Tena kho pana samayena manussā pāsādesupi hammiyesupi chadanesupi āruḷhā acchanti. Tattha ye te manussā assaddhā appasannā dubbuddhino, te evamāhaṁsu— “abhirūpo vata, bho, mahāsamaṇo nāgena viheṭhīyissatī”ti. Ye pana te manussā saddhā pasannā paṇḍitā byattā buddhimanto, te evamāhaṁsu— “nacirassaṁ vata, bho, nāgo nāgena saṅgāmessatī”ti. Atha kho bhagavā nāḷāgiriṁ hatthiṁ mettena cittena phari. Atha kho nāḷāgiri hatthī bhagavato mettena cittena phuṭṭho soṇḍaṁ oropetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato purato aṭṭhāsi. Atha kho bhagavā dakkhiṇena hatthena nāḷāgirissa hatthissa kumbhaṁ parāmasanto nāḷāgiriṁ hatthiṁ imāhi gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi— “Mā kuñjara nāgamāsado, Dukkhañhi kuñjara nāgamāsado; Na hi nāgahatassa kuñjara, Sugati hoti ito paraṁ yato. Mā ca mado mā ca pamādo, Na hi pamattā sugatiṁ vajanti te; Tvaññeva tathā karissasi, Yena tvaṁ sugatiṁ gamissasī”ti.