Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

THE ELEPHANT. 143
pose." And again he asked him, after the water had been
thrown away, whether the vessel was now fit for holding
water for drink ; to which Eahula replied, " No," for the
vessel is still defiled, and is known as an unclean thing,
and therefore not used for any purpose such as that indi-
cated ;
to which Buddh^, again replied, " And such is your
case, hy not guarding your tongue, &c., you are known
and recognised as unfit for any high purpose, although
you profess to be a Shaman." And then once more lift-
ing the empty basin on to his foot, and whirling it round
and round, he asked Eahula if he were not afraid lest it
should fall and be broken ; to which Eahula replied that
he had no such fear, for the vessel was but a cheap and
common one, and therefore its loss would be a matter of
small moment. "And such is your case," again said
Buddha, " for though you are a Shaman, yet being unable
to guard your mouth or your tongue, you are destined, as
a small and insignificant thing, to be whirled in the endless
eddies of transmigration — an object of 'contempt
to all the Wise." Eahula being filled with shame,
Buddha addressed him once more: "Listen, and I will
speak to you in a parable. There was in old time -the
Mng of a certain country who had a large and very power-
ful elephant, able to overpower by its own strength five
hundred smaller elephants. This king, being about to go
to war with some rebellious dependency, brought forth the
iron armour belonging to the elephant, and directed the
master of the animal to put it on him, to wit, two sharp-
pointed swords on his tusks, two iron hooks (scythes) on
his ears, a crooked spear on each foot, an iron club (or
ball) attached to his tail; and to accompany him were
appointed nine soldiers as escort. Then the elephantmaster
was rejoiced to see the creature thus equipped, and
trained him above all things to keep his trunk well coiled
up, knowing that an arrow piercing tlmt in the midst must
be fatal. But lo! in the middle of the battle the ele-
phant, uncoiling his trunk, sought to seize a sword with it.