The Elephant (Nāga Vagga)
Verse 320
Pāli Source
Ahaṃ nāgo va saṅgāme cāpato patitaṃ saraṃ; ativākyaṃ titikkhissaṃ, dussīlo hi bahujjano.
English Translation
As an elephant in battle withstands an arrow shot from a bow, so shall I endure harsh words — for many people lack self-discipline.
Way to Enlightenment draft translation — not yet reviewed for accuracy.
Editorial Note
Opens the Nāga Vagga (The Elephant) and is traditionally presented as the Buddha speaking in the first person about enduring criticism. The specific traditional occasion sometimes associated with this verse has not been independently verified for this project and is therefore not asserted here.
Source
Pali critical edition: O. von Hinüber & K.R. Norman (Pali Text Society, 1995), digitized by the Dhammakaya Foundation via GRETIL, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0