The Elephant

Bhikkhus, endowed with four characteristics the king's elephant becomes the king's property and royal by the sign. What four?

Here, bhikkhus, the king's elephant becomes a hearer, a destroyer, an endurer and a goer.

Bhikkhus, how does the king's elephant become a hearer?

Here bhikkhus, when the elephant trainer trains the king's elephant, whether that training was given earlier or not given earlier, he recalls everything and listens attentively. Thus the king's elephant becomes a hearer.

Bhikkhus, how does the king's elephant become a destroyer?

Here bhikkhus, the king's elephant gone to the battle field destroys elephants, elephant riders, horses, riders on horses, carriages and those in carriages and foot soldiers Thus the king's elephant becomes a destroyer.

Bhikkhus, how does the king's elephant become an endurer?

Here, bhikkhus, the king's elephant endures blows from weapons, swords, arrows, harsh words, the sounds of small and large drums, the conch and the pouring of heated liquids. Thus the king's elephant becomes an endurer.

Bhikkhus, how does the king's elephant become a goer? .

Here, bhikkhus, the king's elephant goes in whatever direction the trainer sends him, whether earlier gone or not gone, he goes in the direction that he is sent. Thus the king's elephant is a goer.

Bhikkhus, in the same manner the bhikkhu endowed with four characteristics becomes suitable for reverence, hospitality, gifts and reverential salutation with clasped hands ... re ... the incomparable field of merit for the world. What four?

Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu becomes a hearer, a destroyer, an endurer and a goer.

Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu become a hearer?

Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu recalls whatever teaching he had heard in the discipline of the Thus Gone One and carefully and attentively he listens to the Teaching. Thus the bhikkhu becomes a hearer.

Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu become a destroyer?

Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu does not endure arisen sensual thoughts, arisen angry thoughts arisen hurting thoughts and arisen evil thoughts, dispels them destroys and makes them not arise again. Thus the bhikkhu becomes a destroyer.

Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu become an endurer?

Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu endures cold, heat, hunger, thurst, the sting of yelloiw flies gadflies and creeping things and unpleasant feelings born of badly enunciated rough words and arisen unpleasant bodily feelings that are sharp, rough and difficult to bear, causing life to end. Thus the bhikkhu becomes one who endures.

Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu become a goer?

Here, bhikkhus the bhikkhu quickly goes in that direction, along which he had never gone before while traversing in existences this long time, such as the appeasing of all determinations, giving up all substratum, the destruction of craving, disenchantment, cessation and extinction. Thus the bhikkhu becomes a goer.

Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu endowed with these four characteristics becomes suitable for reverence, hospitality, gifts and reverential salutation with clasped hands ... re ... the incomparable field of merit for the world.