The Elephant Who Cared for His Mother

Mātuposakajātaka

“Though far away”—This story the Master told, while dwelling in Jetavana, about an Elder who had his mother to support. The circumstances of the event are like those of the Sama Birth. On this occasion also the Master said, addressing the Brethren, “Be not wroth, Brethren, with this man; wise men there have been of old, who even when born from the womb of animals, being parted asunder from their mothers, refused for seven days to take food, pining away; and even when they were offered food fit for a king, did but reply, Without my mother I will not eat; yet took food again when they saw the mother.” So saying, he told a story of the past.

Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

0.1Jātaka
0.2Ekādasakanipāta
0.3Mātuposakavagga

0.41. Mātuposakajātaka

1.1PTS 4.92“Tassa nāgassa vippavāsena,1.2Virūḷhā sallakī ca kuṭajā ca;1.3Kuruvindakaravīrā bhisasāmā ca,1.4Nivāte pupphitā ca kaṇikārā.
2.1Kocideva suvaṇṇakāyurā,2.2Nāgarājaṁ bharanti piṇḍena;2.3Yattha rājā rājakumāro vā,2.4Kavacamabhihessati achambhito”.
3.1PTS 4.93“Gaṇhāhi nāga kabaḷaṁ,3.2mā nāga kisako bhava;3.3Bahūni rājakiccāni,3.4tāni nāga karissasi”.
4.1“Sā nūnasā kapaṇikā,4.2andhā apariṇāyikā;4.3Khāṇuṁ pādena ghaṭṭeti,4.4giriṁ caṇḍoraṇaṁ pati”.
5.1“Kā nu te sā mahānāga,5.2andhā apariṇāyikā;5.3Khāṇuṁ pādena ghaṭṭeti,5.4giriṁ caṇḍoraṇaṁ pati”.
6.1“Mātā me sā mahārāja,6.2andhā apariṇāyikā;6.3Khāṇuṁ pādena ghaṭṭeti,6.4giriṁ caṇḍoraṇaṁ pati”.
7.1“Muñcathetaṁ mahānāgaṁ,7.2yoyaṁ bharati mātaraṁ;7.3Sametu mātarā nāgo,7.4saha sabbehi ñātibhi”.
8.1“Mutto ca bandhanā nāgo,8.2muttamādāya kuñjaro;8.3Muhuttaṁ assāsayitvā,8.4agamā yena pabbato.
9.1PTS 4.94Tato so naḷiniṁ gantvā,9.2sītaṁ kuñjarasevitaṁ;9.3Soṇḍāyūdakamāhatvā,9.4mātaraṁ abhisiñcatha”.
10.1“Koyaṁ anariyo devo,10.2akālenapi vassati;10.3Gato me atrajo putto,10.4yo mayhaṁ paricārako”.
11.1“Uṭṭhehi amma kiṁ sesi,11.2āgato tyāhamatrajo;11.3Muttomhi kāsirājena,11.4vedehena yasassinā”.
12.1“Ciraṁ jīvatu so rājā,12.2kāsīnaṁ raṭṭhavaḍḍhano;12.3Yo me puttaṁ pamocesi,12.4sadā vuddhāpacāyikan”ti.

13.1Mātuposakajātakaṁ paṭhamaṁ.