Saɱyutta Nikāya
I. Sagatha Vagga
11. Sakkasaɱyutta
Sutta 22
Dubbaṇṇiya Suttaṃ
Ugly
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Sourced from the edition at dhammatalks.org
Provenance, terms and conditons
[22.1][piya][rhyc][bodh] Near Sāvatthī.
"Once, monks, a certain yakkha — ugly and misshapen — sat down on Sakka the deva-king's seat.
Then the devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, and complained:
'Isn't it amazing, good sirs!
Isn't it astounding!
This yakkha — ugly and misshapen — has sat down on Sakka's seat!'
But the more the devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, and complained, the more well-formed that yakkha became, the more good-looking and inspiring.
"Then the devas of the Thirty-three went to Sakka the deva-king and, on arrival, said to him, 'Just now, dear sir, a certain yakkha — ugly and misshapen — sat down on your seat.
The devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, and complained:
"Isn't it amazing, good sirs!
Isn't it astounding!
This yakkha — ugly and misshapen — has sat down on Sakka's seat!"
But the more the devas of the Thirty-three were indignant, annoyed, and complained, the more well-formed that yakkha became, the more good-looking and inspiring.'
"'Then, dear sirs, he must be an anger-eating yakkha.'
"So Sakka the deva-king approached the anger-eating yakkha and, on arrival, arranging his upper robe over one shoulder and kneeling with one knee on the ground, raised his hands palm-to-palm over his heart toward the anger-eating yakkha and announced his name three times, 'I, dear sir, am Sakka the deva-king!
I, dear sir, am Sakka the deva-king!
I, dear sir, am Sakka the deva-king!'[1]
The more Sakka the deva-king announced his name, the uglier and more misshapen the yakkha became.
Then, having become uglier and more misshapen, he disappeared right there.
"Then Sakka the deva-king, sitting down on his seat and conciliating the devas of the Thirthy-three, on that occasion recited these verses:
"'I'm not easily upset in mind,
nor easily led into a whirl.
I don't get angry for long.
Anger doesn't persist in me.
When angry, I don't speak harshly
or insist on my virtues.
I keep myself well under control
with an eye to my own good.'"
[1] Repeating one's name in this fashion was, at that time, considered a sign of respect. See DN 16, note 46.
Of Related Interest:
MN 21;
SN 1:71;
SN 3:23;
SN 7:2;
AN 3:34 [DTO #35];
AN 3:130 [DTO #133];
AN 4:200;
AN 5:161–162;
AN 7:60;
AN 10:80;
Dhp XVII
