Mātuposakacariya

Cariyāpiṭaka

The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood

Hatthināgavagga

The Chapter on an Elephant

Sīlapāramī 1

The Perfection of Ethics (1st)

Mātuposakacariya

The Conduct of One Who Provided for His Mother

“Yadā ahosiṁ pavane,

“Once I lived in the forest

kuñjaro mātuposako;

as an elephant who provided for his mother.

Na tadā atthi mahiyā,

At that time no one on earth

guṇena mama sādiso.

could equal my virtues.

Pavane disvā vanacaro,

Seeing me in the forest, a forester

rañño maṁ paṭivedayi;

informed the king about me.

‘Tavānucchavo mahārāja,

‘Great King, an elephant that befits you

gajo vasati kānane.

is dwelling in the forest grove.

Na tassa parikkhāyattho,

No need to dig a moat around him,

napi āḷakakāsuyā;

nor tether him to a post in a pit.

Saha gahite soṇḍāya,

Taken by the trunk,

sayameva idhehi’ti.

he will come here by himself.’

Tassa taṁ vacanaṁ sutvā,

When he heard these words,

rājāpi tuṭṭhamānaso;

the king, elated,

Pesesi hatthidamakaṁ,

sent an elephant-tamer,

chekācariyaṁ susikkhitaṁ.

a well-trained and expert tutor.

Gantvā so hatthidamako,

When the elephant-tamer reached there,

addasa padumassare;

he saw me in a lotus pond,

Bhisamuḷālaṁ uddharantaṁ,

pulling out lotus roots

yāpanatthāya mātuyā.

to feed my mother.

Viññāya me sīlaguṇaṁ,

Discerning my moral virtue,

lakkhaṇaṁ upadhārayi;

he checked me for marks.

‘Ehi puttā’ti vatvāna,

Saying, ‘Come, child’,

mama soṇḍāya aggahi.

he took me by the trunk.

Yaṁ me tadā pākatikaṁ,

What was at that time

sarīrānugataṁ balaṁ;

the natural strength of my body,

Ajja nāgasahassānaṁ,

would equal a thousand

balena samasādisaṁ.

of the elephants of today.

Yadihaṁ tesaṁ pakuppeyyaṁ,

If I had been upset

upetānaṁ gahaṇāya maṁ;

with those who came to capture me,

Paṭibalo bhave tesaṁ,

I would have had the power

yāva rajjampi mānusaṁ.

to defeat even a kingdom of men.

Api cāhaṁ sīlarakkhāya,

Nevertheless, for the sake of guarding my ethics,

Sīlapāramipūriyā;

and fulfilling my perfection of ethics,

Na karomi citte aññathattaṁ,

I did not let my mind change,

Pakkhipantaṁ mamāḷake.

even as they caged me.

Yadi te maṁ tattha koṭṭeyyuṁ,

And even were they to beat me

pharasūhi tomarehi ca;

with hatchets and lances,

Neva tesaṁ pakuppeyyaṁ,

I would never become upset,

sīlakhaṇḍabhayā mamā”ti.

for fear of violating my ethics.”

Mātuposakacariyaṁ paṭhamaṁ.