Chetvā sutta: Slain

At Sāvatthī.

Standing to one side, that deity addressed the Buddha in verse:

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

“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 deity.
The noble ones praise its killing,
for when it’s slain there is no sorrow.”