So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme. Now at that time Buddha lived crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā ākiṇṇo viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Crowded, he lived in suffering and discomfort. Ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharati. Then he thought, Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi: “These days I live crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples. “ahaṁ kho etarahi ākiṇṇo viharāmi bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Crowded, I live in suffering and discomfort. Ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharāmi. Why don’t I live alone, withdrawn from the group?” Yannūnāhaṁ eko gaṇasmā vūpakaṭṭho vihareyyan”ti.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Kosambī for alms. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya kosambiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he set his lodgings in order himself. Taking his bowl and robe, without informing his attendants or taking leave of the mendicant Saṅgha, he set out to go wandering alone towards Pārileyyaka, with no companion. Kosambiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto sāmaṁ senāsanaṁ saṁsāmetvā pattacīvaramādāya anāmantetvā upaṭṭhākaṁ anapaloketvā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ eko adutiyo yena pālileyyakaṁ tena cārikaṁ pakkāmi. When he eventually arrived, Anupubbena cārikaṁ caramāno yena pālileyyakaṁ tadavasari. he stayed in a protected forest grove, at the foot of a sacred sal tree. Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā pālileyyake viharati rakkhitavanasaṇḍe bhaddasālamūle.

A certain bull elephant was also living crowded by other males, females, younglings, and cubs. He ate the grass they’d trampled, and they ate the broken branches he dragged down. He drank muddy water, and after his bath the female elephants bumped into him. Aññataropi kho hatthināgo ākiṇṇo viharati hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi. Chinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādati, obhaggobhaggañcassa sākhābhaṅgaṁ khādanti, āvilāni ca pānīyāni pivati, ogāhā cassa uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo kāyaṁ upanighaṁsantiyo gacchanti. Crowded, he lived in suffering and discomfort. Ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharati. Then he thought, Atha kho tassa hatthināgassa etadahosi: “These days I live crowded by other males, females, younglings, and cubs. I eat the grass they’ve trampled, and they eat the broken branches I’ve dragged down. I drink muddy water, and after my bath the female elephants bump into me. Crowded, I live in suffering and discomfort. “ahaṁ kho etarahi ākiṇṇo viharāmi hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi, chinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādāmi, obhaggobhaggañca me sākhābhaṅgaṁ khādanti, āvilāni ca pānīyāni pivāmi, ogāhā ca me uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo kāyaṁ upanighaṁsantiyo gacchanti, ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu viharāmi. Why don’t I live alone, withdrawn from the herd?” Yannūnāhaṁ eko gaṇasmā vūpakaṭṭho vihareyyan”ti.

So he left the herd and went to Pārileyyaka, where he approached the Buddha in the protected forest grove at the foot of a sacred sal tree. Atha kho so hatthināgo yūthā apakkamma yena pālileyyakaṁ rakkhitavanasaṇḍo bhaddasālamūlaṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami. There he attended on the Buddha, clearing the vegetation from the place where the Buddha stayed, and using his trunk to set out water for drinking and washing. Tatra sudaṁ so hatthināgo yasmiṁ padese bhagavā viharati taṁ padesaṁ appaharitaṁ karoti, soṇḍāya ca bhagavato pānīyaṁ paribhojanīyaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti.

Then as the Buddha was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “Formerly I lived crowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples. Crowded, I live in suffering and discomfort. “ahaṁ kho pubbe ākiṇṇo vihāsiṁ bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi, ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu vihāsiṁ. But now I live uncrowded by monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen; by rulers and their chief ministers, and monastics of other religions and their disciples. Being uncrowded, I live in happiness and comfort.” Somhi etarahi anākiṇṇo viharāmi bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi rājūhi rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi, anākiṇṇo sukhaṁ phāsu viharāmī”ti.

And to the bull elephant also this thought came to mind, Tassapi kho hatthināgassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “Formerly I lived crowded by other males, females, younglings, and cubs. I ate the grass they’d trampled, and they ate the broken branches I’d dragged down. I drank muddy water, and after my bath the female elephants bumped into me. Crowded, I lived in suffering and discomfort. “ahaṁ kho pubbe ākiṇṇo vihāsiṁ hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi, chinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādiṁ, obhaggobhaggañca me sākhābhaṅgaṁ khādiṁsu, āvilāni ca pānīyāni apāyiṁ, ogāhā ca me uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo kāyaṁ upanighaṁsantiyo agamaṁsu, ākiṇṇo dukkhaṁ na phāsu vihāsiṁ. But now I live uncrowded by other males, females, younglings, and cubs. I eat untrampled grass, and other elephants don’t eat the broken branches I have dragged down. I don’t drink muddy water, and the female elephants don’t bump into me after my bath. Being uncrowded, I live in happiness and comfort.” Somhi etarahi anākiṇṇo viharāmi hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi, acchinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādāmi, obhaggobhaggañca me sākhābhaṅgaṁ na khādanti, anāvilāni ca pānīyāni pivāmi, ogāhā ca me uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo na kāyaṁ upanighaṁsantiyo gacchanti, anākiṇṇo sukhaṁ phāsu viharāmī”ti.

Then, understanding his own seclusion and knowing that elephant’s train of thought, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Atha kho bhagavā attano ca pavivekaṁ viditvā tassa ca hatthināgassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“The giant elephant, “Etaṁ nāgassa nāgena, with tusks like chariot-poles, īsādantassa hatthino; agrees heart to heart with the spiritual giant, Sameti cittaṁ cittena, since each finds joy in the woods alone.” yadeko ramatī mano”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.