[377] Tena kho pana samayena rājagahe nāḷāgiri nāma hatthī caṇḍo hoti manussaghātako . athakho devadatto rājagahaṃ pavisitvā hatthisālaṃ gantvā hatthibhaṇḍe etadavoca mayaṃ kho bhaṇe rājañātakā nāma paṭibalā nīcaṭṭhāniyaṃ uccaṭṭhāne ṭhapetuṃ bhattaṃpi vetanaṃpi vaḍḍhāpetuṃ tenahi bhaṇe yadā samaṇo gotamo imaṃ racchaṃ paṭipanno hoti tadā imaṃ nāḷāgiriṃ hatthiṃ muñcitvā imaṃ racchaṃ paṭipādethāti . evaṃ bhanteti kho te hatthibhaṇḍā devadattassa paccassosuṃ. {377.1} Athakho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṃ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṃ rājagahaṃ pāvisi . Athakho bhagavā taṃ racchaṃ paṭipajji . addasaṃsu kho te hatthibhaṇḍā bhagavantaṃ taṃ racchaṃ paṭipannaṃ disvāna nāḷāgiriṃ hatthiṃ muñcitvā taṃ racchaṃ paṭipādesuṃ . addasā kho nāḷāgiri hatthī bhagavantaṃ Dūrato va āgacchantaṃ disvāna soṇḍaṃ ussāpetvā pahaṭṭhakaṇṇavālo yena bhagavā tena abhidhāvi. {377.2} Addasaṃsu kho te bhikkhū nāḷāgiriṃ hatthiṃ dūrato va āgacchantaṃ disvāna bhagavantaṃ etadavocuṃ ayaṃ bhante nāḷāgiri hatthī caṇḍo pharuso manussaghātako imaṃ racchaṃ paṭipanno paṭikkamatu bhante bhagavā paṭikkamatu sugatoti . āgacchatha bhikkhave mā bhāyittha aṭṭhānametaṃ bhikkhave anavakāso yo parupakkamena tathāgataṃ jīvitā voropeyya na parupakkamena bhikkhave tathāgatā parinibbāyantīti. {377.3} Dutiyampi kho te bhikkhū .pe. tatiyampi kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṃ etadavocuṃ ayaṃ bhante nāḷāgiri hatthī caṇḍo pharuso manussaghātako imaṃ racchaṃ paṭipanno paṭikkamatu bhante bhagavā paṭikkamatu sugatoti . āgacchatha bhikkhave mā bhāyittha aṭṭhānametaṃ bhikkhave anavakāso yo parupakkamena tathāgataṃ jīvitā voropeyya na parupakkamena bhikkhave tathāgatā parinibbāyantīti.

[378] Tena kho pana samayena manussā pāsādesupi hammiyesupi chadanesupi ārūḷhā acchanti . tattha ye te manussā assaddhā appasannā dubbuddhino te evamāhaṃsu abhirūpo vata bho gotamo mahāsamaṇo nāgena viheṭhiyissatīti . ye pana te Manussā saddhā pasannā paṇḍitā buddhimanto te evamāhaṃsu nacirassaṃ vata bho nāgo nāgena saṅgāmessatīti . Athakho bhagavā nāḷāgiriṃ hatthiṃ mettena cittena phari . athakho nāḷāgiri hatthī bhagavato mettena cittena phuṭṭho soṇḍaṃ oropetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato purato aṭṭhāsi . Athakho bhagavā dakkhiṇena hatthena nāḷāgirissa hatthissa kumbhaṃ parāmasanto nāḷāgiriṃ hatthiṃ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi