Aṇguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XII: Kesi Vagga
Sutta 113
Patoda Sutta
The Goad-stick
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Proofed against and modified in accordance with the revised edition at dhammatalks.org
For free distribution only.
[1][pts] "There are these four types
of excellent thoroughbred horses
to be found existing in the world.
Which four?
There is the case
where an excellent thoroughbred horse,
on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick,
is stirred and agitated,
[thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today?
What should I do in response?'
Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this.
And this is the first type
of excellent thoroughbred horse
to be found existing in the world.
■
[2][pts] "Then again there is the case
where an excellent thoroughbred horse
is not stirred and agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick,
but when his coat is pricked [with the goad stick]
he is stirred and agitated,
[thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today?
What should I do in response?'
Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this.
And this is the second type
of excellent thoroughbred horse
to be found existing in the world.
■
[3][pts] "Then again there is the case
where an excellent thoroughbred horse
is not stirred and agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick,
or when his coat is pricked,
but when his hide is pricked [with the goad stick]
he is stirred and agitated,
[thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today?
What should I do in response?'
Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this.
And this is the third type
of excellent thoroughbred horse
to be found existing in the world.
■
[4][pts] "Then again there is the case
where an excellent thoroughbred horse
is not stirred and agitated on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick,
or when his coat is pricked,
or when his hide is pricked,
but when his bone is pricked [with the goad stick]
he is stirred and agitated,
[thinking,] 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today?
What should I do in response?'
Some excellent thoroughbred horses are like this.
And this is the fourth type of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.
"These are the four types of excellent thoroughbred horse to be found existing in the world.
§
[5][pts] "Now, there are these four types
of excellent thoroughbred persons
to be found existing in the world.
Which four?
"There is the case
where a certain excellent thoroughbred person hears,
'In that town or village over there
a man or woman is in pain or has died.'
He is stirred and agitated by that.
Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute.
Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and,
having penetrated it with discernment, sees.
This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you,
is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who,
on seeing the shadow of the goad-stick,
is stirred and agitated.
Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this.
And this is the first type
of excellent thoroughbred person
to be found existing in the world.
■
[6][pts] "Then again there is the case
where a certain excellent thoroughbred person does not hear,
'In that town or village over there
a man or woman is in pain or has died.'
But he himself sees a man or woman in pain or dead.
He is stirred and agitated by that.|| ||
Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute.
Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth
and, having penetrated it with discernment, sees.
This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you,
is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who,
when its coat is pricked with the goad-stick,
is stirred and agitated.
Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this.
And this is the second type
of excellent thoroughbred person
to be found existing in the world.
■
[7][pts] "Then again there is the case
where a certain excellent thoroughbred person does not hear,
'In that town or village over there
a man or woman is in pain or has died.'
And he himself does not see a man or woman in pain or dead.
But he sees one of his own blood relatives in pain or dead.
He is stirred and agitated by that.
Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute.
Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and,
having penetrated it with discernment, sees.
This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you,
is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who,
when its hide is pricked with the goad-stick,
is stirred and agitated.
Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this.
And this is the third type
of excellent thoroughbred person
to be found existing in the world.
■
[8][pts] "Then again there is the case where a certain excellent thoroughbred person does not hear,
'In that town or village over there a man or woman is in pain or has died.'
And he himself does not see a man or woman in pain or dead,
nor does he see one of his own blood relatives in pain or dead.
But he himself is touched
by bodily feelings that are painful, fierce, sharp,
wracking, repellent, disagreeable,
life-threatening.
He is stirred and agitated by that.
Stirred, he becomes appropriately resolute.
Resolute, he both realizes with his body the highest truth and,
having penetrated it with discernment, sees.
This type of excellent thoroughbred person, I tell you,
is like the excellent thoroughbred horse who,
when its bone is pricked with the goad-stick,
is stirred and agitated.
Some excellent thoroughbred people are like this.
And this is the fourth type
of excellent thoroughbred person
to be found existing in the world.
"These are the four types of excellent thoroughbred persons to be found existing in the world."
Of Related Interest:
SN 3:17;
AN 6:19—20;
AN 8:13—14;
AN 10:15;
AN 11:10;
Dhp 21–32;
Snp 1:4;
Snp 3:8
