The king took the elephant, went to the city, and caused both city and elephant-stable to be adorned. He caused the elephant to make rightwise circuit of the city and to be taken into the elephant-stable. He adorned the elephant with all the adornments, sprinkled him, made him his riding-animal, elevated him to the dignity of a friend, gave him half his kingdom, and had him treated as himself. From the day when the elephant arrived, the king obtained complete mastery over all the Land of the Rose-apple.
As time thus went on, the Future Buddha received a new existence as the child of the chief consort of that king. But before the child was born, the king died. Now if the elephant had known that the king was dead, it would have broken his heart then and there. So they said not a word to the elephant about the king’s death, but waited on him just as if nothing had happened.
But when the king of Kosala, who ruled over the country immediately adjoining, heard that the king was dead, he reflected: “The kingdom, they say, is empty;” and came with a large army and surrounded the city. The citizens closed the gates of the city and sent the following message to the king of Kosala: “The chief consort of our king is about to give birth to a child. The soothsayers have told us: ‘Seven days hence she will give birth to a son.’ If, on the seventh day, she gives birth to a son, we will give battle,—not the kingdom. Wait that long.” “Very well,” said the king in assent. On the seventh day the queen gave birth to a son. On the day when he received his name, because, as they said, “He is born extending a noble heart to the multitude,” they gave him the name Noble-heart, Alīnacitta.
Now from the day he was born, the citizens fought with the king of Kosala. But because they had no man to lead them in battle, the force, large as it was, gave way little by little in the conflict. Ministers reported this fact to the queen, saying: “We fear that if the force continues thus to give way, we shall lose the battle. But the state elephant, the king’s friend, does not know that the king is dead, that his son is born, and that the king of Kosala has come to fight.” And they asked her: “Shall we let him know?” “Yes,” said the queen, assenting. She adorned the boy, laid him in a head-coil of fine cloth, came down from the terrace, and accompanied by a retinue of ministers, went to the elephant-stable, and laid the Future Buddha at the feet of the elephant. Said she: “Master, your friend is dead. We didn’t tell you because we were afraid it would break your heart. Here is the son of your friend. The king of Kosala has come and has surrounded the city and is fighting with your son. The force is giving way. Do you either kill your son or get and give him the kingdom.”
Then the elephant with his trunk caressed the Future Buddha and lifted him up and put him on his shoulders and cried and wept. Then he lowered the Future Buddha and laid him in the arms of the queen, and with the words, “I will capture the king of Kosala!” went out of the elephant-stable. Then the ministers clad him with armor and adorned him, and unlocking the city-gate, went out in his train.
As the elephant went out of the city, he trumpeted the Heron’s Call, making the multitude tremble and quake, and frightening them away. He broke down the stockade, seized the king of Kosala by the top-knot, and carried him and laid him at the Future Buddha’s feet. And when men rose to kill him, he would not let them, but set the king free with the admonition: “Henceforth be careful; do not presume on the youth of the prince.”
Thenceforth the Future Buddha had complete mastery over all the Land of the Rose-apple. No other adversary dared to stand up against him. When the Future Buddha was seven years old, he received the ceremonial sprinkling and became known as King Noble-heart. He ruled with righteousness, and when his life was come to an end, departed, fulfilling the Path to Heaven.
When the Teacher had related this parable, he uttered, as Supreme Buddha, the following stanza:
Relying on Noble-heart, a mighty host, delighted,
Captured Kosala alive, dissatisfied with his army.