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OF THE ELEPHANT [1] An elephant in battle endures arrows shot from a bow. Even so, shall it endure censures, for men in the mass are, by nature, prone to evil. An elephant, when controlled, can be led to battle; him the king can ride. And among men the best is he who is controlled and endures censures. [3] Mules, when controlled, are excellent, so also are the pure bred horses of Sindh, so indeed are the mighty tuskers. But best of all is the man who has controlled himself. [4] With such conveyances you cannot go where none has gone. He who has controlled himself goes out as a controlled person on a controlled mount. [5] The elephant, by name Dhanapala, is hard to control when in heat. Not a morsel would he eat, if bound; he remembers only his free forest herd. [6] When one is
slothful, when one is gluttonous, one grows in flesh, even like a sleepy pig
rolling from side to side – thus the fool is called to birth time and again.
Page – 239 [7] Till now this mind of mine
has moved about doing whatever pleased it. Henceforth I shall thoroughly hold
it under control even as the driver with his hook controls an elephant in heat. [8] Take delight in vigilance. Stand by your mind. Lift yourself out of evil, even like an elephant sunk in a bog. [9] If you have
as your companion one who is intelligent and wise and of perfect conduct, then
you will overcome all obstacles and go forward with him, contented and
courageous. [10] If your do not have
companion one who is intelligent and wise and of perfect conduct, then live
alone, even like a vanquished king who has lost his kingdom or like an elephant
alone in the midst of the forest. [11] Better to live alone, a fool is not a company. Live alone, do no evil, look not about, live like a lonely elephant. [12] A friend in need is a
thing of joy, a more or less satisfaction here and there is a thing of joy,
after death a good deed is a thing of joy; it is a joy indeed to have abandoned
all griefs. [13] In the world, it is a joy
to serve one's mother, it is a joy also to serve one's
father. And it is a joy to follow the path of the Bhikkus,
it is a joy to follow the path of the Brahmin. [14] It is a joy to lead a pure
life till old age, it is a joy to possess a firmly established faith, it is a
joy to acquire wisdom and it is a joy not to do evil.
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