Verse 323

Dhammapada Verse 323

The Story of the Bhikkhu Who Had Been a Trainer of Elephants

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On one occasion, some bhikkhus saw an elephant trainer and his elephant on the bank of the river Aciravati. As the trainer was finding it difficult to control the elephant, one of the bhikkhus, who was an ex-elephant trainer, told the other bhikkhus how it could be easily handled. The elephant trainer hearing him did as told by the bhikkhu, and the elephant was quickly subdued. Back at the monastery, the bhikkhus related the incident to the Buddha. The Buddha called the ex-elephant trainer bhikkhu to him and said, "O vain bhikkhu, who is yet far away from Magga and Phala ! You do not gain anything by taming elephants. There is no one who can get to a place where one has never been before (i.e.. Nibbana) by taming elephants; only one who has tamed himself can get there."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Na hi etehi yanehi
gaccheyya agatam disam
yatha' ttana sudantena
danto dantena gacchati.

Verse 323: Indeed, not by any means of transport (such as elephants and horses) can one go to the place one has never been before (i.e., Nibbana); but by thoroughly taming oneself, the tamed one¹ can get to that place (i.e., Nibbana).

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1. The tamed one: One, who having first controlled the senses, has later developed Magga Insight. (The Commentary)