31. The Elephant Simile (T210.31)

I, like an elephant in battle
Unafraid of being struck by arrows,
Ever with sincere faith
Transform those without virtues.

Just as a properly trained elephant
Is fit for the king to ride on;
One who is trained is exalted among men
And fit to be believed in.

Even those as properly tamed,
As the thoroughbred horses of Sindh,
And the best elephants;
Cannot escel a man who has tamed himself.

Those [untrained men] cannot go
To places where men have not been
Only those who have subdued themselves
Can go to the place of the subdued.

Like an elephant named Dhanapālaka,
Who is ferocious and hard to restrain;
Though chianed and not given food
It still remains wild as a rutted elephant.

Those immersed in evil actions,
Ever have themselves chained by greed;
Like the elephant which is insatiable,
And thus repeatedly enter into the womb.

Formerly, the mind has been drifting aimlessly,
And always going where it finds pleasure.
[Now, I] shall give it all up and subdue passions,
Like a mahout subduing an elephant with hooks.

He who delights in the Path and is heedful,
Who can constantly protect his mind
Is one who lifts himself out of suffering;
Like an elephant getting out of a trap.

If you get a capable companion
Who would move with you, and is firm in doing good;
You will defeat all the famous
And remain mindful having attained your Goal.

If you don’t get a capable companion
Who would move with you and is firm in doing good;
Then dissociate from all, [like] a king his lands.
It’s better to be alone without doing evil.

It’s better to move alone, doing good;
And not befriend the fools.
Be alone and do no evil,
Like a frightened elephant protecting itself.

Happiness is to be born with wealth.
Happiness is to have gentle and agreeable friends.
Happiness is having merit at life’s end.
Happiness is not committing any evil.

Happiness is having a mother in the family.
Happiness too is having a father.
Happiness is the existence of śramaṇas in the world.
Happiness is the existence of the Way in the world.

Happiness is practicing virtue till old age.
Good is when one’s faith is pure where it should be pure.
Wisdom delights oneself most.
The greatest is not doing evil.

Just as a horse that is properly trained,
Goes according to the tamer’s wish;
One endowed with faith, virtue, vigour,
Concentration and examination of dharmas,

Who is established in knowledge and conduct,
Who has patience and mental stability,
Will get rid of all suffering,
In accordance with his wish.

From this, one will go into concentration,
Like a horse having been tamed,
One is freed from anger and the corruptions,
And experiences the bliss of gods.

He who is not heedless
will thereby become more wakeful,
Like a nag compared to a fine horse:
He who gives up evil is the better.

Translated from the Chinese by Bhikkhu Kuala Lumpur Dhammajoti

From his book The Chinese Version of Dharmapada, Translated with introduction and annotations.

Published here with the kind permission of the author.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.