sutta » an » an4 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.113

Patodasutta

The Goad

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, bhadrā assājānīyā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.
“Mendicants, these four fine thoroughbreds are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?
What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bhadro assājānīyo patodacchāyaṁ disvā saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati:
One fine thoroughbred is moved to act when it sees the shadow of the goad, thinking:

‘kiṁ nu kho maṁ ajja assadammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāressati, kimassāhaṁ paṭikaromī’ti.
‘What task will the horse trainer have me do today? How should I respond?’

Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo hoti.
Some fine thoroughbreds are like that.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo bhadro assājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.
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:
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:

‘kiṁ nu kho maṁ ajja assadammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāressati, kimassāhaṁ paṭikaromī’ti.
‘What task will the horse trainer have me do today? How should I respond?’

Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo hoti.
Some fine thoroughbreds are like that.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo bhadro assājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.
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:
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:

‘kiṁ nu kho maṁ ajja assadammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāressati, kimassāhaṁ paṭikaromī’ti.
‘What task will the horse trainer have me do today? How should I respond?’

Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo hoti.
Some fine thoroughbreds are like that.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo bhadro assājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.
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:
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:

‘kiṁ nu kho maṁ ajja assadammasārathi kāraṇaṁ kāressati, kimassāhaṁ paṭikaromī’ti.
‘What task will the horse trainer have me do today? How should I respond?’

Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro assājānīyo hoti.
Some fine thoroughbreds are like that.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho bhadro assājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.
This is the fourth fine thoroughbred found in the world.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro bhadrā assājānīyā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.
These are the four fine thoroughbreds found in the world.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattārome bhadrā purisājānīyā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ.
In the same way, these four fine thoroughbred people are found in the world.

Katame cattāro?
What four?

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bhadro purisājānīyo suṇāti:
One fine thoroughbred person hears about

‘amukasmiṁ nāma gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā dukkhito vā kālaṅkato vā’ti.
the suffering or death of a woman or man in such and such village or town.

So tena saṁvijjati, saṁvegaṁ āpajjati.
They’re moved to act by this,

Saṁviggo yoniso padahati.
and strive effectively.

Pahitatto kāyena ceva paramasaccaṁ sacchikaroti, paññāya ca ativijjha passati.
Applying themselves, they directly realize the ultimate truth, and see it with penetrating wisdom.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, bhadro assājānīyo patodacchāyaṁ disvā saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati;
This person is like the fine thoroughbred

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ bhadraṁ purisājānīyaṁ vadāmi.
that’s shaken when it sees the shadow of the goad.

Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo hoti.
Some fine thoroughbred people are like that.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo bhadro purisājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.
This is the first fine thoroughbred person found in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo na heva kho suṇāti:
Furthermore, one fine thoroughbred person doesn’t hear about

‘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.
the suffering or death of a woman or man in such and such village or town, but they see it themselves.

So tena saṁvijjati, saṁvegaṁ āpajjati.
They’re moved to act by this,

Saṁviggo yoniso padahati.
and strive effectively.

Pahitatto kāyena ceva paramasaccaṁ sacchikaroti, paññāya ca ativijjha passati.
Applying themselves, they directly realize the ultimate truth, and see it with penetrating wisdom.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, bhadro assājānīyo lomavedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati;
This person is like the fine thoroughbred that’s moved to act

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ bhadraṁ purisājānīyaṁ vadāmi.
when its hairs are struck.

Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo hoti.
Some fine thoroughbred people are like that.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyo bhadro purisājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.
This is the second fine thoroughbred person found in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo na heva kho suṇāti:
Furthermore, one fine thoroughbred person doesn’t hear about

‘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.
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.

So tena saṁvijjati, saṁvegaṁ āpajjati.
They’re moved to act by this,

Saṁviggo yoniso padahati.
and strive effectively.

Pahitatto kāyena ceva paramasaccaṁ sacchikaroti, paññāya ca ativijjha passati.
Applying themselves, they directly realize the ultimate truth, and see it with penetrating wisdom.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, bhadro assājānīyo cammavedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati;
This person is like the fine thoroughbred that’s moved to act

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ bhadraṁ purisājānīyaṁ vadāmi.
when its skin is struck.

Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo hoti.
Some fine thoroughbred people are like that.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyo bhadro purisājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.
This is the third fine thoroughbred person found in the world.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo na heva kho suṇāti:
Furthermore, one fine thoroughbred person doesn’t hear about

‘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.
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.

So tena saṁvijjati, saṁvegaṁ āpajjati.
They’re moved to act by this,

Saṁviggo yoniso padahati.
and strive effectively.

Pahitatto kāyena ceva paramasaccaṁ sacchikaroti, paññāya ca ativijjha passati.
Applying themselves, they directly realize the ultimate truth, and see it with penetrating wisdom.

Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, bhadro assājānīyo aṭṭhivedhaviddho saṁvijjati saṁvegaṁ āpajjati;
This person is like the fine thoroughbred that’s moved to act

tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ bhadraṁ purisājānīyaṁ vadāmi.
when its bone is struck.

Evarūpopi, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhadro purisājānīyo hoti.
Some fine thoroughbred people are like that.

Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, catuttho bhadro purisājānīyo santo saṁvijjamāno lokasmiṁ.
This is the fourth fine thoroughbred person found in the world.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro bhadrā purisājānīyā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.
These are the four fine thoroughbred people found in the world.”

Tatiyaṁ.