Searching for a sutta about revenge

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TamHanhHi
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Searching for a sutta about revenge

Post by TamHanhHi »

I can't remember if this is a sutta or if it's from the Vinaya—or if I just heard a monk talk about it—but basically the story goes that a king killed a rival king and queen, but he didn't know they had a son. That son eventually grew up and, seeking revenge on the king, became close to him. He had a chance to slit the king's throat one day finally while the king was napping, but decided, in a huge act of metta, not to, to put an end to their animosities right then and there so as not to continue this cycle of revenge. Anyone know?
"Just as a large banyan tree, on level ground where four roads meet, is a haven for the birds all around, even so a lay person of conviction is a haven for many people: monks, nuns, male lay followers, & female lay followers."AN 5.38
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salayatananirodha
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Re: Searching for a sutta about revenge

Post by salayatananirodha »

5. There is Strength in Forbearance
Then, monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, spoke thus to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘Do you, my good youngster, attend on me.’ Then monks, Prince Dīghāvu answered ‘Yes, Sire’, in assent to Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi. Then monks, Prince Dīghāvu became an early riser than Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, he lay down later, he was a willing servant, eager to please, speaking affectionately. Then, monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, soon established Prince Dīghāvu in a confidential position of trust.
Then monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, spoke thus to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘Well now, good youngster, harness a chariot, I will go out hunting.’ And, monks, Prince Dīghāvu having answered ‘Yes, Sire’, in assent to Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, having harnessed a chariot spoke thus to Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi: ‘A chariot is harnessed for you, Sire, for whatever you may think it is now the right time.’
Then monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, mounted the chariot, Prince Dīghāvu drove the chariot, and he drove the chariot in such a manner that the army went by one way and the chariot by another. Then monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, having gone far, spoke thus to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘Well now, good youngster, unharness the chariot; as I am tired. I will lie down.’ And, monks, Prince Dīghāvu having answered ‘Yes, Sire’, in assent to Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, having unharnessed the chariot, sat down cross-legged on the ground. Then, monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, lay down and having laid his head on Prince Dīghāvu’s lap, and because he was tired he fell asleep at once.
Then, monks, it occurred to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘This Brahmadatta, King of Kāsi, has done us much mischief; he has stolen our troops and vehicles and territory and storehouses and granaries, and he has killed my parents. This could be a time
when I could show my wrath, and he drew his sword from its sheath. Then monks, it occurred to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘My father spoke to me thus, at the time of his dying: ‘Do not you, dear Dīghāvu, look far or close, for dear Dīghāvu, wrathful moods are not allayed by wrath, wrathful moods, dear Dīghāvu, are allayed by non-wrath.’ It would not be suitable for me to transgress my father’s words, and he replaced his sword in its sheath. And a second time, monks, it occurred to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘This Brahmadatta............, when I could show my wrath’, and he drew his sword from its sheath. And a second time it occurred to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘My father spoke to me thus..... It would not be suitable for me to transgress my father’s words’, and again he replaced his sword in its sheath. And a third time.... and again he replaced his sword in its sheath. Then monks, Brahmadatta, King of Kāsi, frightened, agitated, fearful, alarmed, suddenly got up. Then monks, Prince Dīghāvu spoke thus to Brahmadatta, King of Kāsi, ‘Why do you, Sire, frightened... suddenly get up? He said: ‘As I was dreaming here, my good youngster, the son of Dīghīti, the King of Kosala, attacked me with a sword. That is why I, frightened, suddenly got up.’
Then, monks, Prince Dīghāvu, having stroked the head of Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, with his left hand, having drawn his sword with his right hand, spoke thus to Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, ‘I Sire, am Prince Dīghāvu, that son of Dīghīti, the King of Kosala. You have done us much mischief. Our troops, vehicles, territory, storehouses and granaries were stolen by you, and my parents were killed by you. This could be a time when I could show my wrath. Then monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, inclining his head towards Prince Dīghāvu’s feet, spoke thus to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘Grant me my life, dear Dīghāvu, grant me my life, dear Dīghāvu.’
‘How am I able to grant life to a king? It is a king who should grant me life.’
‘Well then dear Dīghāvu, you grant me life and I will grant you life.’
Then, monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, and Prince Dīghāvu granted life to one another and they took hold of (one another’s) hands and they made an oath to do (one another) no harm. Then, monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, spoke thus to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘Well then, dear Dīghāvu, harness the chariot; we will go away.’ And, monks, Prince Dīghāvu having answered: ‘Yes Sire’ in assent to Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, having harnessed the chariot, spoke thus to Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi: ‘The chariot is harnessed for you Sire, for whatever you may think it is the right time.’ Then, monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, mounted the chariot, Prince Dīghāvu drove the chariot, and he drove the chariot in such a manner that soon it met the army.
Then, monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, having entered Benares having had the ministers and councillors convened, spoke thus: ‘If, good sirs, you should see Prince Dīghāvu, the son of Dīghīti, the King of Kosala, what would you do to him?’ Some spoke thus: ‘We, Sire, would cut off his hands; we Sire, would cut off his feet; ..... his ears, his nose, .... his ears and nose,... we Sire, would cut off his head.’
Then, monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, said: ‘This, good sirs, is Prince Dīghāvu, the son of Dīghīti, the King of Kosala; there is no occasion to do anything (against him); life was granted by him to me and life was granted by me to him.’
Then, monks Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, spoke thus to Prince Dīghāvu: ‘Concerning that, dear Dīghāvu, which your father said to you at the time of dying: ‘Do not you, dear Dīghāvu, look far or close, for dear Dīghāvu, wrathful moods are not allayed by wrath, wrathful moods, dear Dīghāvu, are allayed by non-wrath’, what did your father mean? He said:
‘Concerning that, Sire, which my father said to me at that time of dying – ‘not far’ means, do not bear wrath long. This is what my father said to me at the time of dying, when he said ‘not far’. Concerning that, sire, which my father said to me at the time of dying ‘not close’ means: ‘do not hastily break with a friend’. This is what my father said to me, Sire, at the time of dying, when he said ‘not close’. Concerning that Sire, which my father said to me at the time of dying: ‘for, dear Dīghāvu, wrathful moods are not allayed by wrath’ means: my parents were killed by a king, but if I were to deprive the king of life and those who desired the king’s welfare would deprive me of life and those who desired my welfare would deprive the king of life; thus that wrath would not be settled by wrath. But now that life is granted to me by a king and life is granted to a king by me, thus is wrath settled by non-wrath. This is what my father said to me, Sire, at the time of dying when he said: ‘for, dear Dīghāvu, wrathful moods are not allayed by wrath, wrathful moods, dear Dīghāvu, are allayed by non-wrath.’
Then, monks, Brahmadatta, the King of Kāsi, thinking: ‘Indeed it is marvellous, indeed it is wonderful that this Prince Dīghāvu is so clever that he understands in full, the matter which was spoken by his father in brief’, gave back his father’s troops and vehicles and territory and store-houses and granaries and gave him his daughter..

Book of Discipline IV pp 495ff.
Excerpts from Vinaya Mahāvagga Dighāvubhānavāra ‘Na hi verena verāni – sammantīdha kudācanaṁ
averena ca sammantī – esa dhammo sanantano
’ – Dhp. V. 5
'Never by hatred are hatreds appeased Only by non-hatred are they appeased This is the Eternal Law.'
http://seeingthroughthenet.net/wp-conte ... _Heart.pdf
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TamHanhHi
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Re: Searching for a sutta about revenge

Post by TamHanhHi »

That's the one! So it was the Vinaya. Thank you :anjali:
"Just as a large banyan tree, on level ground where four roads meet, is a haven for the birds all around, even so a lay person of conviction is a haven for many people: monks, nuns, male lay followers, & female lay followers."AN 5.38
auto
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Re: Searching for a sutta about revenge

Post by auto »

what else could be learnt here,

thoughts occurs three times urges to do something, and the scenario plays out in recipent mind causing waking up to the senses with scenario and feelings already played out in mind; the past deed got destroyed by a result.

will the deed destroyed always in dreamlike state or is the real sense that things really happen or both, required for to destroy deed?
..
unlived feelings come into being through generative organs. If stop that activity then the fruit, result play through the mind. It would make sense how full abstinence or dumb austerities may won't work because if not let the result happen then its just delay what is to come anyway. I think that isn't even a issue, since its non-wrath..anything non-.. people who decide to eat 10 bananas a day and hope to get liberated is wrong imo unless its part of vinaya.
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Nicolas
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Re: Searching for a sutta about revenge

Post by Nicolas »

That story is also mentioned in two Jataka tales (Ja 371 and Ja 428) as well as in parallels to the Upakkilesa Sutta (MN 128) in the Madhyama-agama (MA 72) and Ekottarika-agama (EA 24.8).
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