The Buddha counsels his cousin Tissa, who weeps because mendicants jeer at him, teaching that one who admonishes others must also accept admonition—and that the spiritual life is lived to remove anger, conceit, and denigration.

SN 21.9 With Tissa

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Atha kho āyasmā tisso bhagavato pitucchāputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi dukkhī dummano assūni pavattayamāno. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ tissaṁ etadavoca:

“kiṁ nu kho tvaṁ, tissa, ekamantaṁ nisinno dukkhī dummano assūni pavattayamāno”ti?

“Tathā hi pana maṁ, bhante, bhikkhū samantā vācāyasannitodakena sañjambharimakaṁsū”ti.

“Tathāhi pana tvaṁ, tissa, vattā no ca vacanakkhamo; na kho te taṁ, tissa, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa, yaṁ tvaṁ vattā no ca vacanakkhamo. Etaṁ kho te, tissa, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa: ‘yaṁ tvaṁ vattā ca assa vacanakkhamo cā’”ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“Kiṁ nu kujjhasi kujjhi,
Akkodho tissa te varaṁ;
Kodhamānamakkhavinayatthañhi,
Tissa brahmacariyaṁ vussatī”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho āyasmā tisso bhagavato pitucchāputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi dukkhī dummano assūni pavattayamāno. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ tissaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Tissa—the Buddha’s cousin on his father’s side—went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. He was miserable and sad, with tears flowing. Then the Buddha said to him:

“kiṁ nu kho tvaṁ, tissa, ekamantaṁ nisinno dukkhī dummano assūni pavattayamāno”ti?

“Tissa, why are you sitting there so miserable and sad, with tears flowing?”

“Tathā hi pana maṁ, bhante, bhikkhū samantā vācāyasannitodakena sañjambharimakaṁsū”ti.

“Sir, it’s because the mendicants beset me on all sides with sneering and jeering.”

“Tathāhi pana tvaṁ, tissa, vattā no ca vacanakkhamo;

“That’s because you admonish others, but don’t accept admonition yourself.

na kho te taṁ, tissa, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa, yaṁ tvaṁ vattā no ca vacanakkhamo.

As a gentleman who has gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness, it’s not appropriate for you to admonish others without accepting admonition yourself.

Etaṁ kho te, tissa, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa:

It’s appropriate for you to

‘yaṁ tvaṁ vattā ca assa vacanakkhamo cā’”ti.

admonish others and accept admonition yourself.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Kiṁ nu kujjhasi kujjhi,

“Why are you angry? Don’t be angry!

Akkodho tissa te varaṁ;

It’s better to not be angry, Tissa.

Kodhamānamakkhavinayatthañhi,

For this spiritual life is lived

Tissa brahmacariyaṁ vussatī”ti.

in order to remove anger, conceit, and denigration.”

Navamaṁ.

Qualities:

Anger

Anger

A burning surge of aversion that erupts against people or situations, scorching clarity and kindness. It distorts perception and drives speech and action toward harm.

Also known as: rage, wrath, fury, indignation
Pāli: kodha, kopa
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Conceit

Conceit

Self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth

Also known as: arrogance, egotism, pride, self-importance, tendency of self-comparison
Pāli: māna, atimāna, unnaḷa
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Contempt

Contempt

A dismissive or belittling attitude that refuses to acknowledge worth or goodness. It closes the heart, undermines gratitude, and prepares the ground for ill will.

Also known as: ungratefulness, depreciation, denigration, disrespect, belittlement, disparagement
Pāli: makkha, vambhaka
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Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
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Spiritual life

Spiritual life

A life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures

Also known as: abstinence, celibacy, chastity, holy life, sexual restraint
Pāli: brahmacariya
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Last updated on July 27, 2026