At Sāvatthī. “Once upon a time, mendicants, as Sakka, lord of gods, was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, ‘I should never betray even a sworn enemy.’ And then Vepacitti, lord of titans, knowing Sakka’s train of thought, approached him. Sakka saw Vepacitti coming off in the distance, and said to him, ‘Stop, Vepacitti, you’re caught!’

‘Good fellow, don’t give up the idea you just had!’

‘Swear, Vepacitti, that you won’t betray me.’

‘Whatever bad things happen to a liar, or to someone who slanders the noble ones, or to someone who betrays a friend, or to someone who’s ungrateful, the same bad things impact anyone who betrays you, Sujā’s husband.’”

Linked Discourses 11.8 Chapter One Verocana, Lord of Titans

Near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove. Now at that time the Buddha had gone into retreat for the day’s meditation. Then Sakka, lord of gods, and Verocana, lord of titans, approached the Buddha and stationed themselves one by each door-post. Then Verocana spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:

“A man should make an effort until his goal is accomplished. A goal is splendid when accomplished—this is the word of Verocana!”

“A man should make an effort until his goal is accomplished. For the goal that’s splendid when accomplished, naught better than patience is found.”