AN 4.114

Nāgasutta

“Catūhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo rājāraho hoti rājabhoggo, rañño aṅganteva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā ca hoti, hantā ca, khantā ca, gantā ca.

A Royal Elephant

“Mendicants, a royal bull elephant with four factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned a factor of kingship. What four? A royal bull elephant listens, destroys, endures, and goes fast.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo yamenaṁ hatthidammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāreti— yadi vā katapubbaṁ yadi vā akatapubbaṁ— taṁ aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto suṇāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā hoti.

And how does a royal bull elephant listen? It’s when a royal bull elephant pays attention, applies the mind, concentrates wholeheartedly, and actively listens to whatever task the elephant trainer has it do, whether or not it has done it before. That’s how a royal bull elephant listens.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo hantā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo saṅgāmagato hatthimpi hanati, hatthāruhampi hanati, assampi hanati, assāruhampi hanati, rathampi hanati, rathikampi hanati, pattikampi hanati. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo hantā hoti.

And how does a royal bull elephant destroy? It’s when a royal bull elephant in battle destroys elephants with their riders, horses with their riders, chariots and charioteers, and foot soldiers. That’s how a royal bull elephant destroys.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo khantā hoti? Idha bhikkhave, rañño nāgo saṅgāmagato khamo hoti sattippahārānaṁ asippahārānaṁ usuppahārānaṁ pharasuppahārānaṁ bheripaṇavasaṅkhatiṇavaninnādasaddānaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo khantā hoti.

And how does a royal bull elephant endure? 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. That’s how a royal bull elephant endures.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo gantā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo yamenaṁ hatthidammasārathi disaṁ peseti— yadi vā gatapubbaṁ yadi vā agatapubbaṁ— taṁ khippameva gantā hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo gantā hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo rājāraho hoti rājabhoggo, rañño aṅganteva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

And how does a royal bull elephant go fast? It’s when a royal bull elephant swiftly goes in whatever direction the elephant trainer sends it, whether or not it has been there before. That’s how a royal bull elephant goes fast. A royal bull elephant with four factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned a factor of kingship.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā ca hoti, hantā ca, khantā ca, gantā ca.

In the same way, a mendicant with four qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. What four? A mendicant listens, destroys, endures, and goes fast.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye desiyamāne aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā hoti.

And how does a mendicant listen? It’s when a mendicant pays attention, applies the mind, concentrates wholeheartedly, and actively listens when the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One is being taught. That’s how a mendicant listens.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hantā hoti? 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. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hantā hoti.

And how does a mendicant destroy? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t tolerate a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought. They don’t tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, dispel them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. That’s how a mendicant destroys.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khantā hoti? 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. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khantā hoti.

And how does a mendicant endure? It’s when a mendicant 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. That’s how a mendicant endures.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gantā hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yāyaṁ disā agatapubbā iminā dīghena addhunā yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ, taṁ khippaññeva gantā hoti. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gantā hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

And how does a mendicant go fast? It’s when a mendicant 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. That’s how a mendicant goes fast. A mendicant with these four qualities … is the supreme field of merit for the world.”