Thus I have heard:
One time, Budha was staying at the Venuvana, Kalandaka-nivaasa, in Raajagriha, together with a great assembly of five hundred Bhikshus.
At that time, King Ajaatashatru had an elephant named Naalaagiri, which was extremely fierce, violent, and ruthless. It was powerful and brave, capable of subduing external enemies. Because of the strength of this elephant, the entire kingdom of Magadha was brought under submission.
At that time, Devadata went to King Ajaatashatru and said, “Great King, you should know that this elephant is fierce and capable of subduing many enemies. You can make it drink strong wine to intoxicate it. Early in the morning, when the Shramana Gautama comes into the city for alms, release this drunken elephant to trample and kill him.”
At that time, when King Ajaatashatru heard Devadata’s suggestion, he immediately issued an order throughout the kingdom:
“Early tomorrow morning, the drunken elephant will be released. The people must not wander in the streets or alleys.”
At that time, Devadata said to King Ajaatashatru, “If that Shramana Gautama possesses omniscience and knows future events, then tomorrow he will surely not enter the city for alms.”
King Ajaatashatru said, “As you have instructed, if he truly possesses omniscience, then tomorrow at dawn, he will not enter the city for alms.”
At that time, the men and women, young and old, in Raajagriha who revered Budha heard that King Ajaatashatru planned to release a drunken elephant at dawn to harm Tathaagata.
Upon hearing this, they were filled with sorrow and worry. They went to Budha, bowed their heads at his feet, stood to one side, and said, “Tomorrow at dawn, may Budha not enter the city! The reason is that King Ajaatashatru has issued an order instructing the people of the city:
‘Tomorrow, do not walk through the streets and alleys. I will release a drunken elephant to harm Shramana Gautama. If Shramana truly possesses omniscience, then tomorrow at dawn, he will not enter the city for alms.’ We earnestly beseech Budha not to enter the city, lest harm befall Tathaagata, and the world be deprived of its guiding light, with no one left to offer salvation.”
Budha said, “Stop! Stop! O upaasakas! Do not be troubled or grieve. The reason is that the body of Tathaagata is not an ordinary mortal body and cannot be harmed by others—such a thing will never happen.
O upaasakas, you should know that Jambu-dviipa extends seven thousand yojanas from east to west and twenty-one thousand yojanas from north to south. Puurva-videha spans eight thousand yojanas in width, shaped like a half-moon. Apara-godaaniiya is nine thousand yojanas wide, with a square landscape. Utara-kuru measures ten thousand yojanas in width, with land shaped like a full moon.
Even if these four continents were filled with drunken elephants, densely packed like rice, hemp, or a thick forest, they still would not be able to move even a single hair of Tathaagata. How, then, could they possibly cause harm to Tathaagata? Such a thing will never happen!”
“Beyond the four continents, there exist a thousand worlds, each with a thousand suns and moons, a thousand Mount Sumerus, a thousand four great oceans, a thousand Jambu-dviipas, a thousand Purva-videhas, a thousand Apara-godaniyas, and a thousand Utara-kurus.
There are also a thousand realms of the Four Great Kings, a thousand realms of the Traayastrimsha (Thirty-Three Gods), a thousand realms of the Tushita Heaven, a thousand realms of the Yama Heaven, a thousand realms of the Paranirmita-vashavartin heavens, and a thousand realms of the Heaven of Nirmanarati. This is known as a ‘Thousandfold World.’
Beyond this, there exist two thousand worlds, known as a ‘Middle Thousandfold World.’
Further beyond, there exist three thousand great thousandfold worlds, known as the ‘Three Thousand Great Thousand Fold World System.’ Even if all the naagas of Lake Anavatapta filled this vast cosmos, they would still be unable to move even a single hair of the Tathaagata. How then could this elephant hope to harm the Tathaagata? Such a thing is impossible!
The reason for this is that the spiritual power of the Tathaagata is inconceivable, and once the Tathaagata has appeared in the world, he will never be harmed by others. You may all return to your places; the Tathaagata fully understands the course of these events.”
At that time, Bhagavaan extensively expounded the profound Dharma to the fourfold assembly. Upon hearing the true Dharma, the laymen and laywomen rose from their seats, respectfully bowed at his feet, and then departed.
At that time, Bhagavaan, early in the morning, donned his robe, took his alms bowl, and prepared to enter Raajagriha to collect alms.
At that moment, Dhritaraashtra, the king of the eastern direction, along with the Gandharvas, came from the east to attend upon Bhagavaan.
At the same time, Viruudhaka, the king of the southern direction, led the Kumbhaanda spirits in attendance upon the Tathaagata.
From the west, Viruupaaksa arrived, accompanied by his retinue of Naagas, attending upon the Tathaagata.
From the north, Kuvera, the king of the northern direction, led the Raaksasa spirits in attendance upon the Tathaagata.
At that moment, Shakra, the ruler of the gods, along with tens of millions of celestial beings, descended from the Tushita Heaven and arrived before Bhagavaan.
Simultaneously, Mahaabrahmaa, the king of the Brahmaa heavens, along with countless Brahmaa deities, descended from the Brahmaa world to Bhagavaan’s presence.
The gods, the Brahmaa kings, the Catur-mahaaraaja-kayikas, and the twenty-eight great celestial deities, along with the great demon kings, spoke among themselves, saying, “Today, we shall witness the battle between two mighty beings—who will emerge victorious, and who will be defeated?”
At that time, the fourfold assembly of Raajagriha saw Budha leading the bhikshus into the city for alms. The people within the city raised their voices and called out. King Ajatashatru also heard this sound and asked his attendants,
“What is this sound that reaches even here?”
The attendant replied, “This is the sound of Budha entering the city for alms. The people, upon seeing him, have raised their voices.”
Ajaatashatru said, “Shramana Gautama has no sacred path and does not understand the signs of human intentions.”
Then, he immediately ordered the elephant trainer, “Quickly make the elephant drink strong liquor, equip its trunk with sharp swords, and release it to charge forward.”
At that time, as Budha, along with the bhikshus, approached the city gate and stepped inside, the earth trembled, and the divine beings in the sky scattered various flowers.
Seeing the drunken elephant charging forward, the five hundred bhikshus fled in all directions, not knowing where to go.
The furious elephant, upon seeing Budha from afar, rushed straight toward him.
Seeing this, the attendant Aananda stood behind Budha, feeling uneasy, and pleaded, “This elephant is violent and fierce. I fear it may cause harm. It would be wise to avoid it.”
Budha said, “Do not fear, Aananda! I shall now subdue this elephant with the divine power of the Tathaagata’s hand.”
The Budha observed the raging elephant from neither too near nor too far and then manifested mighty lion kings on either side. Behind the elephant, he conjured a vast pit of fire. Upon seeing the lions on both sides and the blazing pit behind, the frenzied elephant lost control, urinating and defecating in fear, finding no way to escape. It then charged forward towards the Budha.
At that moment, the Budha recited this verse:
“You shall not harm the Naaga,
For the Naaga is most rare to encounter.
By harming the Naaga,
You shall not attain a virtuous rebirth.”
At that time, the raging elephant, upon hearing Budha recite this verse, felt as if set aflame. It immediately dropped its sword, knelt on both knees before Budha, and lowered its trunk to the ground, licking Budha’s feet.
Then, Budha extended his right hand, gently stroking the elephant’s head, and spoke these words:
“Anger leads to hell,
It also gives rise to forms of serpents and vipers;
Therefore, abandon anger,
And never take on such a form again.”
At that time, the divine gods in the sky scattered hundreds of thousands of various flowers upon Budha. Then, Budha expounded the profound Dharma to the fourfold assembly, celestial beings, Naagas, and spirits.
At that moment, more than sixty thousand men and women who witnessed the subduing of the elephant were freed from all defilements and attained the pure Dharma eye.
Likewise, eighty thousand celestial beings also attained the pure Dharma eye. As for the drunken elephant, a blade-like wind arose within its body, and upon its death, it was reborn in the palace of the Catur-mahaaraaja-kayikas.
When the bhikshus, bhikshunis, upaasakas, upasikas, as well as celestial beings, Naagas, and spirits, heard what the Budha said, they followed it with joy.