南傳法句經 第廿三 象品（320～333偈）
〈简〉
法增比丘譯
（Dhammavaro Bhikkhu）
320、
如象於戰場，
堪忍諸弓箭，
人多不自律，
我忍諸誹謗。
321、
御象可赴會，
御象王可乘，
人中堪忍者，
人中最上御。
322、
御騾為優良，
信度1馬優良，
長牙象2優良，
御己更優良。
1.（Sindhu）。
2.（Kunjara）。
323、
非彼諸車乘，
能達無行境*，
彼善調御人，
能達無行境。
*（涅槃）。
324、
彼象名財守*，
思母情難伏，
被困不思食，
唯思念象林。
*（Dhanapalaka）。
325、
懶惰又貪食，
貪睡轉側眠，
如豬貪食睡，
愚者頻入胎*。
*（生死輪迴）。
326、
往昔此妄心，
遊蕩隨所欲，
隨所愛好求，
我以智調伏，
如象師持鉤，
制伏發情象。
327、
喜於不放逸，
善護衛自心，
自離於煩惱，
如象出泥沼。
328、
若得賢伴侶，
正直具智慧，
欣然同彼行，
克服諸困難。
329、
若不得賢伴，
正直具智慧，
應如王棄國*，
如象獨遊林。
（328，329兩偈合誦）
*（拋棄征服的國土）。
330、
寧獨住為善，
不與愚人伴，
獨往不造惡，
自在象遊林。
331、
患難遇友喜，
少欲知足喜，
命終積善喜，
離一切苦喜。
332、
在世孝母樂，
孝順父亦樂，
奉事沙門樂，
奉事聖者樂。
333、
持戒垂老樂，
不移信心樂，
圓證智慧樂，
不造惡業樂。
Nagavagga: Elephants
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
320
I — like an elephant in battle, enduring an arrow
shot from a bow — will endure a false accusation, for the mass of people have no principles.
321
The tamed is the one they take into assemblies. The tamed is the one the king mounts. The tamed who endures a false accusation is, among human beings, the best.
322-323
Excellent are tamed mules, tamed thoroughbreds, tamed horses from Sindh. Excellent, tamed tuskers, great elephants. But even more excellent are those self-tamed.
For not by these mounts
could you go to the land unreached, as the tamed one goes by taming,
well-taming, himself.
324
The tusker,
Dhanapalaka, deep in rut,
is hard to control. Bound,
he won't eat a morsel: the tusker misses the elephant wood.
325
When torpid
& over-fed, a sleepy-head lolling about like a stout hog,
fattened on fodder: a dullard enters the womb over & over again.
326
Before,
this mind went wandering however it pleased, wherever it wanted, by whatever way
that it liked. Today I will hold it
aptly in check — as one wielding a goad,
an elephant in rut.
327
Delight in heedfulness. Watch over your own mind. Lift yourself up from the hard-going way, like a tusker sunk in the mud.
328-330
If you gain a mature companion — a fellow traveler,
right-living, enlightened — overcoming all dangers go with him,
gratified, mindful.
If you don't gain a
mature companion — a fellow traveler,
right-living, enlightened — go alone like a king renouncing
his kingdom, like the elephant in
the Matanga wilds, his herd.
Going alone is better, there's no companionship
with a fool. Go alone, doing no evil, at peace, like the elephant
in the Matanga wilds.
331-333
A blessing:
friends when the need arises. A blessing:
contentment with whatever there is. Merit at the ending of life is a blessing. A blessing:
the abandoning of all suffering & stress.
A blessing in the world:
reverence to your mother. A blessing:
reverence to your father as well. A blessing in the world:
reverence to a contemplative. A blessing:
reverence for a brahman, too.
A blessing into old age is virtue. A blessing:
conviction established. A blessing:
discernment attained. The non-doing of evil things is a blessing.