Tag Archives: The Bodhisatta – As Trained White Elephant

96. The Bodhisatta – As Trained White Elephant

Once upon a time when King Magadha was ruling in Rajagaha in Magadha, the Bodhisatta was born an elephant. He was white all over and graced with all the beauty. And because of his beauty the king made him his state elephant.

One festal day the king adorned the city like a city of the devas and, mounted on the elephant in all its trappings, made a solemn procession round the city attended by a great retinue. And all along the route the people were moved by the sight of that peerless elephant to exclaim, “Oh what a stately gait! What proportions! What beauty! What grace! Such a white elephant is worthy of an universal monarch.” All this praise of his elephant awoke the king’s jealousy and decided to kill the elephant. So he summoned the mahout and asked whether it is a trained elephant.