“Mendicants, a royal bull elephant with five factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned a factor of kingship. “Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo rājāraho hoti rājabhoggo, rañño aṅgaṁtveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. What five? Katamehi pañcahi? A royal bull elephant listens, destroys, protects, endures, and goes fast. Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā ca hoti, hantā ca, rakkhitā ca, khantā ca, gantā ca.

And how does a royal bull elephant listen? Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā hoti? It’s when a royal bull elephant pays attention, applies the mind, concentrates wholeheartedly, and actively listens to whatever task the elephant trainer has it do, Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo yamenaṁ hatthidammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāreti—whether or not it has done it before. yadi vā katapubbaṁ yadi vā akatapubbaṁ—taṁ aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbaṁ cetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto suṇāti. That’s how a royal bull elephant listens. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo sotā hoti.

And how does a royal bull elephant destroy? Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo hantā hoti? It’s when a royal bull elephant in battle destroys elephants with their riders, horses with their riders, chariots and charioteers, and foot soldiers. Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo saṅgāmagato hatthimpi hanati, hatthāruhampi hanati, assampi hanati, assāruhampi hanati, rathampi hanati, rathikampi hanati, pattikampi hanati. That’s how a royal bull elephant destroys. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo hantā hoti.

And how does a royal bull elephant protect? Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo rakkhitā hoti? It’s when a royal bull elephant in battle protects its fore-quarters and hind-quarters, its fore-feet and hind-feet, and its head, ears, tusks, trunk, tail, and rider. Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo saṅgāmagato rakkhati purimaṁ kāyaṁ, rakkhati pacchimaṁ kāyaṁ, rakkhati purime pāde, rakkhati pacchime pāde, rakkhati sīsaṁ, rakkhati kaṇṇe, rakkhati dante, rakkhati soṇḍaṁ, rakkhati vāladhiṁ, rakkhati hatthāruhaṁ. That’s how a royal bull elephant protects. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo rakkhitā hoti.

And how does a royal bull elephant endure? Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo khantā hoti? It’s when a royal bull elephant in battle endures being struck by spears, swords, arrows, and axes; it endures the thunder of the drums, kettledrums, horns, and cymbals. Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo saṅgāmagato khamo hoti sattippahārānaṁ asippahārānaṁ usuppahārānaṁ pharasuppahārānaṁ bheripaṇavasaṅkhatiṇavaninnādasaddānaṁ. That’s how a royal bull elephant endures. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo khantā hoti.

And how does a royal bull elephant go fast? Kathañca, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo gantā hoti? It’s when a royal bull elephant swiftly goes in whatever direction the elephant trainer sends it, Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo yamenaṁ hatthidammasārathi disaṁ peseti—whether or not it has been there before. yadi vā gatapubbaṁ yadi vā agatapubbaṁ—taṁ khippameva gantā hoti. That’s how a royal bull elephant goes fast. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo gantā hoti.

A royal bull elephant with these five factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned a factor of kingship. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo rājāraho hoti rājabhoggo, rañño aṅgantveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

In the same way, a mendicant with five qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa. What five? Katamehi pañcahi? A mendicant listens, destroys, protects, endures, and goes fast. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā ca hoti, hantā ca, rakkhitā ca, khantā ca, gantā ca.

And how does a mendicant listen? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā hoti? It’s when a mendicant pays attention, applies the mind, concentrates wholeheartedly, and actively listens when the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One is being taught. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye desiyamāne aṭṭhiṅkatvā manasi katvā sabbaṁ cetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti. That’s how a mendicant listens. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā hoti.

And how does a mendicant destroy? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hantā hoti? It’s when a mendicant doesn’t tolerate a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought. They don’t tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, get rid of them, calm them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ kāmavitakkaṁ nādhivāseti, pajahati vinodeti hanati byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti; uppannaṁ byāpādavitakkaṁ …pe… uppannaṁ vihiṁsāvitakkaṁ …pe… uppannuppanne pāpake akusale dhamme nādhivāseti, pajahati vinodeti hanati byantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti. That’s how a mendicant destroys. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu hantā hoti.

And how does a mendicant protect? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rakkhitā hoti? When a mendicant sees a sight with the eyes, they don’t get caught up in the features and details. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving restraint over it. Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati; rakkhati cakkhundriyaṁ; cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati. Hearing a sound with the ears … Sotena saddaṁ sutvā … Smelling an odor with the nose … ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā … Tasting a flavor with the tongue … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … Encountering a touch with the body … kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā … Knowing an idea with the mind, they don’t get caught up in the features and details. manasā dhammaṁ viññāya na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī. If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving restraint over it. Yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ manindriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati; rakkhati manindriyaṁ; manindriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati. That’s how a mendicant protects. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rakkhitā hoti.

And how does a mendicant endure? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khantā hoti? It’s when a mendicant endures cold, heat, hunger, and thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles; rude and unwelcome criticism; and puts up with physical pain—sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, disagreeable, and life-threatening. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ; duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti. That’s how a mendicant endures. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khantā hoti.

And how does a mendicant go fast? Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gantā hoti? It’s when a mendicant swiftly goes in the direction they’ve never gone before in all this long time; that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yā sā disā agatapubbā iminā dīghena addhunā, yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ, taṁ khippaññeva gantā hoti. That’s how a mendicant goes fast. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gantā hoti.

A mendicant with these five qualities … is the supreme field of merit for the world.” Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu āhuneyyo hoti …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti.

Rājavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Cakkānuvattanā rājā, Yassaṁdisaṁ dve ceva patthanā; Appaṁsupati bhattādo, Akkhamo ca sotena cāti.