Reading outline · Simile
The elephant and partial views
Disagreement among religious teachers forms the setting for the Buddha’s response.
This outline follows the main passages. Open each reading to follow the story in full.
Disputing views
Disagreement among religious teachers forms the setting for the Buddha’s response.
Heartfelt Sayings 6.4 Followers of Various Other Religions (1st) So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time several ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers who followed various other religions were residing in Sāvatthī, holding different views, …
Different parts of an elephant
In the embedded story, a king has people blind from birth touch different parts of an elephant. Each argues from a partial encounter.
Heartfelt Sayings 6.4 Followers of Various Other Religions (1st) So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time several ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers who followed various other religions were residing in Sāvatthī, holding different views, …
Returning to the dispute
The discourse uses the quarrel as a comparison for attachment to views. The story is a simile within a discourse.
Heartfelt Sayings 6.4 Followers of Various Other Religions (1st) So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time several ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers who followed various other religions were residing in Sāvatthī, holding different views, …
Places in this story
Sāvatthī / ŚrāvastīSources & reading notes
Introductions and explanations are editorial writing. Quoted text retains its named edition; selections may be shortened with an ellipsis.
Disputing views. Editorial summary of the cited text; narrative setting is not independent historical confirmation. Source ↗
Different parts of an elephant. Editorial summary of the cited text; narrative setting is not independent historical confirmation. Source ↗
Returning to the dispute. Editorial summary of the cited text; narrative setting is not independent historical confirmation. Source ↗
Original scene outline
Disputing views
Disagreement among religious teachers forms the setting for the Buddha’s response.
Different parts of an elephant
In the embedded story, a king has people blind from birth touch different parts of an elephant. Each argues from a partial encounter.
Returning to the dispute
The discourse uses the quarrel as a comparison for attachment to views. The story is a simile within a discourse.