Dhammapada 2.1.p3

2.1.p3

Atha aparabhāge veṭhadīpakatāpaso kālaṃ katvā mahesakkho devarājā hutvā nibbatto. Tato aḍḍhamāse sampatte aggiṃ adisvāva itaro ‘‘sahāyako me kālakato’’ti aññāsi. Itaropi nibbattakkhaṇeyeva attano devasiriṃ oloketvā kammaṃ upadhārento nikkhamanato paṭṭhāya attano tapacariyaṃ disvā ‘‘gantvā mama sahāyakaṃ passissāmī’’ti taṃ attabhāvaṃ vijahitvā maggikapuriso viya tassa santikaṃ gantvā vanditvā ekamantaṃ aṭṭhāsi. Atha naṃ so āha – ‘‘kuto āgatosī’’ti? ‘‘Maggikapuriso ahaṃ, bhante, dūratova āgatomhi. Kiṃ pana, bhante, ayyo imasmiṃ ṭhāne ekakova vasati, aññopi koci atthī’’ti? ‘‘Atthi me eko sahāyako’’ti. ‘‘Kuhiṃ so’’ti? ‘‘Etasmiṃ pabbate vasati, uposathadivase pana aggiṃ na jāleti, mato nūna bhavissatī’’ti. ‘‘Evaṃ, bhante’’ti? ‘‘Evamāvuso’’ti. ‘‘Ahaṃ so, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Kuhiṃ nibbattosī’’ti? ‘‘Devaloke mahesakkho devarājā hutvā nibbattosmi, bhante, ‘ayyaṃ passissāmī’ti puna āgatomhi. Api nu kho ayyānaṃ imasmiṃ ṭhāne vasantānaṃ koci upaddavo atthī’’ti? ‘‘Āma, āvuso, hatthī nissāya kilamāmī’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ vo, bhante, hatthī karontī’’ti? ‘‘Sammajjanaṭṭhāne laṇḍaṃ pātenti, pādehi bhūmiyaṃ paharitvā paṃsuṃ uddharanti, svāhaṃ laṇḍaṃ chaḍḍento paṃsuṃ samaṃ karonto kilamāmī’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ pana tesaṃ anāgamanaṃ icchathā’’ti? ‘‘Āmāvuso’’ti. ‘‘Tena hi tesaṃ anāgamanaṃ karissāmī’’ti tāpasassa hatthikantavīṇañceva hatthikantamantañca adāsi. Dadanto ca pana vīṇāya tisso tantiyo dassetvā tayo mante uggaṇhāpetvā ‘‘imaṃ tantiṃ paharitvā imasmiṃ mante vutte nivattitvā oloketumpi asakkontā hatthī palāyanti, imaṃ tantiṃ paharitvā imasmiṃ mante vutte nivattitvā pacchato olokentā olokentā palāyanti, imaṃ tantiṃ paharitvā imasmiṃ mante vutte hatthiyūthapati piṭṭhiṃ upanāmento āgacchatī’’ti ācikkhitvā, ‘‘yaṃ vo ruccati, taṃ kareyyāthā’’ti vatvā tāpasaṃ vanditvā pakkāmi. Tāpaso palāyanamantaṃ vatvā palāyanatantiṃ paharitvā hatthī palāpetvā vasi.

After a time the ascetic Veṭhadīpaka died and was reborn as a prince of deities of mighty power. A fortnight later Allakappa saw no fire on the mountain and knew that his comrade was dead. As soon as ever Veṭhadīpaka was reborn, he surveyed his own heavenly glory, considered the deeds of his former existence, reviewed the austerities he had performed from the day when he retired from the world, and said to himself, “I will go see my comrade.” Accordingly he laid aside his form as a deity, disguised himself as a wayfarer, went to Allakappa, paid obeisance to him, and stood respectfully on one side.

Allakappa said to him, “Whence have you come?” “I am a wayfarer, Reverend Sir; I have come a long distance. But, Reverend Sir, does your honor reside entirely alone in this place? Is there no one else here?” “I have a single comrade.” “Where is he?” “He resides on that mountain; but as he failed to light a fire on fast-day, I know he must be dead.” “Is that so, Reverend Sir?” “That is so, brother.” “I am he, Reverend Sir.” “Where were you reborn?” “Reverend Sir, I was reborn in the World of the Gods as a prince of deities of mighty power. I have returned to see your honor. Does your honorable self reside in this place undisturbed, or are you subject to some annoyance?” “Yes, brother, I am bothered to death by the elephants.” “Reverend Sir, what do the elephants do to trouble you?” “They drop dung on the ground I have swept clean, and they stamp with their feet and kick up the dust. What with removing the dung and smoothing the ground, I am all worn out.” “Well, would you like to keep them away?” “Yes, brother.” “Well then, I will provide you with means whereby you can keep them away.”

Accordingly Veṭhadīpaka gave Allakappa a lute to charm elephants with and likewise taught him spells for charming elephants. Now as he presented the lute to him, he showed him three strings and taught him three spells. “Strike this string,” said he, “and utter this spell, and the elephants will turn and run away without so much as daring even to look at you; strike this string and utter this spell, and they will turn and run away, eyeing you at every step; strike this string and utter this spell, and the leader of the herd will come up and offer you his back. Now do as you like.” With these words he departed. Thereafter the ascetic lived in peace, driving the elephants away by uttering the proper spell and striking the proper string.