VijitasenaVijitasenattheragāthā

I’ll cage you, mind,“Olaggessāmi te citta, like an elephant in a stockade.āṇidvāreva hatthinaṁ; Born of the flesh, that net of the senses,Na taṁ pāpe niyojessaṁ, I won’t urge you to do bad.kāmajāla sarīraja.

Caged, you won’t go anywhere,Tvaṁ olaggo na gacchasi, like an elephant who can’t find an open gate.Dvāravivaraṁ gajova alabhanto; Loser mind, you won’t wander again and again,Na ca cittakali punappunaṁ, bullying, in love with wickedness.Pasakka pāparato carissasi.

Just as a strong trainer with a hookYathā kuñjaraṁ adantaṁ, takes a wild, newly captured elephantNavaggahamaṅkusaggaho; and wins it over against its will,Balavā āvatteti akāmaṁ, so I’ll win you over.Evaṁ āvattayissaṁ taṁ.

Just as a fine charioteer, skilled in the tamingYathā varahayadamakusalo, of fine horses, tames a thoroughbred,Sārathi pavaro dameti ājaññaṁ; so I’ll tame you,Evaṁ damayissaṁ taṁ, firmly established in the five powers.Patiṭṭhito pañcasu balesu.

I’ll bind you with mindfulness;Satiyā taṁ nibandhissaṁ, devout, I shall tame you;Payutto te damessāmi; kept in check by harnessed energy,Vīriyadhuraniggahito, mind, you won’t go far from here.Na yito dūraṁ gamissase cittā”ti.