Nāgavagga

Khuddakanikāya

Minor Collection

Dhammapada

Sayings of the Dhamma 320–333

Nāgavagga

23. Elephants

Attadantavatthu

Ahaṁ nāgova saṅgāme,

Like an elephant struck

cāpato patitaṁ saraṁ;

with arrows in battle,

Ativākyaṁ titikkhissaṁ,

I shall endure abuse,

dussīlo hi bahujjano.

for so many folk are badly behaved.

Dantaṁ nayanti samitiṁ,

The well-tamed beast is the one led to the crowd;

dantaṁ rājābhirūhati;

the tamed elephant’s the one the king mounts;

Danto seṭṭho manussesu,

the tamed person who endures abuse

yotivākyaṁ titikkhati.

is the best of human beings.

Varamassatarā dantā,

Those who have tamed themselves are better

ājānīyā ca sindhavā;

than fine tamed mules,

Kuñjarā ca mahānāgā,

thoroughbreds from Sindh,

attadanto tato varaṁ.

or giant tuskers.

Hatthācariyapubbakabhikkhuvatthu

Na hi etehi yānehi,

For not on those mounts

gaccheyya agataṁ disaṁ;

would you go to the untrodden place,

Yathāttanā sudantena,

whereas, with the help of one
whose self is well tamed,

danto dantena gacchati.

you go there, tamed by the tamed.

Parijiṇṇabrāhmaṇaputtavatthu

Dhanapālo nāma kuñjaro,

The tusker named Dhanapāla

Kaṭukabhedano dunnivārayo;

is musky in rut, hard to control.

Baddho kabaḷaṁ na bhuñjati,

Bound, he eats not a morsel,

Sumarati nāgavanassa kuñjaro.

for he misses the elephant forest.

Pasenadikosalavatthu

Middhī yadā hoti mahagghaso ca,

One who gets drowsy from overeating,

Niddāyitā samparivattasāyī;

fond of sleep, rolling round the bed

Mahāvarāhova nivāpapuṭṭho,

like a great hog stuffed with grain:

Punappunaṁ gabbhamupeti mando.

that dullard returns to the womb again and again.

Sānusāmaṇeravatthu

Idaṁ pure cittamacāri cārikaṁ,

In the past my mind wandered

Yenicchakaṁ yatthakāmaṁ yathāsukhaṁ;

how it wished, where it liked, as it pleased.

Tadajjahaṁ niggahessāmi yoniso,

Now I’ll carefully guide it,

Hatthippabhinnaṁ viya aṅkusaggaho.

as a trainer with a hook guides a rutting elephant.

Pāveyyakahatthivatthu

Appamādaratā hotha,

Delight in diligence!

sacittamanurakkhatha;

Take good care of your mind!

Duggā uddharathattānaṁ,

Pull yourself out of this pit,

paṅke sannova kuñjaro.

like an elephant sunk in a bog.

Sambahulabhikkhuvatthu

Sace labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ,

If you find an alert companion,

Saddhiṁ caraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ;

an attentive friend to live happily together,

Abhibhuyya sabbāni parissayāni,

then, overcoming all adversities,

Careyya tenattamano satīmā.

wander with them, joyful and mindful.

No ce labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ,

If you find no alert companion,

Saddhiṁ caraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ;

no attentive friend to live happily together,

Rājāva raṭṭhaṁ vijitaṁ pahāya,

then, like a king who flees his conquered realm,

Eko care mātaṅgaraññeva nāgo.

wander alone like a tusker in the wilds.

Ekassa caritaṁ seyyo,

It’s better to wander alone,

Natthi bāle sahāyatā;

there’s no fellowship with fools.

Eko care na ca pāpāni kayirā,

Wander alone and do no wrong,

Appossukko mātaṅgaraññeva nāgo.

at ease like a tusker in the wilds.

Māravatthu

Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā,

A friend in need is a blessing;

Tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena;

it’s a blessing to be content with whatever;

Puññaṁ sukhaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi,

good deeds are a blessing at the end of life,

Sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṁ pahānaṁ.

and giving up all suffering is a blessing.

Sukhā matteyyatā loke,

In this world it’s a blessing to serve

atho petteyyatā sukhā;

one’s mother and one’s father.

Sukhā sāmaññatā loke,

And it’s a blessing also to serve

atho brahmaññatā sukhā.

ascetics and brahmins.

Sukhaṁ yāva jarā sīlaṁ,

It’s a blessing to keep precepts until you grow old;

sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā;

a blessing to be grounded in faith;

Sukho paññāya paṭilābho,

the getting of wisdom’s a blessing;

pāpānaṁ akaraṇaṁ sukhaṁ.

and it’s a blessing to avoid doing wrong.

Nāgavaggo tevīsatimo.