40. 'Oh! How He has manifested by the splendid loftiness of His nature the auspiciousness to be expected of (his auspicious figure)! Verily, even in His dead body, His self-satisfaction appears in His complexion shining like the Snow-mountain, as though it laughed with joy!
'Who, therefore, will allow himself to feed on the body of this exceedingly virtuous being, who, surpassing by his goodness affectionate relations and friends, was thus inclined to help us, thus ready to sacrifice even his own life for our benefit? No, it becomes us rather to pay him our debt of gratitude by the cremation of his body with the proper rites and worship.' Thus considering, they were inclined to indulge in mourning, as if a family-disaster had befallen them; their eyes grew dim with tears and they lamented in a faltering voice. But some of them who had a stronger frame of mind, perceiving their attitude and understanding the difference of the cases, spoke to them: 'Verily, by doing so this excellent elephant would be neither worshipped nor gratified. For aught we know, it is by the accomplishment of his design that we ought to honour him.
41. 'For it was with the object of rescuing us, that he, a stranger to us, yea, not even knowing us, abandoned in this manner his body dear to him, to his guests, still dearer to him.
42. 'For this reason it is proper to fulfil his design. Otherwise, would not the exertion of that being be made fruitless?
43. 'He has offered affectionately his whole property, indeed, to entertain his guests. Who, then, would render his hospitality fruitless by not accepting it?
44. 'We are therefore bound to honour him by accepting it like the word of a teacher, whereby we will secure also our own welfare.
45. 'After surmounting our adversity, it will be the fit time to worship him either conjointly or severally, and to perform for this excellent elephant the whole of the funeral rites due to a deceased kinsman.'
Accordingly those men, keeping in mind that that chief of elephants had taken his determination with the object of rescuing them from the wilderness, obeyed his words. They took their provisions from the body of the Great Being, and filled his bowels with water, using them as water-bags. Then following the direction he had pointed out to them, they safely crossed that wilderness.
In this manner the righteous highly esteem even pain, as if it were gain, if they may cause by it the happiness of others. [So is to be said when praising the righteous. Likewise, when discoursing on the Tathâgata or on the subject of listening with attention to the preaching of the Law. When treating of how to acquire an auspicious nature, this is to be said: 'In this manner an auspicious nature obtained by exercise (of virtues) comes back in new existences.' This story may also be told, when demonstrating the virtue consisting in habitual charity. 'So the habit of abandoning material objects makes it easy to give up even self-love.' And on the words spoken by the Lord at the time of His Complete Nirvâna, when He was attended with celestial flowers and celestial music: 'Something like this, in truth, is not the right manner, Ânanda, to gratify the Tathâgata,' this story may serve as the comment, by taking it for example: 'In this manner worship consists in fulfilling the design (of the person honoured), not in offerings of perfumes, garlands, and the like.']