Cūlahatthipadopama Sutta
Cūlahatthipadopama Sutta：Jānussoni，travelling in a carriage，meetsPilotika，from whom he hears praise of theBuddha．He learns how Pilotika，having heard the Buddha’s teachings to nobles，Brahmins，house-holders and recluses，was convinced that the Buddha was all-enlightened，just as an expert elephant-tracker seeing a broad elephant-footprint would conclude that it indicated the track of a really large elephant．
Jānussoni goes to visit the Buddha and reports his conversation with Pilotika．The Buddha tells him it would be a mistake to conclude at once from seeing a broad footprint that it belonged to a very large elephant； there are many other possibilities which should first be eliminated．He then proceeds to describe the life of a real recluse，the disciple of the Noble One，and the attainments he reaches； these he calls the Truth-finder’s foot prints．Following this，the disciple makes further discoveries，till his mind is completely free from the āsavas，and then he realises the Truth-finder’s real quest．Jānussoni becomes a follower of the Buddha （M.i.175ff）.
This was the first sutta preached in Ceylon by Mahinda to Devānampiyatissa．At the end of the discourse the king accepts the Three Refuges．Mhv.xiv.22.