The Buddha explains the cause and condition by which a person comes to be recognized as aggressive or gentle. He illuminates how the presence or absence of passion, aversion, and delusion determines whether one is susceptible to provocation and reacts with anger, or remains unshaken.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
Atha kho caṇḍo gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho caṇḍo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the |headman::head of the village, chieftain [gāmaṇi]| Caṇḍa approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the headman Caṇḍa said to the Blessed One:
“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo yena midhekacco caṇḍo caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Ko pana, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo yena midhekacco sorato soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatī”ti?
“What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the supporting condition whereby here a certain person is recognized as |aggressive::fierce, savage, wrathful [caṇḍa]|? And what, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the supporting condition whereby here a certain person is recognized as |gentle::polite, easy-going, calm [sorata]|?”
“Idha, gāmaṇi, ekaccassa rāgo appahīno hoti. Rāgassa appahīnattā pare kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ pātukaroti. So caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Doso appahīno hoti. Dosassa appahīnattā pare kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ pātukaroti. So caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Moho appahīno hoti. Mohassa appahīnattā pare kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ pātukaroti. So caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Ayaṁ kho, gāmaṇi, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo yena midhekacco caṇḍo caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.
“Here, headman, a certain person has not abandoned |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]|. Because passion is not abandoned in him, he is susceptible to others’ provocation, and |being provoked::being disturbed, upset, lit. being caused to shake [kopiyamāna]| by others, he displays |anger::indignance, wrath, rage, the mental quality of being disturbed, being shaken up [kopa]|, and he is thus recognized as aggressive. He has not abandoned |aversion::hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]|. Because aversion is not abandoned in him, he is susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he displays anger, and he is thus recognized as aggressive. He has not abandoned |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]|. Because delusion is not abandoned in him, he is susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he displays anger, and he is thus recognized as aggressive. This, headman, is the cause, this is the supporting condition whereby here a certain person is recognized as aggressive.
Idha pana, gāmaṇi, ekaccassa rāgo pahīno hoti. Rāgassa pahīnattā pare na kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ na pātukaroti. So soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Doso pahīno hoti. Dosassa pahīnattā pare na kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ na pātukaroti. So soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Moho pahīno hoti. Mohassa pahīnattā pare na kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ na pātukaroti. So soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Ayaṁ kho, gāmaṇi, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena midhekacco sorato soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatī”ti.
Moreover here, headman, a certain person has abandoned passion. Because passion is abandoned in him, he is not susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he does not display anger, and he is thus recognized as gentle. He has abandoned aversion. Because aversion is abandoned in him, he is not susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he does not display anger, and he is thus recognized as gentle. He has abandoned delusion. Because delusion is abandoned in him, he is not susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he does not display anger, and he is thus recognized as gentle.
Evaṁ vutte, caṇḍo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante. Seyyathāpi, bhante, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhagavatā anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
When this was said, the headman Caṇḍa said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! Just as if one were to set upright what had been overturned, |reveal::uncover [vivarati]| what had been concealed, point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms — even so, venerable sir, the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| has been |explained::illustrated [pakāsita]| by the Blessed One in many ways. I go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who, from this day forward, has gone to refuge for life.”
At Sāvatthi.
Then the |headman::head of the village, chieftain [gāmaṇi]| Caṇḍa approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the headman Caṇḍa said to the Blessed One:
“What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the supporting condition whereby here a certain person is recognized as |aggressive::fierce, savage, wrathful [caṇḍa]|? And what, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the supporting condition whereby here a certain person is recognized as |gentle::polite, easy-going, calm [sorata]|?”
“Here, headman, a certain person has not abandoned |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]|. Because passion is not abandoned in him, he is susceptible to others’ provocation, and |being provoked::being disturbed, upset, lit. being caused to shake [kopiyamāna]| by others, he displays |anger::indignance, wrath, rage, the mental quality of being disturbed, being shaken up [kopa]|, and he is thus recognized as aggressive. He has not abandoned |aversion::hatred, hostility, mental attitude of rejection, fault-finding, resentful disapproval [dosa]|. Because aversion is not abandoned in him, he is susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he displays anger, and he is thus recognized as aggressive. He has not abandoned |delusion::illusion, misperception, erroneous belief, false idea, misapprehension; a fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt [moha]|. Because delusion is not abandoned in him, he is susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he displays anger, and he is thus recognized as aggressive. This, headman, is the cause, this is the supporting condition whereby here a certain person is recognized as aggressive.
Moreover here, headman, a certain person has abandoned passion. Because passion is abandoned in him, he is not susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he does not display anger, and he is thus recognized as gentle. He has abandoned aversion. Because aversion is abandoned in him, he is not susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he does not display anger, and he is thus recognized as gentle. He has abandoned delusion. Because delusion is abandoned in him, he is not susceptible to others’ provocation, and being provoked by others, he does not display anger, and he is thus recognized as gentle.
When this was said, the headman Caṇḍa said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! Just as if one were to set upright what had been overturned, |reveal::uncover [vivarati]| what had been concealed, point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms — even so, venerable sir, the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| has been |explained::illustrated [pakāsita]| by the Blessed One in many ways. I go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Dhamma, and to the |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who, from this day forward, has gone to refuge for life.”
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Atha kho caṇḍo gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho caṇḍo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo yena midhekacco caṇḍo caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Ko pana, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo yena midhekacco sorato soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatī”ti?
“Idha, gāmaṇi, ekaccassa rāgo appahīno hoti. Rāgassa appahīnattā pare kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ pātukaroti. So caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Doso appahīno hoti. Dosassa appahīnattā pare kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ pātukaroti. So caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Moho appahīno hoti. Mohassa appahīnattā pare kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ pātukaroti. So caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Ayaṁ kho, gāmaṇi, hetu, ayaṁ paccayo yena midhekacco caṇḍo caṇḍotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.
Idha pana, gāmaṇi, ekaccassa rāgo pahīno hoti. Rāgassa pahīnattā pare na kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ na pātukaroti. So soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Doso pahīno hoti. Dosassa pahīnattā pare na kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ na pātukaroti. So soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Moho pahīno hoti. Mohassa pahīnattā pare na kopenti, parehi kopiyamāno kopaṁ na pātukaroti. So soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Ayaṁ kho, gāmaṇi, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena midhekacco sorato soratotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatī”ti.
Evaṁ vutte, caṇḍo gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante. Seyyathāpi, bhante, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhagavatā anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.