Tena kho pana samayena rājagahe nāḷāgiri nāma hatthī caṇḍo hoti, manussaghātako. Atha kho devadatto rājagahaṁ pavisitvā hatthisālaṁ gantvā hatthibhaṇḍe etadavoca— “mayaṁ kho, bhaṇe, rājañātakā nāma paṭibalā nīcaṭṭhāniyaṁ uccaṭṭhāne ṭhapetuṁ, bhattampi vetanampi vaḍḍhāpetuṁ. Tena hi, bhaṇe, yadā samaṇo gotamo imaṁ racchaṁ paṭipanno hoti, tadā imaṁ nāḷāgiriṁ hatthiṁ muñcetvā imaṁ racchaṁ paṭipādethā”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te hatthibhaṇḍā devadattassa paccassosuṁ. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sambahulehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Atha kho bhagavā taṁ racchaṁ paṭipajji. Addasāsuṁ kho te hatthibhaṇḍā bhagavantaṁ taṁ racchaṁ paṭipannaṁ. Disvāna nāḷāgiriṁ hatthiṁ muñcitvā taṁ racchaṁ paṭipādesuṁ. Addasā kho nāḷāgiri hatthī bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna soṇḍaṁ ussāpetvā pahaṭṭhakaṇṇavālo yena bhagavā tena abhidhāvi. Addasāsuṁ kho te bhikkhū nāḷāgiriṁ hatthiṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ— “ayaṁ, bhante, nāḷāgiri hatthī caṇḍo manussaghātako imaṁ racchaṁ paṭipanno. Paṭikkamatu, bhante, bhagavā; paṭikkamatu sugato”ti. “Āgacchatha, bhikkhave, mā bhāyittha. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, bhikkhave, anavakāso, yaṁ parūpakkamena tathāgataṁ jīvitā voropeyya. Anupakkamena, bhikkhave, tathāgatā parinibbāyantī”ti. Dutiyampi kho te bhikkhū …pe… tatiyampi kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ— “ayaṁ, bhante, nāḷāgiri hatthī caṇḍo manussaghātako imaṁ racchaṁ paṭipanno. Paṭikkamatu, bhante, bhagavā; paṭikkamatu sugato”ti. “Āgacchatha, bhikkhave, mā bhāyittha. Aṭṭhānametaṁ, bhikkhave, anavakāso, yaṁ parūpakkamena tathāgataṁ jīvitā voropeyya. Anupakkamena, bhikkhave, tathāgatā parinibbāyantī”ti.