Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā ākiṇṇo viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharati. Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi: “ahaṁ kho etarahi ākiṇṇo viharāmi bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharāmi. Yannūnāhaṁ eko gaṇasmā vūpakaṭṭho vihareyyan”ti.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at |Kosambi::name of a town; capital city of the Vatsas [kosambī]| in Ghosita‘s park. Now at that time, the Blessed One was living |hemmed in::crowded, surrounded [ākiṇṇa]| by bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male lay disciples, female lay disciples, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, and disciples of sectarians. Being hemmed in, he dwelt in discomfort and not at ease. Then it occurred to the Blessed One: “Now at present, I am living hemmed in by bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male lay disciples, female lay disciples, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, and disciples of sectarians. Being hemmed in, I dwell in discomfort and not at ease. Suppose I were to dwell alone, withdrawn from the crowd.”
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya kosambiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Kosambiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto sāmaṁ senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya anāmantetvā upaṭṭhākaṁ anapaloketvā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ eko adutiyo yena pālileyyakaṁ tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena pālileyyakaṁ tadavasari. Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā pālileyyake viharati rakkhitavanasaṇḍe bhaddasālamūle.
Then the Blessed One, having dressed early in the morning, taking his alms bowl and outer robe, entered Kosambi for alms. Having wandered through Kosambi for alms and after the meal, having returned from the alms round, he put his lodging in order. Then, taking his alms bowl and outer robe, without informing his attendant and without taking leave of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, he set out on a walking tour toward |Pālileyyaka::name of a town near Kosambi [pālileyyaka]|, alone and without a companion. Wandering by stages, he arrived at Pālileyyaka. There, at Pālileyyaka, the Blessed One dwelt in the |Rakkhita forest grove::name of forest; lit. protected forest grove [rakkhitavanasaṇḍa]| at the foot of an auspicious |sal tree::a tall, majestic hardwood tree known for its strength, durability, and grandeur, Shorea robusta [sāla]|.
Aññataropi kho hatthināgo ākiṇṇo viharati hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi. Chinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādati, obhaggobhaggañcassa sākhābhaṅgaṁ khādanti, āvilāni ca pānīyāni pivati, ogāhā cassa uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo kāyaṁ upanighaṁsantiyo gacchanti. Ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharati. Atha kho tassa hatthināgassa etadahosi: “ahaṁ kho etarahi ākiṇṇo viharāmi hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi, chinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādāmi, obhaggobhaggañca me sākhābhaṅgaṁ khādanti, āvilāni ca pānīyāni pivāmi, ogāhā ca me uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo kāyaṁ upanighaṁsantiyo gacchanti, ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharāmi. Yannūnāhaṁ eko gaṇasmā vūpakaṭṭho vihareyyan”ti.
Now a certain bull elephant was also living hemmed in by male elephants, female elephants, young elephant, and baby elephants. He ate grass with the tips cut off, while they ate what he had broken down from the branches. He drank muddied water. And when he had plunged into the water and come out, female elephants went bumping against his body. Being hemmed in, he dwelt in discomfort and not at ease. Then it occurred to that bull elephant: ’Now at present, I am living hemmed in by male elephants, female elephants, young elephants, and baby elephants. I eat grass with the tips cut off, while they eat what I have broken down from the branches. I drink muddied water. And when I have plunged into the water and come out, female elephants go bumping against my body. Being hemmed in, I dwell in discomfort and not at ease. Suppose I were to dwell alone, withdrawn from the herd.”
Atha kho so hatthināgo yūthā apakkamma yena pālileyyakaṁ rakkhitavanasaṇḍo bhaddasālamūlaṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. Tatra sudaṁ so hatthināgo yasmiṁ padese bhagavā viharati taṁ padesaṁ appaharitaṁ karoti, soṇḍāya ca bhagavato pānīyaṁ paribhojanīyaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti.
Then that bull elephant, having departed from the herd, went to Pālileyyaka, to the Rakkhita forest grove, to the foot of the auspicious sal tree where the Blessed One was. There, that bull elephant cleared the grass from the spot where the Blessed One was dwelling, and with his trunk, he provided drinking water and washing water for the Blessed One.
Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “ahaṁ kho pubbe ākiṇṇo vihāsiṁ bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi, ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu vihāsiṁ. Somhi etarahi anākiṇṇo viharāmi bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi, anākiṇṇo sukhaṁ phāsu viharāmī”ti.
Then, while the Blessed One was in seclusion and withdrawn, this train of thought arose in his mind: “Formerly, I lived hemmed in by bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male lay disciples, female lay disciples, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, and disciples of sectarians. Being hemmed in, I dwelt in discomfort and not at ease. But now I am living not hemmed in by bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, male lay disciples, female lay disciples, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, and disciples of sectarians. Being not hemmed in, I dwell in comfort and at ease.”
Tassapi kho hatthināgassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “ahaṁ kho pubbe ākiṇṇo vihāsiṁ hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi, chinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādiṁ, obhaggobhaggañca me sākhābhaṅgaṁ khādiṁsu, āvilāni ca pānīyāni apāyiṁ, ogāhā ca me uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo kāyaṁ upanighaṁsantiyo agamaṁsu, ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu vihāsiṁ. Somhi etarahi anākiṇṇo viharāmi hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi, acchinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādāmi, obhaggobhaggañca me sākhābhaṅgaṁ na khādanti, anāvilāni ca pānīyāni pivāmi, ogāhā ca me uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo na kāyaṁ upanighaṁsantiyo gacchanti, anākiṇṇo sukhaṁ phāsu viharāmī”ti.
Then to that bull elephant also, this train of thought arose in his mind: “Formerly, I lived hemmed in by male elephants, female elephants, young elephants, and baby elephants. I ate grass with the tips cut off, while they ate what I had broken down from the branches. I drank muddied water. And when I had plunged into the water and come out, female elephants went bumping against my body. Being hemmed in, I dwelt in discomfort and not at ease. But now I am living not hemmed in by male elephants, female elephants, young elephants, and baby elephants. I eat grass with the tips not cut off, and they do not eat what I have broken down from the branches. I drink unmuddied water. And when I have plunged into the water and come out, female elephants do not go bumping against my body. Being not hemmed in, I dwell in comfort and at ease.”
Atha kho bhagavā attano ca pavivekaṁ viditvā tassa ca hatthināgassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then the Blessed One, understanding his own seclusion and knowing with his own mind the train of thought of that bull elephant, at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Etaṁ nāgassa nāgena,
īsādantassa hatthino;
Sameti cittaṁ cittena,
yadeko ramatī mano”ti.
“This [thought] of the |Nāga::noble person, epithet of an Arahant [nāga]| accords with the Nāga—
the elephant with tusks like chariot-pole;
Their minds are in accord,
for the mind delights in solitude.”