Pāḷi English Dictionary
Sutta SearchAṅguttara Nikāya
XI. Ekā-Dasaka Nipāta
II. Anussati Vagga
The Book of Elevens
Sutta 18
Gopālaka Suttaṃ
The Cowherd (a)
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
There then[1] The Lucky Man addressed the beggars, saying:
"Beggars!"
And the beggars responding "Bhante!"
The Lucky Man said this to them:
Having eleven attributes, beggars,
a cowherd is incompetent
to look after,
increase,
a heard.
What eleven?
Here, beggars, the cowherd
[1] does not know various forms,
[2] does not have skill in reading distinguishing features,
[3] does not destroy fly's eggs,
[4] does not treat wounds,
[5] is not a maker of fumigations,
[6] does not know a ford,
[7] does not know a watering place,
[8] does not know tracks,
[9] is not skilled at finding pastures,
[10] milks dry, and
[11] he pays no special honor to
the worthy of honor —
the bulls,
the fathers of the heard,
the leaders of the heard.
This then, beggars,
is how a cowherd is incompetent
to look after,
increase,
a heard.
■
Even so, beggars,
having eleven attributes,
a beggar is incompetent
to bring this Dhamma-Vinaya
to increase,
growth, and
flower.
What eleven?
Here, beggars, a beggar
[1] does not know various forms,
[2] does not have skill in reading distinguishing features,
[3] does not destroy fly's eggs,
[4] does not treat wounds,
[5] is not a maker of fumigations,
[6] does not know a ford,
[7] does not know a watering place,
[8] does not know tracks,
[9] is not skilled at finding pastures,
[10] milks dry, and
[11] pays no special honor to
the worthy of honor —
the bulls,
the fathers of the heard,
the leaders of the heard.
■
[1] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
that does not know various forms?
Here, beggars, a beggar
does not know as it is that
whatsoever the form
all that is form
is of the four great elements[2]
or derived from the four great elements.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one that does not know
various forms.
■
[2] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who does not have skill
in reading distinguishing features?
Here, beggars, a beggar
does not know as it is,
'Kamma distinguishes one who is a fool,
kamma distinguishes one who is wise.'
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who does not have skill
in reading distinguishing features.
■
[3] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who does not destroy fly's eggs?
Here, beggars, a beggar
does not let go,
does not drive out,
does not abolish,
does not bring to non-being,
uprisen sensual thought.
Does not let go,
does not drive out,
does not abolish,
does not bring to non-being,
uprisen deviant thought.
Does not let go,
does not drive out,
does not abolish,
does not bring to non-being,
uprisen violent thought.
Does not let go,
does not drive out,
does not abolish,
does not bring to non-being,
the arising of un-arisen bad unskillful things.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who does not destroy fly's eggs.
■
[4] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who does not treat wounds?
Here, beggars, a beggar
seeing a form with the eye,
dwells on its characteristics,
dwells on its implications.
Living with the eye-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
and he does not set up restraint,
does not guard the eye-sense,
places no restraint over the eye-sense.
Having heard a sound with the ear,
he dwells on its characteristics,
he dwells on its implications.
Living with the ear-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
and he does not set up restraint,
does not guard the ear-sense,
places no restraint over the ear-sense.
Having smelled a scent with the nose,
he dwells on its characteristics,
he dwells on its implications.
Living with the nose-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
and he does not set up restraint,
does not guard the nose-sense,
places no restraint over the nose-sense.
Having tasted a taste with the tongue,
he dwells on its characteristics,
he dwells on its implications.
Living with the tongue-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
and he does not set up restraint,
does not guard the tongue-sense,
places no restraint over the tongue-sense.
Having felt a touch with the body,
he dwells on its characteristics,
he dwells on its implications.
Living with the body-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
and he does not set up restraint,
does not guard the body-sense,
places no restraint over the body-sense.
Having become conscious of a thing with the mind,
he dwells on its characteristics,
he dwells on its implications.
Living with the mind-sense unguarded
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
and he does not set up restraint,
does not guard the mind-sense,
places no restraint over the mind-sense.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who does not treat wounds.
■
[5] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who is not a maker of fumigations?
Here, beggars, a beggar
does not teach Dhamma in detail to others
as it has been heard
as it has been understood.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who is not a maker of fumigations.
■
[6] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who does not know a ford?
Here, beggars, a beggar
does not approach from time-to-time
those beggars who have heard much,
retained Dhamma,
retained Discipline,
retained the Summaries,[3]
not inquiring of them,
not questioning them,
saying:
'What, Bhante, is this about?
What is the meaning of this?
To him those Elders
do not reveal what was concealed
do not clear up that which was obscure
and do not dispel the doubt
that may arise concerning
various doubtful matters of Dhamma.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who does not know a ford.
■
[7] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who does not know a watering place?
Here, beggars, a beggar
does not gain experience of the goal,
does not gain experience of Dhamma,
does not gain gladness at the arising of Dhamma.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who does not know a watering place.
■
[8] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who does not know tracks?
Here, beggars, a beggar
does not know
The Aristocratic Multidimensional Way
as it is.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who does not know tracks.
■
[9] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who is not skilled at finding pastures?[4]
Here, beggars, a beggar
does not know
the four settings's up of mind
as it is.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who is not skilled at finding pastures.
■
[10] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
that milks dry?
Here, beggars, a beggar
knows no measure in accepting such,
when a householder of faith,
having procured them, offers
robes,
mess-bowls,
lodging,
medicinal supplies for use in sickness.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who milks dry.
■
[11] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
that pays no special honor to
the worthy of honor —
the bulls,
the fathers of the heard,
the leaders of the heard.
Here, beggars, a beggar
pays no special honor
to the elders —
those very early masters,
the fathers of the Saṅgha,
the leaders of the Saṅgha.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who pays no special honor to
the worthy of honor —
the bulls,
the fathers of the heard,
the leaders of the heard.
These, then, beggars,
are the eleven attributes,
of the beggar that is incompetent
to bring this Dhamma-Vinaya
to increase,
growth, and
flower.
§
Having eleven attributes, beggars,
a cowherd is competent
to look after,
increase,
a heard.
What eleven?
Here, beggars, the cowherd
[1] knows various forms,
[2] has skill in reading distinguishing features,
[3] destroys fly's eggs,
[4] treats wounds,
[5] is a maker of fumigations,
[6] knows a ford,
[7] knows a watering place,
[8] knows tracks,
[9] is skilled at finding pastures,
[10] does not milks dry, and
[11] he pays special honor to
the worthy of honor —
the bulls,
the fathers of the heard,
the leaders of the heard.
This then, beggars,
is how a cowherd is competent
to look after,
increase,
a heard.
■
Even so, beggars,
having eleven attributes,
a beggar is competent
to bring this Dhamma-Vinaya
to increase,
growth, and
flower.
What eleven?
Here, beggars, a beggar
[1] knows various forms,
[2] has skill in reading distinguishing features,
[3] destroys fly's eggs,
[4] treats wounds,
[5] is a maker of fumigations,
[6] knows a ford,
[7] knows a watering place,
[8] knows tracks,
[9] is skilled at finding pastures,
[10] does not milk dry, and
[11] pays special honor to
the worthy of honor —
the bulls,
the fathers of the heard,
the leaders of the heard.
■
[1] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
that knows various forms?
Here, beggars, a beggar
knows as it is that
whatsoever the form
all that is form
is of the four great elements
or derived from the four great elements.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one that knows
various forms.
■
[2] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who has skill
in reading distinguishing features?
Here, beggars, a beggar
knows as it is,
'Kamma distinguishes one who is a fool,
kamma distinguishes one who is wise.'
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who has skill
in reading distinguishing features.
■
[3] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who destroys fly's eggs?
Here, beggars, a beggar
lets go,
drives out,
abolishes,
brings to non-being,
uprisen sensual thought.
Lets go,
drives out,
abolishes,
brings to non-being,
uprisen deviant thought.
Lets go,
drives out,
abolishes,
brings to non-being,
uprisen violent thought.
Lets go,
drives out,
abolishes,
brings to non-being,
the arising of un-arisen bad unskillful things.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who destroys fly's eggs.
■
[4] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who treats wounds?
Here, beggars, a beggar
seeing a form with the eye,
does not dwell on its characteristics,
does not dwell on its implications.
Living with the eye-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
so he sets up restraint,
guards the eye-sense,
places restraint over the eye-sense.
Having heard a sound with the ear,
he does not dwell on its characteristics,
he does not dwell on its implications.
Living with the ear-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
so he sets up restraint,
guards the ear-sense,
places restraint over the ear-sense.
Having smelled a scent with the nose,
he does not dwell on its characteristics,
he does not dwell on its implications.
Living with the nose-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
so he sets up restraint,
guards the nose-sense,
places restraint over the nose-sense.
Having tasted a taste with the tongue,
he does not dwell on its characteristics,
he does not dwell on its implications.
Living with the tongue-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
so he sets up restraint,
guards the tongue-sense,
places restraint over the tongue-sense.
Having felt a touch with the body,
he does not dwell on its characteristics,
he does not dwell on its implications.
Living with the body-sense unguarded,
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
so he sets up restraint,
guards the body-sense,
places restraint over the body-sense.
Having become conscious of a thing with the mind,
he does not dwell on its characteristics,
he does not dwell on its implications.
Living with the mind-sense unguarded
liking and disliking,
bad, unskillful things, seep in,
so he sets up restraint,
guards the mind-sense,
places restraint over the mind-sense.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who treats wounds.
■
[5] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who is a maker of fumigations?
Here, beggars, a beggar
teaches Dhamma in detail to others
as it has been heard
as it has been understood.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who is a maker of fumigations.
■
[6] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who knows a ford?
Here, beggars, a beggar
approaches from time-to-time
those beggars who have heard much,
retained Dhamma,
retained Discipline,
retained the Summaries,
inquiring of them,
questioning them,
saying:
'What, Bhante, is this about?
What is the meaning of this?
To him those Elders
reveal what was concealed
clear up that which was obscure
and dispel the doubt
that may arise concerning
various doubtful matters of Dhamma.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who knows a ford.
■
[7] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who knows a watering place?
Here, beggars, a beggar
gains experience of the goal,
gains experience of Dhamma,
gains gladness at the arising of Dhamma.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who knows a watering place.
■
[8] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who knows tracks?
Here, beggars, a beggar
knows
The Aristocratic Multidimensional Way
as it is.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who knows tracks.
■
[9] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
who is skilled at finding pastures?
Here, beggars, a beggar
knows
the four settings's up of mind
as it is.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who is skilled at finding pastures.
■
[10] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
that does not milk dry?
Here, beggars, a beggar
knows measure in accepting such,
when a householder of faith,
having procured them, offers
robes,
mess-bowls,
lodging,
medicinal supplies for use in sickness.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who does not milk dry.
■
[11] And of what sort, beggars, is a beggar
one that pays special honor to
the worthy of honor —
the bulls,
the fathers of the heard,
the leaders of the heard.
Here, beggars, a beggar
pays special honor
to the elders —
those very early masters,
the fathers of the Saṅgha,
the leaders of the Saṅgha.
Thus then, beggars,
is a beggar
one who pays special honor to
the worthy of honor —
the bulls,
the fathers of the heard,
the leaders of the heard.
These, then, beggars,
are the eleven attributes,
of the beggar that is competent
to bring this Dhamma-Vinaya
to increase,
growth, and
flower.
[1] There is no Nidana for this sutta, and the one previous does not refer to the Buddha at all and is from a different location than the first sutta of this chapter. I have left it undetermined.
[2] Paṭhavī, āpo, tejo, vāyo. Earth, water, fire-light, wind (also understood to be: solidity (resistance), liquidity (adhesion, gravity), heat (temperature), motion (wave form), and the basic elements of a witches brew.
[3] Mātikā. PED: 1. a water course.
[4] Paṭṭhāna. Pasture.
