Aṅguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XXVI: Abhiññā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XXVI: Higher Knowledge
Sutta 257
Dutiya Ājānīya Suttaɱ
The Thoroughbred (b)
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
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[1] Thus have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvatthī.
Then the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
'Possessed of four qualities, monks,
a rajah's noble, thoroughbred steed
is worthy of the rajah,
is the rajah's possession,
is reckoned an asset of the rajah.
What four?
Herein a rajah's noble, thoroughbred steed
is possessed of beauty,
strength,
speed
and good proportions.
Possessed of these four qualities
a rajah's noble, thoroughbred steed
is worthy of the rajah,
is the rajah's possession,
is reckoned an asset of the rajah.
■
Just in the same way, monks,
possessed of four qualities
a monk is worthy of offerings,
worthy of hospitality,
worthy of gifts,
of salutations with clasped hands,
a field of merit unsurpassed for the world.
What four?
In this case a monk has beauty (of life),
strength (of characteɱ,
speed (of insight)
and good proportions (of necessaries).
§
And how is a monk possessed of beauty?
In this case a monk is virtuous,
he lives restrained with the restraint of the obligations,
is proficient in the practice of good conduct,
seeing danger in the slightest faults
he trains himself in the precepts
by undertaking them.
In this way he has beauty (of life).
■
And how is a monk possessed of strength?
In this case a monk lives ardent in energy,
ever striving to abandon bad qualities,
to acquire good qualities,
strenuously exerting himself,
not throwing off the burden in good qualities.
In this way he has strength (of character).
■
And how is a monk possessed of speed?
In this case a monk,
by the destruction of the āsavas,
attains the heart's release,
the release by wisdom
that ie without the āsavas,
in this very life
of himself thoroughly comprehending it,
and abides therein.[ed1]
In this way a monk is possessed of speed (of insight).
■
And how is a monk possessed of good proportions?
In this case a monk is one
who gets robe and alms-food,
lodging,
extras and necessary medicines
for use in sickness.
In this way a monk is possessed of good proportions (of necessaries).
Possessed of these four qualities
a monk is worthy of offerings,
worthy of hospitality,
worthy of gifts,
of salutations with clasped hands,
a field of merit unsurpassed for the world.'
[ed1] Woodward's abridgment indicates that the 'musings' are also included here, but that is not the case.
