Aṇguttara Nikāya


[Home]  [Sutta Indexes]  [Glossology]  [Site Sub-Sections]


 

Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
XIV. Yodh-ā-jīva Vagga

The Book of the Gradual Sayings
or
More-Numbered Suttas

III. The Book of the Threes
XIV. The Fighting-Man

Sutta 137

Assa-Khaḷuṇka Suttaṃ

Colts[1]

Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.

Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
Creative Commons Licence
For details see Terms of Use.

 


[266]

[1] THUS HAVE I HEARD

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, I will teach you
the three colts among horses
and the three colts among men.

Do ye listen to it.

Apply your minds earnestly
and I will speak."

"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"Now, monks, what are the three colts among horses?

[267] Herein a certain colt
is gifted with speed,
but not gifted with beauty,
not with gifted good proportions.

Herein also a colt
is gifted with speed,
gifted with beauty,
but not gifted with good proportions.

Likewise we have a certain colt
gifted with speed,
gifted with beauty,
and gifted with good proportions.

These are the three sorts of colt.

2. Now, monks, what are the three colts among men?

Herein we have a certain young man
gifted with speed,
but not gifted with beauty,
not with gifted good proportions.

Herein we have a certain young man
gifted with speed,
gifted with beauty,
but not gifted with good proportions.

Likewise we have a certain young man
gifted with speed,
gifted with beauty,
and gifted with good proportions.

 

§

 

3. Now how is a young man
gifted with speed
but not gifted with beauty,
not gifted with good proportions?

Herein a monk knows, as it really is:

'This is Ill.

This is the arising of Ill.

This is the ending of Ill.

This is the practice leading to the ending of Ill.'

This discrimination I call his 'speed.'

But if he be asked a question
about extra doctrine
or extra discipline,
he falters,
he cannot solve it.

This failure I call his 'lack of beauty.'

And suppose that he fails to get offerings
of robes and alms-food,
lodging,
extras
and necessary medicines.[2]

This I call his 'lack of good proportions.'

Thus we have among men
a colt gifted with speed,
but not gifted in beauty
and not gifted in good proportions.[3]

 

§

 

4. And how is a young man
gifted with speed
and gifted with beauty
but not gifted in good proportions?

Herein a monk knows, as it really is:

'This is Ill.

This is the arising of Ill.

This is the ending of Ill.

This is the practice leading to the ending of Ill.'

This discrimination I call his 'speed.'

When he is put a question
on extra doctrine and extra discipline,
he solves it,
he does not falter.

This I call his 'gift of beauty.'

Yet he fails to get offerings
of robes and alms-food,
lodging,
extras
and necessary medicines.

This I call his 'lack of good proportions.'

Thus we have among men a colt
gifted with speed
and gifted with beauty
but not gifted in good proportions

 

§

 

5. And how is a young man
gifted with speed
and gifted with beauty
and gifted in good proportions?

Herein a monk knows, as it really is:

'This is Ill.

This is the arising of Ill.

This is the ending of Ill.

This is the practice leading to the ending of Ill.'

This discrimination I call his 'speed.'

When he is put a question
on extra doctrine and extra discipline,
he solves it,
he does not falter.

This I call his 'gift of beauty.'

Herein he does not fail to get offerings
of robes and alms-food,
lodging,
extras
and necessary medicines.

This I call his 'gift of good proportions.'

In this way, monks, a colt among men is
gifted with speed
and gifted with beauty
and gifted in good proportions

These are the three sorts of colt among men."

 


[1] Assa-khalunkā, A. iv, 397, =Assa-pota. Comy.

[2] Text should read -parikkārānaṃ.

[3] Cf. supra, 225 f.


Contact:
E-mail
Copyright Statement