“Once I lived in the forest “Yadā ahosiṁ pavane, as a elephant who provided for his mother. kuñjaro mātuposako; At that time no-one on earth Na tadā atthi mahiyā, could equal my virtues. guṇena mama sādiso.

Seeing me in the forest, a forester Pavane disvā vanacaro, informed the king about me. rañño maṁ paṭivedayi; ‘Great King, an elephant that befits you ‘Tavānucchavo mahārāja, is dwelling in the forest grove. gajo vasati kānane.

No need to dig a moat around him, Na tassa parikkhāyattho, nor tether him to a post in a pit. napi āḷakakāsuyā; Taken by the trunk, Saha gahite soṇḍāya, he will come here by himself.’ sayameva idhehi’ti.

When he heard these words, Tassa taṁ vacanaṁ sutvā, the king, elated, rājāpi tuṭṭhamānaso; sent an elephant-tamer, Pesesi hatthidamakaṁ, a well-trained and expert tutor. chekācariyaṁ susikkhitaṁ.

When the elephant-tamer reached there, Gantvā so hatthidamako, he saw me in a lotus pond, addasa padumassare; pulling out lotus roots Bhisamuḷālaṁ uddharantaṁ, to feed my mother. yāpanatthāya mātuyā.

Discerning my moral virtue, Viññāya me sīlaguṇaṁ, he checked me for marks. lakkhaṇaṁ upadhārayi; Saying, ‘Come, child’, ‘Ehi puttā’ti vatvāna, he took me by the trunk. mama soṇḍāya aggahi.

What was at that time Yaṁ me tadā pākatikaṁ, the natural strength of my body, sarīrānugataṁ balaṁ; would equal a thousand Ajja nāgasahassānaṁ, of the elephants of today. balena samasādisaṁ.

If I had been upset Yadihaṁ tesaṁ pakuppeyyaṁ, with those who came to capture me, upetānaṁ gahaṇāya maṁ; I would have had the power Paṭibalo bhave tesaṁ, to defeat even a kingdom of men. yāva rajjampi mānusaṁ.

Nevertheless, for the sake of guarding my ethics, Api cāhaṁ sīlarakkhāya, and fulfilling my perfection of ethics, Sīlapāramipūriyā; I did not let my mind change, Na karomi citte aññathattaṁ, even as they caged me. Pakkhipantaṁ mamāḷake.

And even were they to beat me Yadi te maṁ tattha koṭṭeyyuṁ, with hatchets and lances, pharasūhi tomarehi ca; I would never become upset, Neva tesaṁ pakuppeyyaṁ, for fear of violating my ethics.” sīlakhaṇḍabhayā mamā”ti.

Mātuposakacariyaṁ paṭhamaṁ.