an.5.139 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Not Resilient

“Endowed with five qualities, monks, a king’s elephant is not worthy of a king, is not a king’s asset, does not count as a very limb of his king. Which five? There is the case where a king’s elephant is not resilient to sights, not resilient to sounds, not resilient to aromas, not resilient to flavors, not resilient to tactile sensations.

“And how is a king’s elephant not resilient to sights? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, sees a troop of elephants, a troop of cavalry, a troop of chariots, a troop of foot soldiers, and so he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is not resilient to sights.

“And how is a king’s elephant not resilient to sounds? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, hears the sound of elephants, the sound of cavalry, the sound of chariots, the sound of foot soldiers, the resounding din of drums, cymbals, conchs, & tom-toms, and so he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is not resilient to sounds.

“And how is a king’s elephant not resilient to aromas? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, smells the stench of the urine & feces of those pedigreed royal elephants who are at home in the battlefield, and so he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is not resilient to aromas.

“And how is a king’s elephant not resilient to flavors? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, goes without his ration of grass & water for one day, two days, three days, four days, five, and so he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is not resilient to flavors.

“And how is a king’s elephant not resilient to tactile sensations? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, is pierced by a flight of arrows, two flights, three flights, four flights, five flights of arrows, and so he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is not resilient to tactile sensations.

“Endowed with these five qualities, monks, a king’s elephant is not worthy of a king, is not a king’s asset, does not count as a very limb of his king.

“In the same way, a monk endowed with five qualities is not deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, nor is he an unexcelled field of merit for the world. Which five? There is the case where a monk is not resilient to sights, not resilient to sounds, not resilient to aromas, not resilient to flavors, not resilient to tactile sensations.

“And how is a monk not resilient to sights? There is the case where a monk, on seeing a sight with the eye, feels passion for a sight that incites passion and cannot center his mind. This is how a monk is not resilient to sights.

“And how is a monk not resilient to sounds? There is the case where a monk, on hearing a sound with the ear, feels passion for a sound that incites passion and cannot center his mind. This is how a monk is not resilient to sounds.

“And how is a monk not resilient to aromas? There is the case where a monk, on smelling an aroma with the nose, feels passion for an aroma that incites passion and cannot center his mind. This is how a monk is not resilient to aromas.

“And how is a monk not resilient to flavors? There is the case where a monk, on tasting a flavor with the tongue, feels passion for a flavor that incites passion and cannot center his mind. This is how a monk is not resilient to flavors.

“And how is a monk not resilient to tactile sensations? There is the case where a monk, on touching a tactile sensation with the body, feels passion for a tactile sensation that incites passion and cannot center his mind. This is how a monk is not resilient to tactile sensations.

“Endowed with these five qualities, a monk is not deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, nor is he an unexcelled field of merit for the world.

“Now, a king’s elephant endowed with five qualities is worthy of a king, is a king’s asset, counts as a very limb of his king. Which five? There is the case where a king’s elephant is resilient to sights, resilient to sounds, resilient to aromas, resilient to flavors, resilient to tactile sensations.

“And how is a king’s elephant resilient to sights? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, sees a troop of elephants, a troop of cavalry, a troop of chariots, a troop of foot soldiers, but he doesn’t falter or faint, he steels himself and engages in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is resilient to sights.

“And how is a king’s elephant resilient to sounds? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, hears the sound of elephants, the sound of cavalry, the sound of chariots, the sound of foot soldiers, the resounding din of drums, cymbals, conchs, & tom-toms, but he doesn’t falter or faint, he steels himself and engages in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is resilient to sounds.

“And how is a king’s elephant resilient to aromas? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, smells the stench of the urine & feces of those pedigreed royal elephants who are at home in the battlefield, but he doesn’t falter or faint, he steels himself and engages in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is not resilient to aromas.

“And how is a king’s elephant resilient to flavors? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, goes without his ration of grass & water for one day, two days, three days, four days, five, but he doesn’t falter or faint, he steels himself and engages in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is resilient to flavors.

“And how is a king’s elephant resilient to tactile sensations? There is the case where a king’s elephant, having gone into battle, is pierced by a flight of arrows, two flights, three flights, four flights, five flights of arrows, but he doesn’t falter or faint, he steels himself and engages in the battle. This is how a king’s elephant is resilient to tactile sensations.

“Endowed with these five qualities, monks, a king’s elephant is worthy of a king, is a king’s asset, counts as a very limb of his king.

“In the same way, a monk endowed with five qualities is deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, an unexcelled field of merit for the world. Which five? There is the case where a monk is resilient to sights, resilient to sounds, resilient to aromas, resilient to flavors, resilient to tactile sensations.

“And how is a monk resilient to sights? There is the case where a monk, on seeing a sight with the eye, feels no passion for a sight that incites passion and can center his mind. This is how a monk is resilient to sights.

“And how is a monk resilient to sounds? There is the case where a monk, on hearing a sound with the ear, feels no passion for a sound that incites passion and can center his mind. This is how a monk is resilient to sounds.

“And how is a monk resilient to aromas? There is the case where a monk, on smelling an aroma with the nose, feels no passion for an aroma that incites passion and can center his mind. This is how a monk is resilient to aromas.

“And how is a monk resilient to flavors? There is the case where a monk, on tasting a flavor with the tongue, feels no passion for a flavor that incites passion and can center his mind. This is how a monk is resilient to flavors.

“And how is a monk resilient to tactile sensations? There is the case where a monk, on touching a tactile sensation with the body, feels no passion for a tactile sensation that incites passion and can center his mind. This is how a monk is resilient to tactile sensations.

“Endowed with these five qualities, a monk is deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, an unexcelled field of merit for the world.”

- Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu

- Editor: Gabriel Laera

Cannot Endure

“Mendicants, a royal bull elephant with five factors is not worthy of a king, not fit to serve a king, and is not considered a factor of kingship.
What five?
It’s when a royal bull elephant can’t endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can’t endure sights?
It’s when a royal bull elephant gone to battle falters and founders at the sight of a division of elephants, of cavalry, of chariots, or of infantry. It doesn’t stay firm, and fails to plunge into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can’t endure sights.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can’t endure sounds?
It’s when a royal bull elephant gone to battle falters and founders at the sound of a division of elephants, of cavalry, of chariots, or of infantry, or the thunder of the drums, kettledrums, horns, and cymbals. It doesn’t stay firm, and fails to plunge into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can’t endure sounds.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can’t endure smells?
It’s when a royal bull elephant gone to battle falters and founders when it smells the odor of the feces and urine of battle-hardened, pedigree royal bull elephants. It doesn’t stay firm, and fails to plunge into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can’t endure smells.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can’t endure tastes?
It’s when a royal bull elephant gone to battle falters and founders when it misses a meal of grass and water, or it misses two, three, four, or five meals. It doesn’t stay firm, and fails to plunge into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can’t endure tastes.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can’t endure touches?
It’s when a royal bull elephant gone to battle falters and founders when struck by a swift arrow, or by two, three, four, or five swift arrows. It doesn’t stay firm, and fails to plunge into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can’t endure touches.
A royal bull elephant with these five factors is not worthy of a king, not fit to serve a king, and is not considered a factor of kingship.
In the same way, a mendicant with five qualities is not worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, not worthy of hospitality, not worthy of a religious donation, not worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is not the supreme field of merit for the world.
What five?
It’s when a mendicant can’t endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches.
And how is it that a mendicant can’t endure sights?
It’s when a mendicant, seeing a sight with their eyes, is aroused by a desirable sight, so is not able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can’t endure sights.
And how is it that a mendicant can’t endure sounds?
It’s when a mendicant, hearing a sound with their ears, is aroused by a desirable sound, so is not able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can’t endure sounds.
And how is it that a mendicant can’t endure smells?
It’s when a mendicant, smelling an odor with their nose, is aroused by a desirable smell, so is not able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can’t endure smells.
And how is it that a mendicant can’t endure tastes?
It’s when a mendicant, tasting a flavor with their tongue, is aroused by desirable tastes, so is not able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can’t endure tastes.
And how is it that a mendicant can’t endure touches?
It’s when a mendicant, feeling a touch with their body, is aroused by a desirable touch, so is not able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can’t endure touches.
A mendicant with these five qualities is not worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, not worthy of hospitality, not worthy of a religious donation, not worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is not the supreme field of merit for the world.
A royal bull elephant with five factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is considered a factor of kingship.
What five?
It’s when a royal bull elephant can endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can endure sights?
It’s when a royal bull elephant gone to battle does not falter or founder at the sight of a division of elephants, of cavalry, of chariots, or of infantry. It stays firm, and plunges into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can endure sights.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can endure sounds?
It’s when a royal bull elephant does not falter or founder at the sound of a division of elephants, of cavalry, of chariots, or of infantry, or the thunder of the drums, kettledrums, horns, and cymbals. It stays firm, and plunges into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can endure sounds.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can endure smells?
It’s when a royal bull elephant gone to battle does not falter or founder when it smells the odor of the feces and urine of battle-hardened, pedigree royal bull elephants. It stays firm, and plunges into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can endure smells.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can endure tastes?
It’s when a royal bull elephant gone to battle does not falter or founder when it misses a meal of grass and water, or it misses two, three, four, or five meals. It stays firm, and plunges into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can endure tastes.
And how is it that a royal bull elephant can endure touches?
It’s when a royal bull elephant gone to battle does not falter or founder when struck by a swift arrow, or by two, three, four, or five swift arrows. It stays firm, and plunges into battle.
That’s how a royal bull elephant can endure touches.
A royal bull elephant with these five factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is considered a factor of kingship.
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 joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.
What five?
It’s when a mendicant can endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches.
And how is it that a mendicant can endure sights?
It’s when a mendicant, seeing a sight with their eyes, is not aroused by a desirable sight, so is able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can endure sights.
And how is it that a mendicant can endure sounds?
It’s when a mendicant, hearing a sound with their ears, is not aroused by desirable sounds, so is able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can endure sounds.
And how is it that a mendicant can endure smells?
It’s when a mendicant, smelling an odor with their nose, is not aroused by a desirable smell, so is able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can endure smells.
And how is it that a mendicant can endure tastes?
It’s when a mendicant, tasting a flavor with their tongue, is not aroused by desirable tastes, so is able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can endure tastes.
And how is it that a mendicant can endure touches?
It’s when a mendicant, feeling a touch with their body, is not aroused by a desirable touch, so is able to still the mind.
That’s how a mendicant can endure touches.
A mendicant with these five qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.”