Chapter XXIII, Section 1a

p. 77 CHAPTER XXIII. THE ELEPHANT. 320. Silently shall I endure abuse as the elephant in battle endures the arrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured. 321. They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed elephant; the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures abuse. 322. Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants with large tusks; but he who tames himself is better still. 323. For 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. 324. The 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. 323. I 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 .] p. 78 325. If 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. 326. This 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. 327. Be not thoughtless, watch your thoughts! Draw yourself out of the evil way, like an elephant sunk in mud. 328. If 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. 329. If 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. 330. It 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.