Elephants

Dantaṁ nayanti samitiṁ,dantaṁ rājābhirūhati;Danto seṭṭho manussesu,yotivākyaṁ titikkhati.

दन्तं नयन्ति समितिं,दन्तं राजाभिरूहति ।दन्तो सेट्ठो मनुस्सेसु,योतिवाक्यं तितिक्खति ॥

The well-tamed beast is the one led to the crowd; the tamed elephant’s the one the king mounts; the tamed person who endures abuse is the best of human beings.

Varamassatarā dantā,ājānīyā ca sindhavā;Kuñjarā ca mahānāgā,attadanto tato varaṁ.

वरमस्सतरा दन्ता,आजानीया च सिन्धवा ।कुञ्जरा च महानागा,अत्तदन्तो ततो वरं ॥

Those who have tamed themselves are better than fine tamed mules, thoroughbreds from Sindh, or giant tuskers.

Na hi etehi yānehi,gaccheyya agataṁ disaṁ;Yathāttanā sudantena,danto dantena gacchati.

न हि एतेहि यानेहि,गच्छेय्य अगतं दिसं ।यथात्तना सुदन्तेन,दन्तो दन्तेन गच्छति ॥

For not on those mounts would you go to the untrodden place, whereas, with the help of one whose self is well tamed, you go there, tamed by the tamed.

Dhanapālo nāma kuñjaro,Kaṭukabhedano dunnivārayo;Baddho kabaḷaṁ na bhuñjati,Sumarati nāgavanassa kuñjaro.

धनपालो नाम कुञ्जरो,कटुकभेदनो दुन्निवारयो ।बद्धो कबळं न भुञ्जति,सुमरति नागवनस्स कुञ्जरो ॥

The tusker named Dhanapāla is musky in rut, hard to control. Bound, he eats not a morsel, for he misses the elephant forest.

Middhī yadā hoti mahagghaso ca,Niddāyitā samparivattasāyī;Mahāvarāhova nivāpapuṭṭho,Punappunaṁ gabbhamupeti mando.

मिद्धी यदा होति महग्घसो च,निद्दायिता सम्परिवत्तसायी ।महावराहोव निवापपुट्ठो,पुनप्पुनं गब्भमुपेति मन्दो ॥

One who gets drowsy from overeating, fond of sleep, rolling round the bed like a great hog stuffed with grain: that dullard returns to the womb again and again.

Idaṁ pure cittamacāri cārikaṁ,Yenicchakaṁ yatthakāmaṁ yathāsukhaṁ;Tadajjahaṁ niggahessāmi yoniso,Hatthippabhinnaṁ viya aṅkusaggaho.

इदं पुरे चित्तमचारि चारिकं,येनिच्छकं यत्थकामं यथासुखं ।तदज्जहं निग्गहेस्सामि योनिसो,हत्थिप्पभिन्नं विय अङ्कुसग्गहो ॥

In the past my mind wandered how it wished, where it liked, as it pleased. Now I’ll carefully guide it, as a trainer with a hook guides a rutting elephant.

Sace labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ,Saddhiṁ caraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ;Abhibhuyya sabbāni parissayāni,Careyya tenattamano satīmā.

सचे लभेथ निपकं सहायं,सद्धिं चरं साधुविहारिधीरं ।अभिभुय्य सब्बानि परिस्सयानि,चरेय्य तेनत्तमनो सतीमा ॥

If you find an alert companion, an attentive friend to live happily together, then, overcoming all adversities, wander with them, joyful and mindful.

No ce labhetha nipakaṁ sahāyaṁ,Saddhiṁ caraṁ sādhuvihāridhīraṁ;Rājāva raṭṭhaṁ vijitaṁ pahāya,Eko care mātaṅgaraññeva nāgo.

नो चे लभेथ निपकं सहायं,सद्धिं चरं साधुविहारिधीरं ।राजाव रट्ठं विजितं पहाय,एको चरे मातङ्गरञ्ञेव नागो ॥

If you find no alert companion, no attentive friend to live happily together, then, like a king who flees his conquered realm, wander alone like a tusker in the wilds.

Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā,Tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena;Puññaṁ sukhaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi,Sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṁ pahānaṁ.

अत्थम्हि जातम्हि सुखा सहाया,तुट्ठी सुखा या इतरीतरेन ।पुञ्ञं सुखं जीवितसङ्खयम्हि,सब्बस्स दुक्खस्स सुखं पहानं ॥

A friend in need is a blessing; it’s a blessing to be content with whatever; good deeds are a blessing at the end of life, and giving up all suffering is a blessing.

Sukhā matteyyatā loke,atho petteyyatā sukhā;Sukhā sāmaññatā loke,atho brahmaññatā sukhā.

सुखा मत्तेय्यता लोके,अथो पेत्तेय्यता सुखा ।सुखा सामञ्ञता लोके,अथो ब्रह्मञ्ञता सुखा ॥

In this world it’s a blessing to serve one’s mother and one’s father. And it’s a blessing also to serve ascetics and brahmins.

Sukhaṁ yāva jarā sīlaṁ,sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā;Sukho paññāya paṭilābho,pāpānaṁ akaraṇaṁ sukhaṁ.Nāgavaggo tevīsatimo.

सुखं याव जरा सीलं,सुखा सद्धा पतिट्ठिता ।सुखो पञ्ञाय पटिलाभो,पापानं अकरणं सुखं ॥नागवग्गो तेवीसतिमो ॥

It’s a blessing to keep precepts until you grow old; a blessing to be grounded in faith; the getting of wisdom’s a blessing; and it’s a blessing to avoid doing wrong.