Influential Words

A King’s favourite bull elephant was a large, gentle giant with a very sweet face. Everyone called him Sumukhi. The bull elephant was known for his good nature.
One night, a group of robbers sat outside the elephant’s shed. They were preparing for various evil actions and spoke in a crude language about theft and murder. The elephant did not know that there are different types of human beings, the good and the evil. He only knew that human beings were his masters and what they say must be obeyed. The robbers would meet every night near the shed, so Sumukhi kept hearing and absorbing their conversation.
He also developed the same wicked thoughts. In a short while, he had become wicked and violent like them. One morning when his mahout came, Sumukhi attacked and killed him. Immediately, the news spread all over the town that Sumukhi had furned mad and had killed the mahout.

It was not long before the King came to know. He called his minister and asked him to check up the details quickly as he was concerned about the people and his favourite elephant too. The minister was Bodhisatta, the Enlightened One, and the King trusted his wisdom. He was also known to understand all creatures.
The minister went to the elephant’s shed and watched it for some time. The animal seemed physically fit. Then he began to talk to it in a gentle voice. Slowly, it seemed as if the madness went out of the elephant’s eyes. As the minster continued to speak, the creature was recognizing old influences and becoming gentle and mild once again. Soon the minister could go close to it and stroke its trunk. Sumukhi was well.

The minister then asked the attendants whether any new people were around. He heard about the robbers who met there at night. It was the influence of the robbers, he realized, that had been responsible for the change in the elephant’s behaviour. He ordered the attendants to make sure that the robbers were chased away and some wise people and monks must sit there at night and talk of things that are good and kind.
Then, he returned to the palace. He told the king that the elephant had been affected by bad people, adding, “After all, Sir, we reflect the company we keep. So, it is necessary to have the company of good people. Bad company will make us wicked too.” The King agreed with the Enlightened One.

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