23. Nāgavaggo

23. Elephants

320.

Ahaṃ nāgova saṅgāme, cāpato patitaṃ saraṃ;

I—like an elephant in battle, enduring an arrow shot from a bow—

Ativākyaṃ titikkhissaṃ, dussīlo hi bahujjano.

will endure a false accusation, for the mass of people have no principles.

321.

Dantaṃ nayanti samitiṃ, dantaṃ rājābhirūhati;

The tamed is the one they take into assemblies. The tamed is the one the king mounts.

Danto seṭṭho manussesu, yotivākyaṃ titikkhati.

The tamed who endures a false accusation is, among human beings, the best.

322.

Varamassatarā dantā, ājānīyā ca [ājānīyāva (syā.)] sindhavā;

Excellent are tamed mules, tamed thoroughbreds, tamed horses from Sindh.

Kuñjarā ca [kuñjarāva (syā.)] mahānāgā, attadanto tato varaṃ.

Excellent, tamed tuskers, great elephants. But even more excellent are those self-tamed.

323.

Na hi etehi yānehi, gaccheyya agataṃ disaṃ;

For not by these mounts could you go to the land unreached,

Yathāttanā sudantena, danto dantena gacchati.

as the tamed one goes by taming, well-taming, himself.

324.

Dhanapālo [dhanapālako (sī. syā. kaṃ. pī.)] nāma kuñjaro, kaṭukabhedano [kaṭukappabhedano (sī. syā. pī.)] dunnivārayo;

The tusker, Dhanapalaka, deep in rut, is hard to control.

Baddho kabaḷaṃ na bhuñjati, sumarati [susarati (ka.)] nāgavanassa kuñjaro.

Bound, he won’t eat a morsel: the tusker misses the elephant wood.

325.

Middhī yadā hoti mahagghaso ca, niddāyitā samparivattasāyī;

When torpid & over-fed, a sleepy-head lolling about

Mahāvarāhova nivāpapuṭṭho, punappunaṃ gabbhamupeti mando.

like a stout hog, fattened on fodder: a dullard enters the womb over & over again.

326.

Idaṃ pure cittamacāri cārikaṃ, yenicchakaṃ yatthakāmaṃ yathāsukhaṃ;

Before, this mind went wandering however it pleased, wherever it wanted, by whatever way that it liked.

Tadajjahaṃ niggahessāmi yoniso, hatthippabhinnaṃ viya aṅkusaggaho.

Today I will hold it aptly in check— as one wielding a goad, an elephant in rut.

327.

Appamādaratā hotha, sacittamanurakkhatha;

Delight in heedfulness. Watch over your own mind.

Duggā uddharathattānaṃ, paṅke sannova [sattova (sī. pī.)] kuñjaro.

Lift yourself up from the hard-going way, like a tusker sunk in the mud.

328.

Sace labhetha nipakaṃ sahāyaṃ, saddhiṃ caraṃ sādhuvihāridhīraṃ;

If you gain a mature companion— a fellow traveler, right-living, enlightened—

Abhibhuyya sabbāni parissayāni, careyya tenattamano satīmā.

overcoming all dangers go with him, gratified, mindful.

329.

No ce labhetha nipakaṃ sahāyaṃ, saddhiṃ caraṃ sādhuvihāridhīraṃ;

If you don’t gain a mature companion— a fellow traveler, right-living, enlightened—

Rājāva raṭṭhaṃ vijitaṃ pahāya, eko care mātaṅgaraññeva nāgo.

go alone like a king renouncing his kingdom, like the elephant in the Matanga wilds, his herd.

330.

Ekassa caritaṃ seyyo, natthi bāle sahāyatā;

Going alone is better. There’s no companionship with a fool.

Eko care na ca pāpāni kayirā, appossukko mātaṅgaraññeva nāgo.

Go alone, doing no evil, at peace, like the elephant in the Matanga wilds.

331.

Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā, tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena;

A blessing: friends when the need arises. A blessing: contentment with whatever there is.

Puññaṃ sukhaṃ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi, sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṃ pahānaṃ.

Merit at the ending of life is a blessing. A blessing: the abandoning of all suffering & stress.

332.

Sukhā matteyyatā loke, atho petteyyatā sukhā;

A blessing in the world: reverence to your mother. A blessing: reverence to your father as well.

Sukhā sāmaññatā loke, atho brahmaññatā sukhā.

A blessing in the world: reverence to a contemplative. A blessing: reverence for a brahman, too.

333.

Sukhaṃ yāva jarā sīlaṃ, sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā;

A blessing into old age is virtue. A blessing: conviction established.

Sukho paññāya paṭilābho, pāpānaṃ akaraṇaṃ sukhaṃ.

A blessing: discernment attained. The non-doing of evil things is a blessing.

Nāgavaggo tevīsatimo niṭṭhito.