“Bhikkhus, a king’s elephant endowed with five [negative] qualities is not worthy of a king, not fit for royal service, and is not even counted as a component of the king’s retinue. What five? Here, bhikkhus, a king’s elephant is |unable to endure::intolerant of [akkhama]| forms, unable to endure sounds, unable to endure odors, unable to endure flavors, and unable to endure tangible objects.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant unable to endure forms? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, upon seeing an elephant formation, a cavalry unit, a chariot division, or an infantry line, he sinks down, flounders, does not remain steadfast, and is unable to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is unable to endure forms.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant unable to endure sounds? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, upon hearing the sound of elephants, or the sound of horses, or the sound of chariots, or the sound of infantry, or the clamorous noise of kettle drums, cymbals, conches, and battlefield drums, he sinks down, flounders, does not remain steadfast, and is unable to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is unable to endure sounds.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant unable to endure odors? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, upon smelling the scent of the urine and dung of those well-bred battle-seasoned royal elephants, he sinks down, flounders, does not remain steadfast, and is unable to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is unable to endure odors.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant unable to endure flavors? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, being slighted by a single bowl of grass and water, or by two, or three, or four, or five such offerings, he sinks down, flounders, does not remain steadfast, and is unable to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is unable to endure flavors.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant unable to endure tangible objects? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, being pierced by one volley of arrows, or by two, three, four, or five such volleys, he sinks down, flounders, does not remain steadfast, and is unable to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is unable to endure tangible objects.
These, bhikkhus, are the five qualities with which a king’s elephant, being endowed, is not worthy of a king, not fit for royal service, and is not even counted as a component of the king’s retinue.
So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu endowed with five such qualities is not worthy of offerings, not worthy of hospitality, not worthy of gifts, not deserving of reverence, and not an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What five? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is unable to endure forms, unable to endure sounds, unable to endure odors, unable to endure flavors, and unable to endure tangible objects.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu unable to endure forms? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, is infatuated with an |enticing::arousing, tantalizing [rajanīya]| sight and is unable to |collect and settle the mind::compose and stabilize the mind [samādahituṃ]|. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is unable to endure forms.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu unable to endure sounds? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having heard a sound with the ear, is infatuated with an enticing sound and is unable to collect and settle the mind. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is unable to endure sounds.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu unable to endure odors? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having smelled an odor with the nose, is infatuated with an enticing odor and is unable to collect and settle the mind. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is unable to endure odors.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu unable to endure flavors? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having tasted a flavor with the tongue, is infatuated with an enticing flavor and is unable to collect and settle the mind. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is unable to endure flavors.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu unable to endure tangible objects? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having touched a tangible object with the body, is infatuated with an enticing touch and is unable to collect and settle the mind. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is unable to endure tangible objects.
These, bhikkhus, are the five qualities with which a bhikkhu, being endowed, is not worthy of offerings, not worthy of hospitality, not worthy of gifts, not deserving of reverence, and not an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
Bhikkhus, a king’s elephant endowed with five qualities is worthy of a king, fit for royal service, and is rightly counted as a component of the king’s retinue. Here, bhikkhus, a king’s elephant is |able to [patiently] endure::patient with, forbearing with [khama]| forms, able to patiently endure sounds, able to patiently endure odors, able to patiently endure flavors, and able to patiently endure tangible objects.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant able to patiently endure forms? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, upon seeing an elephant formation, a cavalry unit, a chariot division, or an infantry line, he does not sink down, does not flounder, but remains steadfast and is able to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is able to patiently endure forms.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant able to patiently endure sounds? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, upon hearing the sound of elephants, or the sound of horses, or the sound of chariots, or the sound of infantry, or the clamorous noise of kettle drums, cymbals, conches, and battlefield drums, he does not sink down, does not flounder, but remains steadfast and is able to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is able to patiently endure sounds.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant able to patiently endure odors? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, upon smelling the scent of the urine and dung of those well-bred battle-seasoned royal elephants, he does not sink down, does not flounder, but remains steadfast and is able to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is able to patiently endure odors.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant able to patiently endure flavors? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, being slighted by a single bowl of grass and water, or by two, or three, or four, or five such offerings, he does not sink down, does not flounder, but remains steadfast and is able to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is able to patiently endure flavors.
And how, bhikkhus, is the king’s elephant able to patiently endure tangible objects? Here, bhikkhus, when the king’s elephant has gone to battle, being pierced by one volley of arrows, or by two, three, four, or five such volleys, he does not sink down, does not flounder, but remains steadfast and is able to enter the battlefield. In this way, bhikkhus, the king’s elephant is able to patiently endure tangible objects.
These, bhikkhus, are the five qualities with which a king’s elephant, being endowed, is worthy of a king, fit for royal service, and is rightly counted as a component of the king’s retinue.
So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu endowed with five qualities is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, deserving of reverence, and an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What five? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is able to patiently endure forms, able to patiently endure sounds, able to patiently endure odors, able to patiently endure flavors, and able to patiently endure tangible objects.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu able to patiently endure forms? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having seen a form with the eye, is not infatuated with an enticing sight, and he is able to collect and settle the mind. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is able to patiently endure forms.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu able to patiently endure sounds? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having heard a sound with the ear, is not infatuated with an enticing sound, and he is able to collect and settle the mind. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is able to patiently endure sounds.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu able to patiently endure odors? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having smelled an odor with the nose, is not infatuated with an enticing odor, and he is able to collect and settle the mind. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is able to patiently endure odors.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu able to patiently endure flavors? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having tasted a flavor with the tongue, is not infatuated with an enticing flavor, and he is able to collect and settle the mind. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is able to patiently endure flavors.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu able to patiently endure tangible objects? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, having touched a tangible object with the body, is not infatuated with an enticing touch, and he is able to collect and settle the mind. In this way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is able to patiently endure tangible objects.
These, bhikkhus, are the five qualities with which a bhikkhu, being endowed, is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, deserving of reverence, and an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”