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CHAPTER TWO Marubhūti? Do you not recognize me, King Aravinda ? Have you forgotten the dharma of the Arhats accepted in that birth? Remember everything. Dismiss delusion which results in (birth in the category of wild animals."
Immediately he attained recollection of the birth through the muni's speech, and the elephant bowed to the muni with his head. Again the muni said:
“In this existence which resembles a play, a creature, like an actor, assumes a different form from moment to moment. So, on the one hand, you were then a Brāhman, intelligent, knowing the Principles, a layman; on the other hand, now you are an elephant, your soul confused by the nature of your category (as an animal). Accept again the layman-dharma of your former birth.”
He agreed to the muni's speech with gestures of his trunk, et cetera. Varuņā, who had become a cow-elephant and had stayed just there, attained the remembrance of (former) births at that very time, like the noble elephant. For the sake of firmness (in faith) the țși explained again householders' dharma to him. After becoming a layman and bowing to the muni, the elephant went away. Amazed by the elephant's enlightenment, many people there became mendicants and many became laymen at that time. Then Sagaradatta, too, became a distinguished layman, his heart firm in the Jinas' dharma, not be shaken even by the gods. Having gone to Mt. Aștāpada, the great muni Aravinda paid homage to all the Arhats and went elsewhere in his wandering.
The elephant-layman, having become a yati in spirit, roamed, devoted to care in walking, et cetera, practicing penance—the two-day fast, et cetera. Drinker of water heated by the sun, breaking a fast with dried leaves, et cetera, the elephant remained averse to play with cow-elephants, his mind disgusted with existence. He reflected:
“They are fortunate, who take the vow as humans. The vow is the fruit of being human, like the gift of money in a dish. Alas! Being human then was wasted by me, like
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