṭṭhiyā.

by wisdom, energy, and right ideas.

Yathā metaṁ akusalaṁ,

An astute person should cut out

samucchindetha paṇḍito;

this unskillful thing.

Tatheva dhamme sikkhetha,

And they’d train in the teaching in just the same way,

mā no dummaṅkuyaṁ ahu.

not yielding to sulkiness.

Vītakodhā anāyāsā,

Free of anger, free of despair,

Vītalobhā anussukā;

free of greed, with no more longing,

Dantā kodhaṁ pahantvāna,

tamed, having given up anger,

Parinibbanti anāsavā”ti.

the undefiled are fully extinguished.

Ekādasamaṁ.

Abyākatavaggo chaṭṭho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Abyākato purisagati,

Tissa sīha arakkhiyaṁ;

Kimilaṁ satta pacalā,

Mettā bhariyā kodhekādasāti.