Mahānāradakassapajātaka

Suttapiṭaka · Khuddakanikāya · Jātaka (2) · Vol. 28 · Section 891

[891] Your body is reckoned the chariot — swift, with mind (mano) as its charioteer — with harmlessness (avihiṃsā) as its well-fitted axle, and liberal sharing as its canopy; with restraint of the feet as its felly, restraint of the hands as its side-panels, restraint of the belly as its axle-grease, restraint of speech as its noiselessness; with truthful speech as its flawless parts, abstention from divisive speech as its close-knit joinery, kindly and faultless words as its smooth-polished frame, measured speech as its fastenings; with faith (saddhā) and non-greed (alobha) as its fine adornment, humility and reverent salutation as its carriage-pole, pliancy free of rigidity as its curving shaft, the restraint of virtue (sīla) as its thongs; running without jolting through non-anger (akkodha), with righteousness (dhamma) as its white parasol, great learning (bāhusacca) as its leaning-rail, steadiness of mind (citta) as its stay; with the thought that knows the proper time (kālaññutā) as its heartwood, intrepidity (vesārajja) as its prop, humble conduct as its yoke-strap, and freedom from arrogance as its yoke — light; with an unshrinking mind as its floor-spread, and attendance upon the mature as what beats off its dust. Mindfulness (sati) is the wise man's goad; steadfastness and exertion are its reins. The mind leads it along the tamed path with steeds evenly tamed. Desire and greed (lobha) are the crooked road; self-restraint is the straight road. As the vehicle races on among forms (rūpa), sounds, tastes, and smells, wisdom (paññā) is the whip, O king; there it is the self itself that is the charioteer. If with this vehicle there be even conduct and firm steadfastness, then, O king, yielding every desire, it assuredly never goes to hell (niraya).

English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.