“Like an elephant struck with arrows in battle, I shall endure abuse, for so many folk are badly behaved.”
Ahaṁ nāgova saṅgāme, cāpato patitaṁ saraṁ; Ativākyaṁ titikkhissaṁ, dussīlo hi bahujjano.
Chapter 23: Elephants
Nāgavagga
Verses 320–333 · 14 verses · English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0)
Fourteen verses that use the elephant as their figure — the elephant in battle, the untamed elephant, the elephant that carries its own load. It is also the chapter about companionship: it contains the verses on finding an alert friend to travel with and on walking alone when no such friend can be found.
“The well-tamed beast is the one led to the crowd; the tamed elephant’s the one the king mounts; the tamed person who endures abuse is the best of human beings.”
Dantaṁ nayanti samitiṁ, dantaṁ rājābhirūhati; Danto seṭṭho manussesu, yotivākyaṁ titikkhati.
“Those who have tamed themselves are better than fine tamed mules, thoroughbreds from Sindh, or giant tuskers.”
Varamassatarā dantā, ājānīyā ca sindhavā; Kuñjarā ca mahānāgā, attadanto tato varaṁ.
“For not on those mounts would you go to the untrodden place, whereas, with the help of one <j>whose self is well tamed, you go there, tamed by the tamed.”
Na hi etehi yānehi, gaccheyya agataṁ disaṁ; Yathāttanā sudantena, danto dantena gacchati.
“The tusker named Dhanapāla is musky in rut, hard to control. Bound, he eats not a morsel, for he misses the elephant forest.”
Dhanapālo nāma kuñjaro, Kaṭukabhedano dunnivārayo; Baddho kabaḷaṁ na bhuñjati, Sumarati nāgavanassa kuñjaro.
“One who gets drowsy from overeating, fond of sleep, rolling round the bed like a great hog stuffed with grain: that dullard returns to the womb again and again.”
Middhī yadā hoti mahagghaso ca, Niddāyitā samparivattasāyī; Mahāvarāhova nivāpapuṭṭho, Punappunaṁ gabbhamupeti mando.
“In the past my mind wandered how it wished, where it liked, as it pleased. Now I’ll carefully guide it, as a trainer with a hook guides a rutting elephant.”
Idaṁ pure cittamacāri cārikaṁ, Yenicchakaṁ yatthakāmaṁ yathāsukhaṁ; Tadajjahaṁ niggahessāmi yoniso, Hatthippabhinnaṁ viya aṅkusaggaho.
“Delight in diligence! Take good care of your mind! Pull yourself out of this pit, like an elephant sunk in a bog.”
Appamādaratā hotha, sacittamanurakkhatha; Duggā uddharathattānaṁ, paṅke sannova kuñjaro.
“If you find an alert companion, an attentive friend to live happily together, then, overcoming all adversities, wander with them, joyful and mindful.”
Sace labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ, Saddhiṁ caraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ; Abhibhuyya sabbāni parissayāni, Careyya tenattamano satīmā.
“If you find no alert companion, no attentive friend to live happily together, then, like a king who flees his conquered realm, wander alone like a tusker in the wilds.”
No ce labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ, Saddhiṁ caraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ; Rājāva raṭṭhaṁ vijitaṁ pahāya, Eko care mātaṅgaraññeva nāgo.
“It’s better to wander alone, there’s no fellowship with fools. Wander alone and do no wrong, at ease like a tusker in the wilds.”
Ekassa caritaṁ seyyo, Natthi bāle sahāyatā; Eko care na ca pāpāni kayirā, Appossukko mātaṅgaraññeva nāgo.
“A friend in need is a blessing; it’s a blessing to be content with whatever; good deeds are a blessing at the end of life, and giving up all suffering is a blessing.”
Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā, Tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena; Puññaṁ sukhaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi, Sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṁ pahānaṁ.
“In this world it’s a blessing to serve one’s mother and one’s father. And it’s a blessing also to serve ascetics and brahmins.”
Sukhā matteyyatā loke, atho petteyyatā sukhā; Sukhā sāmaññatā loke, atho brahmaññatā sukhā.
“It’s a blessing to keep precepts until you grow old; a blessing to be grounded in faith; the getting of wisdom’s a blessing; and it’s a blessing to avoid doing wrong.”
Sukhaṁ yāva jarā sīlaṁ, sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā; Sukho paññāya paṭilābho, pāpānaṁ akaraṇaṁ sukhaṁ. Nāgavaggo tevīsatimo.