Nāgasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.114

Numbered Discourses 4.114

12. Kesivagga

12. With Kesi

Nāgasutta

A Royal Elephant

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo rājāraho hoti rājabhoggo, rañño aṅganteva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

“Mendicants, a royal bull elephant with four factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned a factor of kingship.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā ca hoti, hantā ca, khantā ca, gantā ca.

A royal bull elephant listens, destroys, endures, and goes fast.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā hoti?

And how does a royal bull elephant listen?

Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo yamenaṁ hatthidammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāreti—

It’s when a royal bull elephant pays attention, applies the mind, concentrates wholeheartedly, and actively listens to whatever task the elephant trainer has it do,

yadi vā katapubbaṁ yadi vā akatapubbaṁ—

whether or not it has done it before.

taṁ aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto suṇāti.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā hoti.

That’s how a royal bull elephant listens.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo hantā hoti?

And how does a royal bull elephant destroy?

Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo saṅgāmagato hatthimpi hanati, hatthāruhampi hanati, assampi hanati, assāruhampi hanati, rathampi hanati, rathikampi hanati, pattikampi hanati.

It’s when a royal bull elephant in battle destroys elephants with their riders, horses with their riders, chariots and charioteers, and foot soldiers.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo hantā hoti.

That’s how a royal bull elephant destroys.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo khantā hoti?

And how does a royal bull elephant endure?

Idha bhikkhave, rañño nāgo saṅgāmagato khamo hoti sattippahārānaṁ asippahārānaṁ usuppahārānaṁ pharasuppahārānaṁ bheripaṇavasaṅkhatiṇavaninnādasaddānaṁ.

It’s when a royal bull elephant in battle endures being struck by spears, swords, arrows, and axes; it endures the thunder of the drums, kettledrums, horns, and cymbals.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo khantā hoti.

That’s how a royal bull elephant endures.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo gantā hoti?

And how does a royal bull elephant go fast?

Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo yamenaṁ hatthidammasārathi disaṁ peseti—

It’s when a royal bull elephant swiftly goes in whatever direction the elephant trainer sends it,

yadi vā gatapubbaṁ yadi vā agatapubbaṁ—

whether or not it has been there before.

taṁ khippameva gantā hoti.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo gantā hoti.

That’s how a royal bull elephant goes fast.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo rājāraho hoti rājabhoggo, rañño aṅganteva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

A royal bull elephant with four factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned a factor of kingship.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

In the same way, a mendicant with four qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.

Katamehi catūhi?

What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā ca hoti, hantā ca, khantā ca, gantā ca.

A mendicant listens, destroys, endures, and goes fast.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā hoti?

And how does a mendicant listen?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye desiyamāne aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti.

It’s when a mendicant pays attention, applies the mind, concentrates wholeheartedly, and actively listens when the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One is being taught.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā hoti.

That’s how a mendicant listens.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hantā hoti?

And how does a mendicant destroy?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ kāmavitakkaṁ nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti hanati byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, uppannaṁ byāpādavitakkaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ …pe… uppannuppanne pāpake akusale dhamme nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti hanati byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

It’s when a mendicant doesn’t tolerate a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought. They don’t tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, dispel them, eliminate them, and obliterate them.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hantā hoti.

That’s how a mendicant destroys.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khantā hoti?

And how does a mendicant endure?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya, ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti.

It’s when a mendicant endures cold, heat, hunger, and thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles; rude and unwelcome criticism; and they put up with physical pain—sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, disagreeable, and life-threatening.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khantā hoti.

That’s how a mendicant endures.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gantā hoti?

And how does a mendicant go fast?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yāyaṁ disā agatapubbā iminā dīghena addhunā yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ, taṁ khippaññeva gantā hoti.

It’s when a mendicant swiftly goes in the direction they’ve never gone before in all this long time; that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gantā hoti.

That’s how a mendicant goes fast.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

A mendicant with these four qualities … is the supreme field of merit for the world.”

Catutthaṁ.