AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.114 A Royal Elephant

Numbered Discourses 4.114 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.114

12. With Kesi – 12. Kesivagga

AN 4.114 A Royal Elephant – Nāgasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, a royal bull elephant with four factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is considered a factor of kingship.

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo rājāraho hoti rājabhoggo, rañño aṅganteva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

1.2

What four?

Katamehi catūhi?

1.3

A royal bull elephant listens, destroys, endures, and goes fast.

Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā ca hoti, hantā ca, khantā ca, gantā ca.

2.1

And how does a royal bull elephant listen?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā hoti?

2.2

It’s when a royal bull elephant pays heed, pays attention, engages wholeheartedly, and lends an ear to whatever task the elephant trainer has it do,

Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo yamenaṁ hatthidammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāreti—

2.3

whether or not it has done it before.

yadi vā katapubbaṁ yadi vā akatapubbaṁ—

2.4

taṁ aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto suṇāti.

2.5

That’s how a royal bull elephant listens.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā hoti.

3.1

And how does a royal bull elephant destroy?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo hantā hoti?

3.2

It’s when a royal bull elephant in battle destroys elephants with their riders, horses with their riders, chariots and charioteers, and foot soldiers.

Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo saṅgāmagato hatthimpi hanati, hatthāruhampi hanati, assampi hanati, assāruhampi hanati, rathampi hanati, rathikampi hanati, pattikampi hanati.

3.3

That’s how a royal bull elephant destroys.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo hantā hoti.

4.1

And how does a royal bull elephant endure?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo khantā hoti?

4.2

It’s when a royal bull elephant in battle endures being struck by spears, swords, arrows, and axes; it endures the thunder of the drums, kettledrums, horns, and cymbals.

Idha bhikkhave, rañño nāgo saṅgāmagato khamo hoti sattippahārānaṁ asippahārānaṁ usuppahārānaṁ pharasuppahārānaṁ bheripaṇavasaṅkhatiṇavaninnādasaddānaṁ.

4.3

That’s how a royal bull elephant endures.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo khantā hoti.

5.1

And how does a royal bull elephant go fast?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo gantā hoti?

5.2

It’s when a royal bull elephant swiftly goes in whatever direction the elephant trainer sends it,

Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo yamenaṁ hatthidammasārathi disaṁ peseti—

5.3

whether or not it has been there before.

yadi vā gatapubbaṁ yadi vā agatapubbaṁ—

5.4

taṁ khippameva gantā hoti.

5.5

That’s how a royal bull elephant goes fast.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo gantā hoti.

5.6

A royal bull elephant with four factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is considered a factor of kingship.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo rājāraho hoti rājabhoggo, rañño aṅganteva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

6.1

In the same way, a bhikkhu with four qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.

6.2

What four?

Katamehi catūhi?

6.3

A bhikkhu listens, destroys, endures, and goes fast.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā ca hoti, hantā ca, khantā ca, gantā ca.

7.1

And how does a bhikkhu listen?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā hoti?

7.2

It’s when a bhikkhu pays heed, pays attention, engages wholeheartedly, and lends an ear when the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One is being taught.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye desiyamāne aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti.

7.3

That’s how a bhikkhu listens.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā hoti.

8.1

And how does a bhikkhu destroy?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hantā hoti?

8.2

It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t tolerate a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought. They don’t tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ kāmavitakkaṁ nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti hanati byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti, uppannaṁ byāpādavitakkaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ …pe… uppannuppanne pāpake akusale dhamme nādhivāseti pajahati vinodeti hanati byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti.

8.3

That’s how a bhikkhu destroys.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hantā hoti.

9.1

And how does a bhikkhu endure?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khantā hoti?

9.2

It’s when a bhikkhu endures cold, heat, hunger, and thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles; rude and unwelcome criticism; and they put up with physical pain—sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, disagreeable, and life-threatening.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya, ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti.

9.3

That’s how a bhikkhu endures.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khantā hoti.

10.1

And how does a bhikkhu go fast?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gantā hoti?

10.2

It’s when a bhikkhu swiftly goes in the direction they’ve never gone before in all this long time; that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yāyaṁ disā agatapubbā iminā dīghena addhunā yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ, taṁ khippaññeva gantā hoti.

10.3

That’s how a bhikkhu goes fast.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gantā hoti.

10.4

A bhikkhu with these four qualities … is the supreme field of merit for the world.”

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

10.5

Catutthaṁ.