Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
Atha kho māgho devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho māgho devaputto bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then, when the night had advanced, the young deity |Māgha::An epithet of Sakka, lord of the deities. In a past human life, he was known as Magha, a virtuous man who performed meritorious deeds, leading to his rebirth as Sakka. [māgha]|, with a radiant appearance, illuminating the entire Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he paid homage to the Blessed One, and addressed the Blessed One in verse:
“Kiṁsu chetvā sukhaṁ seti,
kiṁsu chetvā na socati;
Kissassu ekadhammassa,
vadhaṁ rocesi gotamā”ti.
“What should one cut off to sleep with ease?
Having slain what one does not |sorrow::grieve [socati]|?
Is there any single thing |Gotama::family name of the Buddha [gotamā]|,
whose killing you approve of?”
“Kodhaṁ chetvā sukhaṁ seti,
kodhaṁ chetvā na socati;
Kodhassa visamūlassa,
madhuraggassa vatrabhū;
Vadhaṁ ariyā pasaṁsanti,
tañhi chetvā na socatī”ti.
[The Blessed One:] “Cutting off |anger::rage, wrath, fury, indignation [kodha]|, one sleeps with ease,
having slain anger, one sorrows no more.
The killing of anger, |Vatrabhū::epithet of Sakka. He is called Vatrabhū because he attained rulership among the deities by overcoming others with his conduct, or because he overcame the asura named Vatra [vatrabhū]|,
with its poisonous root, and honeyed tip:
This is the killing the Noble Ones praise,
for having slain that, one does not sorrow.”