[314] At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed and, taking bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. When he had walked for alms in Sāvatthī and returned from the alms round after his meal, he addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Come, Ānanda, let us go to the Eastern Park, to the mansion of Migāra's mother, for the day's abiding." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with the Venerable Ānanda, went to the Eastern Park, to the mansion of Migāra's mother. Then, in the evening, the Blessed One, having emerged from seclusion, addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Come, Ānanda, let us go to the Eastern Gatehouse (Pubbakoṭṭhaka) to bathe our limbs." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with the Venerable Ānanda, went to the Pubbakoṭṭhaka to bathe. Having bathed his limbs at the Pubbakoṭṭhaka and come up out of the water, he stood in a single robe, making his limbs as they were before [drying them].
Now on that occasion King Pasenadi of Kosala's bull elephant (nāga) named Seta was coming up out of the Pubbakoṭṭhaka to the beating and playing of great music. And people, seeing it, said: "How handsome, sirs, is the king's nāga! How fair to behold, sirs, is the king's nāga! How graceful, sirs, is the king's nāga! How well endowed with body, sirs, is the king's nāga!"
When this was said, the Venerable Udāyī said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, is it only on seeing an elephant, huge and massive, endowed with body, that people say: 'A nāga indeed, sirs, a nāga!'? Or do people say, on seeing anything else too, huge and massive, endowed with body: 'A nāga indeed, sirs, a nāga!'?"
"On seeing an elephant too, Udāyī, huge and massive, endowed with body, people say: 'A nāga indeed, sirs, a nāga!' On seeing a horse too, Udāyī, huge and massive; an ox too, Udāyī, huge and massive; a serpent too, Udāyī, huge and massive; a tree too, Udāyī, huge and massive; a human being too, Udāyī, huge and massive, endowed with body, people say: 'A nāga indeed, sirs, a nāga!' But, Udāyī, whoever in this world with its devas, with Māra, with Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and human beings, does no wrong (āgu) by body, speech, or mind — him I call a nāga."
"It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is marvellous, venerable sir! How well this has been spoken by the Blessed One: 'But, Udāyī, whoever in this world with its devas, with Māra, with Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and human beings, does no wrong by body, speech, or mind — him I call a nāga.' And, venerable sir, I rejoice in this well-spoken utterance of the Blessed One with these verses:
The Fully Awakened One, born a human being,
self-tamed, concentrated,
moving along the brahma-path,
delighting in the calming of the mind (citta) —
he whom human beings revere,
gone beyond all dhammas —
even the devas revere him:
so have I heard of the Arahant.
Passed beyond all fetters (saṃyojana),
come from the forest to Nibbāna,
delighting in renunciation from sensual pleasures,
like gold freed from the rock —
the nāga outshining all,
as Himavā the other rocky mountains:
among all who bear the name "nāga,"
he of true name is unsurpassed.
I shall extol the nāga for you,
for he does no wrong:
gentleness (soracca) and harmlessness —
these two are the nāga's [fore]feet;
austerity (tapa) and the holy life (brahmacariya) —
these are the nāga's other feet.
The great nāga has faith for his trunk,
white tusks of equanimity;
mindfulness is his neck, his head is wisdom,
investigation (vīmaṃsā) his pondering of dhammas;
Dhamma is the even heat of his belly,
seclusion (viveka) is his tail.
A meditator delighting in the breath,
he is well composed within;
walking, the nāga is concentrated,
standing, the nāga is concentrated,
lying down, the nāga is concentrated,
even seated he is concentrated:
everywhere the nāga is restrained —
this is the nāga's accomplishment.
He eats what is blameless;
what is blameworthy he does not eat;
gaining food and clothing,
he avoids storing up.
Having cut off every bond,
the fetter fine or coarse,
wherever he goes,
he goes without concern.
Just as a white lotus,
born in the water, grows,
and is not soiled by the water,
sweet-scented and delightful,
even so the Buddha, well born into the world,
dwells in the world,
unsoiled by the world,
as the lotus is by the water.
A great fire blazing
subsides for want of fuel:
when formations (saṅkhārā) are stilled,
one is said to be "quenched (nibbuta)."
This simile, making the meaning known,
has been taught by the wise:
the great nāgas will understand
the nāga taught by the nāga.
Rid of lust, rid of hatred,
rid of delusion, free of taints (āsava),
the nāga, discarding the body,
taintless, will attain final Nibbāna."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.