AN 4.113

Patodasutta

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, bhadrā assājānīyā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bhadro assājānīyo patodacchāyaṁ disvā saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati: ‘kiṁ nu kho maṁ ajja assadammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāressati, kimassāhaṁ paṭikaromī’ti. Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo bhadro assājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.

The Goad

“Mendicants, these four fine thoroughbreds are found in the world. What four? One fine thoroughbred is moved to act when it sees the shadow of the goad, thinking: ‘What task will the horse trainer have me do today? How should I respond?’ Some fine thoroughbreds are like that. This is the first fine thoroughbred found in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo na heva kho patodacchāyaṁ disvā saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati, api ca kho lomavedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati: ‘kiṁ nu kho maṁ ajja assadammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāressati, kimassāhaṁ paṭikaromī’ti. Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo bhadro assājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.

Furthermore, one fine thoroughbred isn’t moved to act when it sees the shadow of the goad, but only when its hairs are struck, thinking: ‘What task will the horse trainer have me do today? How should I respond?’ Some fine thoroughbreds are like that. This is the second fine thoroughbred found in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo na heva kho patodacchāyaṁ disvā saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati nāpi lomavedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati, api ca kho cammavedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati: ‘kiṁ nu kho maṁ ajja assadammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāressati, kimassāhaṁ paṭikaromī’ti. Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo bhadro assājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.

Furthermore, one fine thoroughbred isn’t moved to act when it sees the shadow of the goad, nor when its hairs are struck, but only when its hide is struck, thinking: ‘What task will the horse trainer have me do today? How should I respond?’ Some fine thoroughbreds are like that. This is the third fine thoroughbred found in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo na heva kho patodacchāyaṁ disvā saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati nāpi lomavedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati nāpi cammavedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati, api ca kho aṭṭhivedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati: ‘kiṁ nu kho maṁ ajja assadammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāressati, kimassāhaṁ paṭikaromī’ti. Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho bhadro assājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro bhadrā assājānīyā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.

Furthermore, one fine thoroughbred isn’t moved to act when it sees the shadow of the goad, nor when its hairs are struck, nor when its hide is struck, but only when its bone is struck, thinking: ‘What task will the horse trainer have me do today? How should I respond?’ Some fine thoroughbreds are like that. This is the fourth fine thoroughbred found in the world. These are the four fine thoroughbreds found in the world.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattārome bhadrā purisājānīyā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bhadro purisājānīyo suṇāti: ‘amukasmiṁ nāma gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā dukkhito vā kālaṅkato vā’ti. So tena saṁvijjati, saṁvegaṁ āpajjati. Saṁviggo yoniso padahati. Pahitatto kāyena ceva paramasaccaṁ sacchikaroti, paññāya ca ativijjha passati. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, bhadro assājānīyo patodacchāyaṁ disvā saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ bhadraṁ purisājānīyaṁ vadāmi. Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo bhadro purisājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.

In the same way, these four fine thoroughbred people are found in the world. What four? One fine thoroughbred person hears about the suffering or death of a woman or man in such-and-such village or town. They’re moved to act by this, and strive effectively. Applying themselves, they directly realize the ultimate truth, and see it with penetrating wisdom. This individual is like the fine thoroughbred that’s shaken when it sees the shadow of the goad. Some fine thoroughbred people are like that. This is the first fine thoroughbred person found in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo na heva kho suṇāti: ‘amukasmiṁ nāma gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā dukkhito vā kālaṅkato vā’ti, api ca kho sāmaṁ passati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā dukkhitaṁ vā kālaṅkataṁ vā. So tena saṁvijjati, saṁvegaṁ āpajjati. Saṁviggo yoniso padahati. Pahitatto kāyena ceva paramasaccaṁ sacchikaroti, paññāya ca ativijjha passati. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, bhadro assājānīyo lomavedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ bhadraṁ purisājānīyaṁ vadāmi. Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo bhadro purisājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.

Furthermore, one fine thoroughbred person doesn’t hear about the suffering or death of a woman or man in such-and-such village or town, but they see it themselves. They’re moved to act by this, and strive effectively. Applying themselves, they directly realize the ultimate truth, and see it with penetrating wisdom. This person is like the fine thoroughbred that’s moved to act when its hairs are struck. Some fine thoroughbred people are like that. This is the second fine thoroughbred person found in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo na heva kho suṇāti: ‘amukasmiṁ nāma gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā dukkhito vā kālaṅkato vā’ti, nāpi sāmaṁ passati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā dukkhitaṁ vā kālaṅkataṁ vā, api ca khvassa ñāti vā sālohito vā dukkhito vā hoti kālaṅkato vā. So tena saṁvijjati, saṁvegaṁ āpajjati. Saṁviggo yoniso padahati. Pahitatto kāyena ceva paramasaccaṁ sacchikaroti, paññāya ca ativijjha passati. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, bhadro assājānīyo cammavedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ bhadraṁ purisājānīyaṁ vadāmi. Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo bhadro purisājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.

Furthermore, one fine thoroughbred person doesn’t hear about the suffering or death of a woman or man in such-and-such village or town, nor do they see it themselves, but it happens to their own relative or family member. They’re moved to act by this, and strive effectively. Applying themselves, they directly realize the ultimate truth, and see it with penetrating wisdom. This person is like the fine thoroughbred that’s moved to act when its skin is struck. Some fine thoroughbred people are like that. This is the third fine thoroughbred person found in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo na heva kho suṇāti: ‘amukasmiṁ nāma gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā dukkhito vā kālaṅkato vā’ti, nāpi sāmaṁ passati itthiṁ vā purisaṁ vā dukkhitaṁ vā kālaṅkataṁ vā, nāpissa ñāti vā sālohito vā dukkhito vā hoti kālaṅkato vā, api ca kho sāmaññeva phuṭṭho hoti sārīrikāhi vedanāhi dukkhāhi tibbāhi kharāhi kaṭukāhi asātāhi amanāpāhi pāṇaharāhi. So tena saṁvijjati, saṁvegaṁ āpajjati. Saṁviggo yoniso padahati. Pahitatto kāyena ceva paramasaccaṁ sacchikaroti, paññāya ca ativijjha passati. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, bhadro assājānīyo aṭṭhivedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ bhadraṁ purisājānīyaṁ vadāmi. Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo hoti. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho bhadro purisājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro bhadrā purisājānīyā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.

Furthermore, one fine thoroughbred person doesn’t hear about the suffering or death of a woman or man in such-and-such village or town, nor do they see it themselves, nor does it happen to their own relative or family member, but they themselves are afflicted with physical pain—sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, disagreeable, and life-threatening. They’re moved to act by this, and strive effectively. Applying themselves, they directly realize the ultimate truth, and see it with penetrating wisdom. This person is like the fine thoroughbred that’s moved to act when its bone is struck. Some fine thoroughbred people are like that. This is the fourth fine thoroughbred person found in the world. These are the four fine thoroughbred people found in the world.”