The Story of the Elephant Called Paveyyaka

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (327) of this book, with reference to the elephant, called Paveyyaka.

Paveyyaka when young was very strong; in due course, he became old and decrepit. One day, as old Paveyyaka went into a pond he was stuck in the mire and could not get on to the shore. When King Pasenadi of Kosala was told about it, he sent an elephant trainer to help the elephant get out of the mire. The elephant trainer went to the site where the elephant was. There, he made the musicians strike up a martial tune. Hearing the military airs, the elephant felt as if he were in a battlefield; his spirits rose, he pulled himself with all his might, and was soon out of the mire.

When the bhikkhus told the Buddha about this he said, "Bhikkhus! Just as that elephant pulled itself out of the mire, so also, must you all pull yourselves out of the mire of moral defilements."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 327: Take delight in mindfulness, guard your mind well. As an elephant stuck in mire pulls itself out, so also, pull yourself out of the mire of moral defilements.

At the end of the discourse the bhikkhus attained arahatship.