Version 1:
“He reviled me! He struck me!
He defeated me! He robbed me!”
They who do not gird themselves up with this,
For them is enmity quelled.
Version 2:
“He insulted me,
hit me,
beat me,
robbed me” —
for those who don’t brood on this,
hostility is stilled.
Version 3:
“He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.” Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.
Commentary:
Ah! Right intention at work again. When confronted with a slew of bees that keep coming out of the chimney, all I want to do is do away with them, the chimney, this rented house, and so on! What is the intention in this moment? How can it be directed in a more wholesome manner?
(Note: Version 1 is from the John Ross Carter and Mahinda Palihawadana translation. Version 2 is from the Thanissaro Bhikkhu translation. Version 3 is from the Acharya Buddharakkhita translation.)
Oh, I like the first version especially!
We use thoughts like this (“case building”) to “gird” ourselves against impermanence, non-self and suffering.
Doesn’t work so well…