Tissa is reproached (SA-2.7)

Thus have I heard, once, the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, the Anāthapiṇḍika Park.

At that time there was a monk named Tissa, who was a son of the Buddha’s paternal aunt. Relying on his kinship with the Buddha, he often harbored arrogance, did not respect the elder and virtuous monks, and behaved without conscience and shame. He often talked a lot, but when the other monks said little in return, he became angry. Some monks having observed this a few times, went to the Buddha, holding their hands with palms together in salutation paid homage at his feet and sat to one side. They told the Buddha: “World-honored One! Tissa often harbors arrogance, says of himself: ‘I am the son of the Buddha’s paternal aunt.’ He thinks little of the elder monks. He often talks a lot and when the other monks say little in return, he becomes angry.” The Buddha told the monks: “Go now and call monk Tissa.” As ordered by the Buddha they went and summoned Tissa. When he received the summons, he went to the Buddha, and having paid homage at his feet, sat to one side. The Tathāgata then said to Tissa: “Is it true that when meeting the elder monks, your mind is without respect, without conscience and shame? Is it true that you are talking a lot and when the other monks say little in return, you become angry?” Tissa answered: “It is true, World-honored One!” The Buddha told Tissa: “Especially since you are the son of my paternal aunt, you should generate deep respect towards the venerable and virtuous elders and all monks, and your demeanor should be conscientious and with a sense of shame. You should speak less, listen to what others say, and be tolerant.”

At that time the Buddha spoke a verse:

“Always practice the good, never generate anger /
whatever generates anger cannot be called good.
Tissa, now that you are here with me /
cut off your anger and arrogance;
practice all that is good and live a pure and chaste life /
I am happy for those who do so.”

When the Buddha had finished speaking, the monks, having listened to what he had said, were happy and remembered it well.

Translation by Marcus Bingenheimer, 2005–8 (minor revisions 2009). First version published in Buddhist Studies Review vol. 23.1 (2006). The translations used here were revised by the translator and published in his Studies in Āgama Literature—with Special Reference to the Shorter Chinese Saṁyuktāgama, Dharma Drum Buddhist College, 2010.

Translated from the Taishō text of the CBETA-Database (Version Feb. 2006). All sutta titles added by the translator.

This series of translations were part of the project “A Digital Comparative Edition of the Bieyi za ahan jing” conducted at the Chung-hwa Institute for Buddhist Studies (中華佛學研究所) and the Dharma Drum Buddhist College (法鼓佛教研修學院), funded by the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange (蔣經國國際學術交流基金會). The full project, including parallel Chinese, Pali, and Sanskrit texts, is available online here.

Used with kind permission of the translator.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.