Dhammapada, Dhamma Verses (KN 2)

118
Nāgavaggo
23. The Chapter about the Elephant
Ahaṁ nāgo va saṅgāme cāpāto patitaṁ saraṁ
Like an elephant in battle (endures) an arrow shot from bow
ativākyaṁ titikkhissaṁ, dussīlo hi bahujjano. [320]
(so) will I endure abuse, for many people are unvirtuous.
Dantaṁ nayanti samitiṁ, dantaṁ rājābhirūhati,
They lead one trained into a crowd, a king mounts one who has been trained,
danto seṭṭho manussesu, yotivākyaṁ titikkhati. [321]
amongst humans one trained is best, the one who can endure abuse.
Varam-assatarā dantā, ājānīyā ca Sindhavā,
Noble are the well-trained horses, the well-bred horses from Sindh,
kuñjarā ca mahānāgā, attadanto tato varaṁ. [322]
and the great tusker elephants, (and even) more noble than that is the one who has trained
himself.
Na hi etehi yānehi gaccheyya agataṁ disaṁ,
Not by these vehicles can one go to the place beyond destinations, 1
yathattanā sudantena, danto dantena gacchati. [323]
as one through training himself well, being trained by the training, goes.
Dhanapālakŏ nāma kuñjaro
The tusker named Dhanapālaka
kaṭukappabhedano dunnivārayo,
musty in rut, difficult to restrain,
baddho kabalaṁ na bhuñjati,
bound, he doesn’t eat (even) a morsel,
sumarati nāgavanassa kuñjaro. [324]
the tusker remembers the elephant forest. 2
1
I.e. Nibbāna.
2
The verse is unusual in that it has no moral outside of the story which is attached to it.