Dhammapada 23. The Chapter about the Elephant

Ahaṁ nāgo va saṅgāme cāpāto patitaṁ saraṁ
Like an elephant in battle (endures) an arrow shot from bow

ativākyaṁ titikkhissaṁ, dussīlo hi bahujjano. [320]
(so) will I endure abuse, for many people are unvirtuous.

Dantaṁ nayanti samitiṁ, dantaṁ rājābhirūhati,
They lead one trained into a crowd, a king mounts one who has been trained,

danto seṭṭho manussesu, yotivākyaṁ titikkhati. [321]
amongst humans one trained is best, the one who can endure abuse.

Varam-assatarā dantā, ājānīyā ca Sindhavā,
Noble are the well-trained horses, the well-bred horses from Sindh,

kuñjarā ca mahānāgā, attadanto tato varaṁ. [322]
and the great tusker elephants, (and even) more noble than that is the one who has trained himself.

Na hi etehi yānehi gaccheyya agataṁ disaṁ,
Not by these vehicles can one go to the place beyond destinations, I.e. Nibbāna.

yathattanā sudantena, danto dantena gacchati. [323]
as one through training himself well, being trained by the training, goes.

Dhanapālakŏ nāma kuñjaro
The tusker named Dhanapālaka

kaṭukappabhedano dunnivārayo,
musty in rut, difficult to restrain,

baddho kabalaṁ na bhuñjati,
bound, he doesn’t eat (even) a morsel,

sumarati nāgavanassa kuñjaro. [324]
the tusker remembers the elephant forest. The verse is unusual in that it has no moral outside of the story which is attached to it.

Middhī yadā hoti mahagghaso ca,
When one is torpid and overeats,

niddāyitā samparivattasāyī,
sleepy and rolling on the bed,

mahāvarāho va nivāpapuṭṭho,
like a great pig fed on fodder,

punappunaṁ gabbham-upeti mando. [325]
that fool comes to the womb again.

Idaṁ pure cittam-acāri cārikaṁ
Formerly this wandering mind wandered

yenicchakaṁ yatthakāmaṁ yathāsukhaṁ,
through desire, pleasure and happiness,

tad-ajjahaṁ niggahessāmi yoniso,
(but) today I will control it wisely,

hatthim-pabhinnaṁ viya aṅkusaggaho. [326]
like one with goad an elephant in rut.

Appamādaratā hotha, sacittam-anurakkhatha,
You should delight in heedfulness, you should always protect your mind,

duggā uddharathattānaṁ paṅke sanno va kuñjaro. [327]
you should raise yourself from this pit like the tusker sunk in the mud.

Sace labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ
If you should find a prudent friend

saddhiṁcaraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ,
or companion, one who lives well, a wise one,

abhibhuyya sabbāni parissayāni
overcoming all your troubles

careyya tenattamano satīmā. [328]
you should live with that one, glad and mindful.

No ce labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ
If you do not find a prudent friend

saddhiṁcaraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ,
or companion, one who lives well, a wise one,

rājā va raṭṭhaṁ vijitaṁ pahāya
like a king who abandons his conquered kingdom

eko care mātaṅgaraññe va nāgo. [329]
one should live alone like a solitary elephant in the forest.

Ekassa caritaṁ seyyo, natthi bāle sahāyatā,
It is better to live alone, there can be no friendship with a fool,

eko care na ca pāpāni kayⁱrā,
one should live alone and not do anything bad,

appossukko mātaṅgaraññe va nāgo. [330]
unconcerned like a solitary elephant in the forest.

Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā,
Friends are good whenever need arises,

tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena,
being content with everything is good,

puññaṁ sukhaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi,
at the break-up of life merit is good,

sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṁ pahāṇaṁ. [331]
the abandoning of all suffering is good.

Sukhā matteyyatā loke, atho petteyyatā sukhā,
Respecting one’s mother is good in the world, also respecting one’s father is good,

sukhā sāmaññatā loke, atho brahmaññatā sukhā. [332]
respecting ascetics is good in the world, also respecting (true) brahmins is good.

Sukhaṁ yāva jarā sīlaṁ, sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā,
Virtuous conduct till old age is good, the establishing of faith is good,

sukho paññāya paṭilābho, pāpānaṁ akaraṇaṁ sukhaṁ. [333]
the acquisition of wisdom is good, doing nothing wicked is good.