Indian stream·Pāli Tipiṭaka·Dhammapada·Chapter XXIII. The Elephant.
Nāga — the elephant as image of the disciplined sage
Fourteen verses on the elephant. As an elephant in battle bears the arrows shot from the bow, even so will the sage endure abuse: most people are ill-natured.
Source context
- Theme
- disciplined endurance of the self amid social hostility, using the elephant as emblem of patient inner steadfastness
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Stoic philosophy (Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius)The Stoic counsel to bear external injury without disturbance of the ruling faculty (hēgemonikon) structurally parallels the chapter's teaching that the trained mind endures insult as the elephant endures the battle's arrows.
- Vedantic ethics (Bhagavad Gita, titikṣā doctrine)The Gita's virtue of titikṣā — patient forbearance of dualities such as praise and blame — displays cross-tradition congruence with the elephant chapter's repeated instruction to stand alone rather than seek unworthy company.
- Kabbalistic concept of Gevurah (strength/severity)Gevurah as inward strength exercised through restraint rather than aggression offers a structural parallel to the chapter's equation of true power with self-mastery rather than external dominance.
Chapter XXIII. The Elephant.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE ELEPHANT.
320Silently shall I endure abuse as the elephant in battle endures the arrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured.
321They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed elephant; the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures abuse.
322Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants with large tusks; but he who tames himself is better still.
323For with these animals does no man reach the untrodden country (Nirvâ*n*a), where a tamed man goes on a tamed animal, viz. on his own well-tamed self.
324The elephant called Dhanapâlaka, his temples running with sap, and difficult to hold, does not eat a morsel when bound; the elephant longs for the elephant grove.
[320. The elephant is with the Buddhists the emblem of endurance and self-restraint. Thus Buddha himseIf is called Nâga, 'the Elephant' (Lal. Vist. p. 553), or Mahânâga, 'the great Elephant' (Lal. Vist. p. 553), and in one passage (Lal. Vist. p. 554) the reason of this name is given, by stating that Buddha was sudânta, 'well-tamed,' like an elephant. He descended from heaven in the form of an elephant to be born on earth. Cf. Manu VI, 47, ativâdâ*m*s titiksheta.
323I read, as suggested by Dr. Fausböll, yath' attanâ sudantena danto dantena ga*kkh*ati' (cf. verse 160). The India Office MS. reads na hi etehi *th*ânehi ga*kkh*eya agata*m* disam, yath' attâna*m* sudantena danto dantena ga*kkh*ati. As to *th*ânehi instead of yânehi, see verse 224.]
325If a man becomes fat and a great eater, if he is sleepy and rolls himself about, that fool, like a hog fed on wash, is born again and again.
326This mind of mine went formerly wandering about as it liked, as it listed, as it pleased; but I shall now hold it in thoroughly, as the rider who holds the hook holds in the furious elephant.
327Be not thoughtless, watch your thoughts! Draw yourself out of the evil way, like an elephant sunk in mud.
328If a man find a prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and lives soberly, he may walk with him, overcoming all dangers, happy, but considerate.
329If a man find no prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and lives soberly, let him walk alone, like a king who has left his conquered country behind,--like an elephant in the forest.
330It is better to live alone, there is no companionship with a fool; let a man walk alone, let him commit no sin, with few wishes, like an elephant in the forest.
[326. Yoniso, i.e. yoni*s*a*h*, is rendered by Dr. Fausböll 'sapientiâ,' and this is the meaning ascribed to yoni by many Buddhist authorities. But the reference to Hema*k*andra (ed. Boehtlingk and Rieu, p. 281) shows clearly that it meant 'origin,' or 'cause.' Yoniso occurs frequently as a mere adverb, meaning 'thoroughly, radically' (Dhammapada, p. 359), and yoniso manasikâra (Dhammapada, p. 110) means 'taking to heart' or 'minding thoroughly,' or, what is nearly the same, 'wisely.' In the Lalita-vistara, p. 41, the commentator has clearly mistaken yoni*s*a*h*, changing it to ye 'ni*s*o, and explaining it by yamni*s*am, whereas M. Foucaux has rightly translated it by 'depuis l'origine.' Professor Weber suspected in yoni*s*a*h* a double entendre, but even grammar would show that our author is innocent of it. In Lalita-vistara, p. 544, l. 4, ayoni*s*a occurs in the sense of error. 328, 329. Cf. Suttanipâta, vv. 44, 45.]
331If an occasion arises, friends are pleasant; enjoyment is pleasant, whatever be the cause; a good work is pleasant in the hour of death; the giving up of all grief is pleasant.
332Pleasant in the world is the state of a mother, pleasant the state of a father, pleasant the state of a Sama*n*a, pleasant the state of a Brâhma*n*a.
333Pleasant is virtue lasting to old age, pleasant is a faith firmly rooted; pleasant is attainment of intelligence, pleasant is avoiding of sins.
[332. The commentator throughout takes these words, like matteyyatâ, &c., to signify, not the status of a mother, or maternity, but reverence shown to a mother.]
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