Tissa — The Book of the Twos · Chapter Two · Poem 7 of 10
Setting
No narrative setting; two four-line verses, without a translated attribution
Speaker
Tissa, on the social danger of receiving gains
Form
Two four-line verses — an observation, then a prescribed response
Length
under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
This reading guide does not assert a specific matching text for this poem in other Buddhist literatures.
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — a plain social observation, followed by direct advice
Why this text
Tissa observes that a shaven mendicant wrapped in the outer robe gets many enemies precisely when they receive food, drink, clothes, and bedding — then, knowing this danger and great fear in honors, recommends wandering mindful with few possessions instead.
Reading guide
Gains breeding enmity, an unexpected link
The first verse states a social observation that runs against intuition: it isn't poverty or failure that brings a mendicant ‘many enemies’, but the opposite — being ‘a receiver of food and drink, clothes and bedding’. Gains themselves become the source of rivalry and hostility from others.
A third poem in this book on the danger of gains and honor
This is the third poem in the Book of the Twos to take up the danger of receiving honor or material gain: Thag 2.2 (Bhāradvāja the Alms-Gatherer) named honor itself a swamp threatening the receiver's own mind; Thag 2.5 (Ajina) observed that honor tracks the wrong criteria, provision rather than character; this poem adds a third angle — gains provoking outright enmity from others, a social consequence rather than an internal or distributive one.
A prescribed response: few possessions, undamaged
The second verse answers with direct practical advice: knowing this danger, a mendicant should wander ‘mindful, with few possessions, not festering’ — anavassuto, a term suggesting not being overflowed or corrupted by craving for more.
A third Tissa in this collection
This is the third monk named Tissa in the Theragātha so far, after Tissa (1st) at Thag 1.39 and Tissa (2nd) at Thag 1.97, both in the Book of the Ones.
Key terms
sapatte — “enemies” — what the first verse says a mendicant acquires through receiving gains.
lābhī — “a receiver” — describing the mendicant who gets food, drink, clothes, and bedding.
sakkāresu mahabbhayaṁ — “this great fear in honors” — the second verse's naming of the danger just observed.
appalābho — “with few possessions” — part of the recommended response to the danger of gains.
anavassuto — “not festering” or not overflowing with craving — describing the manner in which a mindful mendicant should wander.
The text
The text in full: two verses, without a translated attribution. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1A shaven one wrapped in the outer robe gets many enemies when they receive food and drink, clothes and bedding.
§2Knowing this danger, this great fear in honors, a mendicant should wander mindful, with few possessions, not festering.
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What does the first verse say brings a mendicant many enemies?
Correct: D. A counterintuitive link — gains, not lack, provoke enmity.
Question 2 of 10
What does the second verse call this situation?
Correct: C. Sakkāresu mahabbhayaṁ, naming the danger directly.
Question 3 of 10
What response does the second verse recommend?
Correct: B. A direct, practical prescription.
Question 4 of 10
How does this poem relate to Thag 2.2 and Thag 2.5, earlier in the book?
Correct: B. A third distinct angle on a recurring theme in this book.
Question 5 of 10
What angle does Thag 2.2 take on honor's danger, by contrast?
Correct: C. An internal danger, distinct from this poem's social one.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'anavassuto' mean?
Correct: D. Describing the manner in which a mindful mendicant should wander.
Question 7 of 10
How many monks named Tissa have appeared in the Theragātha so far?
Correct: C. Tissa (1st) at Thag 1.39, Tissa (2nd) at Thag 1.97, and this one, Tissa (3rd).
Question 8 of 10
What does 'sapatte' mean?
Correct: A. What the first verse says gains bring.
Question 9 of 10
What does 'lābhī' describe?
Correct: A. The mendicant who gets food, drink, clothes, and bedding.
Question 10 of 10
Where does this poem fall in Chapter Two?
Correct: B. Following Mahācunda, Jotidāsa, Heraññakāni, Somamitta, Sabbamitta, and Mahākāḷa.
