In the present a monkey voids on the back of a tame elephant who forebears, but later a different elephant tramples him to death for the same offence. The Buddha tells a similar story about two buffaloes and a monkey in a previous life.

1. Kim-attham-abhisandhāya lahucittassa dubbhino,
Sabbakāmadadasseva imaṁ dukkhaṁ titikkhasi?

Why are you joined together with a treacherous one, light of mind, and put up with this suffering like one who fulfills all desires?

2. Siṅgena nihanāhetaṁ, padasā ca adhiṭṭhaha,
Bhiyyo bālā pakujjheyyuṁ, no cassa paṭisedhako ti.

Humiliate him with your horn, and fix him in place with your foot, or more fools might grow angry, and no one will prevent him.

In this connection, why are you joined together, what is the reason or ground, considering what?

A treacherous one means one treacherous to his friend.

Like one who fulfills all desires means like a lord who fulfills all desires.

Puts up with means tolerate.

Fix him in place with your foot, with your foot, like the sharp tip of a razor, here he kills, so you should trample on him.

More fools means if no one will prevent the fools, who are creatures who lack knowledge, again and again they might grow angry, might agitate, might annoy, this is the explanation.

3. Mamevāyaṁ maññamāno: aññe pevaṁ karissati,
Te naṁ tattha vadhissanti, sā me mutti bhavissatī ti.

He’s thinking this is me: although he does this to others, they will kill him right there, and there will be freedom for me.

[There is no word commentary to this verse.]

 

last updated: November 2022