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2. The Chapter of the Elephant-King 1. The Conduct of the Mother-Nourisher 1. When I was in the forest, An elephant nourishing my mother; Then there was not on earth, One equal to me in virtue. 2. A forest-dweller saw me in the forest, And reported me to the king; ‘O great king, an elephant suitable for you, Dwells in the wilderness. 3. ‘There is no need for a snare for him, Nor for a pit-trap; When seized by the trunk, He will come by himself.’ 4. Hearing his words, The king, with a pleased mind; Sent an elephant-tamer, A skilled and well-trained master. 5. Having gone, that elephant-tamer, Saw me in a lotus pond; Extracting lotus stalks, For the sustenance of my mother. 6. Understanding my virtuous conduct, He observed my marks; ‘Come, son!’ he said, and approaching, He seized me by the trunk. 7. The natural strength I had then, Pervading my body; Was equal to the strength, Of a thousand elephants today. 8. If I were to become angry with them, Who came to seize me; I would be able to resist them, Even the human kingdom. 9. But I, for the preservation of virtue, For the fulfillment of the perfection of virtue; Did not allow my mind to change, Even when they put me in the enclosure. 10. Even if they were to strike me there, With axes and spears; I would not become angry with them, For fear of breaking my virtue. The first, the conduct of the Mother-Nourisher. 2. The Conduct of Bhūridatta 11. Again, when I was, Bhūridatta, the mighty one; With Virūpakkha, the great king, I went to the world of the gods. 12. There, having seen the gods, Exclusively endowed with happiness; For the sake of going to that heaven, I undertook the vow of virtue. 13. Having performed bodily functions, And eaten just enough for sustenance; Having resolved upon four principles, I lay down on the anthill. 14. With skin, with hide, with flesh, Or with sinews and bones; Whoever has need of these, Let him take what is given. 15. Approached by the ungrateful, Ālampāyana seized me; And put me in a basket. ...having seized, plays with me here and there. 16. Even when put in a basket, even when crushed by hand; I do not get angry at the torment, for fear of breaking my virtue. 17. The sacrifice of my own life is lighter than a blade of grass for me; The transgression of my virtue is like the earth flying up. 18. Continuously for a hundred births, I would give up my life; But I would never break my virtue, not even for the sake of the four continents. 19. And also for the protection of virtue, for the fulfillment of the perfection of virtue; I do not make my mind otherwise, even when put in a basket. The second Bhūridatta Story. 3. The Campeyya Nāga Story 20. Again, when I was the mighty Campeyya (Nāga king); Even then I was righteous, endowed with virtue and vows. 21. Even then, a snake-charmer, having seized me, who was practicing Dhamma, observing the Uposatha, played at the king's gate. 22. Whatever color he thought of, whether blue, yellow, or red; Following his thought, I became like what was thought. 23. I could make land into water, and water into land; If I were to get angry at him, I would turn him to ashes in a moment. 24. If I were to be under the sway of mind (anger), I would fall away from virtue; For one who has fallen away from virtue, the highest goal is not attained. 25. Let this body be broken, let it be scattered right here; But I would never break my virtue, even when scattered like chaff. The third Campeyya Nāga Story. 4. The Cūḷabodhi Story 26. Again, when I was Cūḷabodhi, of good virtue; Seeing danger in existence, I went forth into renunciation. 27. My companion, a brahmin woman like gold; She too, unconcerned with the cycle (of existence), went forth into renunciation. 28. Without attachment, with ties cut, unconcerned with family or group; Wandering from village to town, we came to Bārāṇasī. 29. There we lived, discerning, unassociated with family or group; In a quiet, peaceful, royal park, we both lived. 30. Going to see the park, the king saw the brahmin woman; Approaching... he asked me, ‘Whose wife is this, to whom does she belong?’ 31. ‘‘When this was said, I spoke these words to him: ‘This is not my wife, she is a fellow practitioner, of one teaching.’ 32. ‘‘He, inflamed with passion for her, had his servants seize her; forcibly oppressing her, he led her into his inner palace. 33. ‘‘As my fellow practitioner, of one teaching, was being dragged away, anger arose in me. 34. ‘‘As soon as anger arose, I remembered my vows and practices; I suppressed the anger right there, I did not allow it to grow further. 35. ‘‘Even if someone were to strike that brahmin woman with a sharp weapon; I would not break my virtue, for the sake of enlightenment. 36. ‘‘That brahmin woman is not hateful to me, nor do I lack strength; omniscience is dear to me, therefore I protected my virtue.’’ The Fourth, the Lesser Bodhi Practice. 5. The Practice of the Buffalo King 37. ‘‘Again, when I was a buffalo, roaming the forest; of great body, strong, large, and fearsome to behold. 38. ‘‘On mountain slopes, in rugged places, at the foot of trees, by water sources; there were places for buffaloes, here and there. 39. ‘‘Wandering in the great forest, I saw a good place; going to that place, I would stand and lie down. 40. ‘‘Then a wicked, ignoble, light-minded monkey came there; it would urinate and defecate on my shoulders, forehead, and eyebrows. 41. ‘‘For a day, a second, a third, and a fourth; it would defile me all the time, by that I was tormented. 42. ‘‘Seeing me tormented, a yakkha said this to me: ‘Destroy that wretched, wicked creature, with your horns and hooves.’ 43. ‘‘When this was said, then to the yakkha, I said this: ‘Why do you defile me with a corpse, with a wicked, ignoble one? 44. ‘‘‘If I were to get angry with him, then I would be inferior; my virtue would be broken, and the wise would blame me. 45. ‘‘‘It is better to die pure, even if scorned or deprived of life; What am I— even for the sake of life, I will not harm others.’ 46. ‘‘Thinking this is me, he will do the same to others; They will kill him, that will be my liberation. 47. ‘‘Enduring contempt, from low, middle, and high; Thus the wise one obtains, what is desired in mind.’’ The fifth, the Conduct of King Mahiṃsa. 6. The Conduct of King Ruru 48. ‘‘Again, when I was, like refined gold; A deer king named Ruru, perfectly endowed with virtue. 49. ‘‘In a delightful, charming place, secluded, uninhabited by humans; There I took up residence, on the lovely bank of the Ganges. 50. ‘‘Then upstream on the Ganges, oppressed by creditors; A man fell into the Ganges, ‘I live or I die.’ 51. ‘‘Day and night he was, carried by the great waters of the Ganges; Crying a piteous cry, he went in the middle of the Ganges. 52. ‘‘Hearing his voice, his piteous lament; Standing on the bank of the Ganges, I asked, ‘Who are you, man?’ 53. ‘‘Questioned by me, he then explained, his own situation; ‘Frightened and thirsty by creditors, I plunged into the great river.’ 54. ‘‘Having compassion for him, sacrificing my own life; Entering, I brought him out, in the darkness of the night. 55. ‘‘Knowing it was a time of relief, I said this to him; ‘I ask one boon of you, do not tell anyone about me.’ 56. ‘‘Going to the city, he told, questioned for the sake of wealth; Taking the king, he came, to my presence. 57. ‘‘All that had happened, was reported by me to the king; The king, hearing my words, aimed an arrow at him; ‘Here I will kill, this ignoble betrayer of a friend.’ 58. ‘‘Protecting him, I offered myself; ‘Let him stand, great king, I am at your disposal.’ 59. ‘‘I protected my virtue, I did not protect my life; For I was virtuous then, for the sake of enlightenment.’’ The sixth, the Conduct of King Ruru. 7. The Conduct of Mātaṅga 60. Again, when I was, an ascetic of great austerity; Mātaṅga by name, virtuous and well-composed. 61. I and a certain brahmin, lived together on the bank of the Gaṅgā; I lived upstream, the brahmin lived downstream. 62. Wandering along the bank, he saw my hermitage upstream; There he insulted me, and cursed me to have my head split. 63. If I had been angry with him, if I had not guarded my virtue; Looking at him, I would have turned him to ashes. 64. That which he then cursed me with, angry with a malicious mind; It fell upon his own head, I released him by means of my power. 65. I guarded my virtue, I did not guard my life; For I was virtuous then, only for the sake of awakening. The Seventh, the Conduct of Mātaṅga. 8. The Conduct of Dhammadevaputta 66. Again, when I was, of great power, of great might; A great Yakka named Dhamma, compassionate to all the world. 67. Enjoining the great multitude, in the ten wholesome paths of action; I wandered village to village, with my friends and retinue. 68. A wicked, stingy Yakka, displaying the ten unwholesome deeds; He also wandered on this earth, with his friends and retinue. 69. The speaker of Dhamma and the unrighteous, we both were adversaries; Clashing shoulder to shoulder, we both were on opposing paths. 70. A terrible quarrel arose, between the good and the evil; For the sake of leaving the path, a great battle was at hand. 71. If I had been angry with him, if I had broken my ascetic power; I would have turned him, with his retinue, into dust. 72. But I, for the protection of virtue, having extinguished my mind; With my people, I stepped aside, and gave the path to the wicked one. 73. When I stepped aside from the path, having made my mind calm; The earth immediately gave way, to that wicked Yakka. The Eighth, the Conduct of Dhammadevaputta. 9. The Conduct of Alīnasattu 74. In the excellent city, Kapilā, the best of cities, in the Pañcāla kingdom; King Jayaddisa by name, endowed with virtues of morality. 75. “I was the son of that king, well-versed in Dhamma, of good conduct;