Nāga Vagga — The Chapter on the Elephant

Verse 320

This verse was spoken to Venerable Ānanda on the occasion of a discourse on self-taming, in which the Buddha compared himself to one who would endure the offensive words of others.

The Buddha likened himself to a war-elephant standing firm on the battlefield, which endures the arrows loosed at it from every direction; just so, he would endure the cutting, abusive, offensive words hurled at him. This is because he understood, according to truth, that most people in this world are of poor conduct and naturally speak without restraint.

The lesson is this: when we settle our mind beforehand with the knowledge that most people have not yet trained their speech, the offensive words we hear become ordinary — nothing to be shaken by or to retort against. A mind as steadfast as a war-elephant is the finest armor against suffering.

Verse 321

Continuing from the previous verse, spoken to Venerable Ānanda on the subject of self-taming, to extol the worth of one who has trained himself.

The Buddha pointed out that the animal a person leads to a public assembly, or the one a king mounts, has all passed through training. No one dares to use an animal that is still unruly. In the same way, among human beings, it is one who can endure abusive words who is called one who has tamed himself and is the most excellent of all.

Self-taming, then, is not measured by strength or rank, but by the ability to restrain the mind and not retort out of emotion. One who can bear provocation is worthy of respect and fit to lead others.

Verse 322

Still on the theme of self-taming, spoken to Venerable Ānanda, the Buddha drew the comparison out even more vividly.

Mules, thoroughbred horses, Sindh horses, and great elephants that have been well trained are all excellent creatures, admirable in their worth. But the Buddha said that one who has tamed himself is more excellent than all those mounts, for self-taming here means being tamed by the Four Noble Paths — the path of stream-entry (sotāpatti-magga), the path of once-returning (sakadāgāmi-magga), the path of non-returning (anāgāmi-magga), and the path of arahantship (arahatta-magga) — which lead to the end of the defilements.

The lesson is this: the prowess of a well-trained animal can carry one only within the world, but taming one's own mind by the Path carries one across the round of birth and death. This is an excellence beyond all comparison.

Verse 323

This verse was spoken to a monk who had formerly been an elephant-trainer. The Buddha, taking up his old knowledge of taming elephants, guided him to turn instead to taming himself.

The Buddha said that vehicles, however well trained, cannot carry anyone to the direction not yet reached. That direction is Nibbāna, a realm no external conveyance can reach. Only the self that is well tamed can carry one there. The word tamed means the faculties have been tamed at the preliminary level, while well tamed means one has cultivated oneself by the Noble Path.

The lesson is this: skill in taming external things attains its highest worth only when it is turned to taming one's own heart. For the path out of suffering must be walked with our own tamed mind; no one and nothing can go there in our place.

Verse 324

This verse was spoken to the four sons of an aged brahmin, on the occasion of the fate of the old brahmin who had been abandoned by his children.

The Buddha took up the story of the bull-elephant named Dhanapālaka, in rut so fierce that it was hard to control. Even when captured and bound, it would not eat a mouthful of grass, because it kept longing for the elephant-forest — the woodland where the cow-elephant, its mother, dwelt. The elephant so missed its mother that it could neither eat nor rest.

If even an animal has such gratitude and longing for its mother, how much more should a wise human being remember the kindness of father and mother and not abandon them in old age. Gratitude, then, is the mark of a good person.

Verse 325

This verse was spoken to King Pasenadi of Kosala, who had eaten so much that he was uncomfortable, on the occasion of the king's immoderate eating.

The Buddha warned that whenever a person is overcome by drowsiness, eats much, and does nothing but lie tossing and turning, then he becomes dull of wit and sluggish, like a fat hog fattened on scraps — able only to eat and sleep, producing nothing of use.

The lesson is this: knowing moderation in eating and not giving oneself over to laziness makes the body light and comfortable and the mind clear. One who diligently keeps to what is fitting has quick mindfulness and wisdom, ready for the meaningful tasks of life.

Verse 326

This verse was spoken to the novice Sānu. The Buddha, prompted by the affair of that novice, then showed the way to restrain the mind.

The Buddha said that formerly this mind used to wander among various objects as it wished, following craving, following ease, without any bounds; but now it would restrain that mind by wise means — that is, by wise attention (yoniso-manasikāra) — like a skilled mahout subduing an elephant in rut with the goad, bringing it under control.

A mind let loose to follow its whims leads us into suffering, so a practitioner of the Dhamma must diligently keep mindfulness to bring the mind back, using wise reflection as the restraint. Trained again and again, the once-unruly mind becomes tame and comes under our own control.

Verse 327

This verse was spoken to the monks, on the occasion of the story of the elephant Pāveyyaka, which sank into the mud and yet strove and lifted itself out.

The Buddha taught the monks to delight in heedfulness and to guard their own minds always, and further to lift themselves out of the mire — which here means the defilements, the mud that drags down all beings. Let them strive to lift themselves out, as the bull-elephant sunk in the mud still struggled to raise itself until it broke free.

The lesson is this: when one knows one is sinking in defilement or heedlessness, do not despair or let oneself keep sinking; establish mindfulness and strive to lift oneself out with heedfulness, like the elephant that would not surrender to the mud.

Verse 328

This verse was spoken to the monks, on the occasion of the story of the elephant Pāveyyaka, to show the worth of a good friend.

The Buddha said that if one finds a companion who is wise and guards himself, who dwells well, and is a sage to travel with, then let one overcome all dangers and journey on, glad at heart and mindful, with such a friend. The word one who dwells well (sādhu-vihārī) means one endowed with the higher virtues — the four divine abidings (brahma-vihāra), the four form-jhānas, the four formless jhānas, and the cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayita-nirodha).

The lesson is this: a good friend who has wisdom and Dhamma helps sustain us so that we can cross the obstacles on the path steadily. To have such a friend is a precious gain, worth keeping company with and traveling alongside.

Verse 329

This verse was spoken to the monks, on the occasion of the story of the elephant Pāveyyaka. It is a companion verse to the previous one, showing the alternative when there is no good friend.

The Buddha said that if one cannot find a wise companion who dwells well and is a sage to share the road, then it is better to live alone, like a king who relinquishes the kingdom he has won and goes off to dwell by himself, and like the elephant Mātaṅga that leaves the herd to roam alone in the forest.

The lesson is this: keeping company with a fool brings more harm than good. To dwell alone in peace is better than to have a friend who leads one to ruin. Choosing to be alone in order to preserve one's own goodness is boldness, not loneliness.

Verse 330

This verse was spoken to the monks, on the occasion of the story of the elephant Pāveyyaka, reaffirming the worth of dwelling alone with Dhamma.

The Buddha said that roaming alone is more excellent than having a fool for a companion, for there is no true companionship with a fool, and one should have few concerns, roam alone, and do no evil, like the elephant Mātaṅga that roams alone in the forest in peace.

The lesson is this: contentment, having few wishes, and refraining from evil by oneself are the adornments of one who dwells alone. One who can live alone without harming anyone and without doing evil has a peace and happiness far greater than living amid a crowd that leads one to ruin.

Verse 331

This verse was spoken to Māra the Evil One, who came to disturb him. On the occasion of the affair of Māra, the Buddha showed what truly brings happiness.

The Buddha spoke of four kinds of happiness: having companions when a need arises brings happiness; contentment and satisfaction with whatever one has brings happiness; merit brings happiness at the ending of life; and the abandoning of all suffering — that is, Nibbāna — brings the highest happiness of all.

The lesson is this: true happiness lies not in having much, but in contentment with what one has, in laying up merit as provisions, and in striving to abandon suffering completely. One who follows this finds happiness both in the present and in the life to come.

Verse 332

This verse was spoken to Māra the Evil One, on the occasion of the affair of Māra, showing the happiness that arises from conduct toward those worthy of respect.

The Buddha said that in this world, caring for one's mother brings happiness; caring for one's father brings happiness; caring for renunciants who keep virtue brings happiness; and caring for the noble ones — the ariyas and those living the holy life — brings happiness as well.

The lesson is this: gratitude toward father and mother and reverence and faith toward virtuous renunciants and brahmins are the wellspring of lasting happiness. One who knows how to repay and support those who have been kind receives happiness both in this world and along the path of a flourishing life.

Verse 333

This verse was spoken to Māra the Evil One, on the occasion of the affair of Māra. It is the closing verse, in which the Buddha summed up what truly brings happiness.

The Buddha said that virtue brings happiness even into old age, for it protects its possessor right up to advanced years; faith firmly established brings happiness; the gaining of wisdom brings happiness; and refraining from all evil brings happiness. These four are inner wealth that goes with us and never perishes.

The lesson is this: money and property inevitably decay with time, but virtue, faith, wisdom, and abstaining from evil are goodness that nourishes the heart with happiness until the last day of life. One who accumulates these virtues is said to have a secure refuge forever.