AN 9.22

Assakhaḷuṅkasutta

“Tayo ca, bhikkhave, assakhaḷuṅke desessāmi tayo ca purisakhaḷuṅke tayo ca assaparasse tayo ca purisaparasse tayo ca bhadde assājānīye tayo ca bhadde purisājānīye. Taṁ suṇātha. (…)

A Wild Colt

“Mendicants, I will teach you about three wild colts and three wild people; three excellent horses and three excellent people; and three fine thoroughbred horses and three fine thoroughbred people. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.

Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo assakhaḷuṅkā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco assakhaḷuṅko javasampanno hoti, na vaṇṇasampanno, na ārohapariṇāhasampanno. Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco assakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca, na ārohapariṇāhasampanno. Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco assakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo assakhaḷuṅkā.

And what are the three wild colts? One wild colt is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned. Another wild colt is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned. While another wild colt is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three wild colts.

Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo purisakhaḷuṅkā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno hoti, na vaṇṇasampanno, na ārohapariṇāhasampanno. Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca, na ārohapariṇāhasampanno. Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca.

And what are the three wild people? One wild person is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned. Another wild person is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned. While another wild person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno hoti, na vaṇṇasampanno na ārohapariṇāhasampanno? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Idamassa javasmiṁ vadāmi. Abhidhamme kho pana abhivinaye pañhaṁ puṭṭho saṁsādeti, no vissajjeti. Idamassa na vaṇṇasmiṁ vadāmi. Na kho pana lābhī hoti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Idamassa na ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno hoti, na vaṇṇasampanno na ārohapariṇāhasampanno.

And how is a wild person fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned? It’s when a mendicant truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is how they’re fast, I say. But when asked a question about the teaching or training, they falter without answering. This is how they’re not beautiful, I say. And they don’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re not well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca, na ārohapariṇāhasampanno? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Idamassa javasmiṁ vadāmi. Abhidhamme kho pana abhivinaye pañhaṁ puṭṭho vissajjeti, no saṁsādeti. Idamassa vaṇṇasmiṁ vadāmi. Na kho pana lābhī hoti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Idamassa na ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca, na ārohapariṇāhasampanno.

And how is a wild person fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned? They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. But they don’t receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re not well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Idamassa javasmiṁ vadāmi. Abhidhamme kho pana abhivinaye pañhaṁ puṭṭho vissajjeti, no saṁsādeti. Idamassa vaṇṇasmiṁ vadāmi. Lābhī kho pana hoti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Idamassa ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo purisakhaḷuṅkā.

And how is a wild person fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? They truly understand: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three wild people.

Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo assaparassā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco assaparasso …pe… javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo assaparassā.

And what are the three excellent horses? One excellent horse … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three excellent horses.

Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo purisaparassā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco purisaparasso …pe… javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca.

What are the three excellent people? One excellent person … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, purisaparasso …pe… javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti, tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. Idamassa javasmiṁ vadāmi. Abhidhamme kho pana abhivinaye pañhaṁ puṭṭho vissajjeti, no saṁsādeti. Idamassa vaṇṇasmiṁ vadāmi. Lābhī kho pana hoti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Idamassa ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, purisaparasso javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo purisaparassā.

And how is an excellent person … fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? It’s when a mendicant, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously. They’re extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re well proportioned, I say. This is how an excellent person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three excellent people.

Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo bhaddā assājānīyā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bhaddo assājānīyo …pe… javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo bhaddā assājānīyā.

And what are the three fine thoroughbred horses? One fine thoroughbred horse … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three fine thoroughbred horses.

Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo bhaddā purisājānīyā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bhaddo purisājānīyo …pe… javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca.

And what are the three fine thoroughbred people? One fine thoroughbred person … is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhaddo purisājānīyo …pe… javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Idamassa javasmiṁ vadāmi. Abhidhamme kho pana abhivinaye pañhaṁ puṭṭho vissajjeti, no saṁsādeti. Idamassa vaṇṇasmiṁ vadāmi. Lābhī kho pana hoti cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkhārānaṁ. Idamassa ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhaddo purisājānīyo javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo bhaddā purisājānīyā”ti.

And how is a fine thoroughbred person … fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? It’s a mendicant who realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. This is how they’re fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they’re beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they’re well proportioned, I say. This is how a fine thoroughbred person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned. These are the three fine thoroughbred people.”