Māghasutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. 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:

At Sāvatthī. Then, late at night, the glorious godling Māgha, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Kiṁsu chetvā sukhaṁ seti, kiṁsu chetvā na socati; Kissassu ekadhammassa, vadhaṁ rocesi gotamā”ti.

“When what is slain do you sleep at ease? When what is slain is there no sorrow? What is the one thing whose killing you approve?”

“Kodhaṁ chetvā sukhaṁ seti, kodhaṁ chetvā na socati; Kodhassa visamūlassa, madhuraggassa vatrabhū; Vadhaṁ ariyā pasaṁsanti, tañhi chetvā na socatī”ti.

“When anger’s slain you sleep at ease. When anger’s slain there is no sorrow. Anger has a poisonous root and a sweet tip, O Smiter of the Constrictor. The noble ones praise its killing, for when it’s slain there is no sorrow.”