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 139
Ass-ā-jāniya Suttaṃ
Trained Steeds
Translated from the Pali by
F.L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[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 choice,[1] trained[2] steeds and the three choice, trained human beings.
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 choice, trained steeds among steeds?
Herein a certain choice, trained steed
is gifted with speed,
but not gifted with beauty,
not with gifted good proportions.
Herein also a choice, trained steed
is gifted with speed,
gifted with beauty,
but not gifted with good proportions.
Likewise we have a certain choice, trained steed
gifted with speed,
gifted with beauty,
and gifted with good proportions.
These are the three sorts of choice, trained steed.
■
2. Now, monks, what are the three human choice, trained steeds?
Herein we have a certain human choice, trained steed
gifted with speed,
but not gifted with beauty,
not with gifted good proportions.
Herein we have a certain human choice, trained steed
gifted with speed,
gifted with beauty,
but not gifted with good proportions.
Likewise we have a certain human choice, trained steed
gifted with speed,
gifted with beauty,
and gifted with good proportions.
§
3. Now how is a human choice, trained steed
gifted with speed
but not gifted with beauty,
not gifted with good proportions?
Herein a monk,
by the destruction of the āsavas,
realizes the heart's release,
the release by insight,
which is free from the āsavas,
in this very life
by his own intuitional powers,
and having attained it
abides therein.
This 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.
This I call his 'lack of good proportions.'
■
Thus we have among men
a choice, trained steed gifted with speed,
but not gifted in beauty
and not gifted in good proportions.
§
4. And how is a human choice, trained steed
gifted with speed
and gifted with beauty
but not gifted in good proportions?
Herein a monk,
by the destruction of the āsavas,
realizes the heart's release,
the release by insight,
which is free from the āsavas,
in this very life
by his own intuitional powers,
and having attained it
abides therein.
This 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 choice, trained steed
gifted with speed
and gifted with beauty
but not gifted in good proportions
§
5. And how is a human choice, trained steed
gifted with speed
and gifted with beauty
and gifted in good proportions?
Herein a monk,
by the destruction of the āsavas,
realizes the heart's release,
the release by insight,
which is free from the āsavas,
in this very life
by his own intuitional powers,
and having attained it
abides therein.
This 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 choice, trained steed among men is
gifted with speed
and gifted with beauty
and gifted in good proportions
These are the three sorts of choice, trained steed among men.'
[1] Text bhadde. Comy. bhadre = laddhake (not in Dict., in this sense of vara, sādhu, but common in Comy.).
[2] Ājānīya = kāraṇākāranaṃ jānanaka (expert in divers works).
