an.8.13 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Thoroughbred

“Bhikkhus, possessing eight factors, a king’s excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king, an accessory of a king, and reckoned as a factor of kingship. What eight?

“Here, (1) a king’s excellent thoroughbred horse is well born on both sides, maternal and paternal; he is born in whatever area other excellent thoroughbred horses are born. (2) He respectfully eats whatever food they give him, whether moist or dry, without scattering it. (3) He is repelled by sitting down or lying down near feces or urine. (4) He is mild and pleasant to live with, and he does not agitate other horses. (5) He reveals his tricks, ploys, gambits, and wiles as they really are to his trainer so that his trainer can make an effort to stamp them out of him. (6) He carries loads, determined: ‘Whether or not the other horses carry loads, I myself will carry them.’ (7) When moving, he moves only along a straight path. (8) He is strong, and he shows his strength right up until the end of his life. Possessing these eight factors, a king’s excellent thoroughbred horse is worthy of a king, an accessory of a king, and reckoned as a factor of kingship.

“So too, bhikkhus, possessing eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts … an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What eight?

(1) “Here, a bhikkhu is virtuous; he dwells restrained by the Pātimokkha, possessed of good conduct and resort, seeing danger in minute faults. Having undertaken the training rules, he trains in them. (2) He respectfully eats whatever food they give him, whether coarse or excellent, without being annoyed. (3) He is repelled by bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct; he is repelled by the acquisition of the numerous kinds of bad unwholesome qualities. (4) He is mild and pleasant to live with, and he does not agitate other bhikkhus. (5) He reveals his tricks, ploys, gambits, and wiles as they really are to the Teacher or to his wise fellow monks so that they can make an effort to stamp them out of him. (6) He is one who takes up the training, determined: ‘Whether or not other bhikkhus train, I will train.’ (7) When moving, he moves only along a straight path. In this connection, this is the straight path: right view … right concentration. (8) He has aroused energy thus: ‘Willingly, let only my skin, sinews, and bones remain, and let the flesh and blood dry up in my body, but I will not relax my energy so long as I have not attained what can be attained by manly strength, energy, and exertion.’ Possessing these eight qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts … an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

A Thoroughbred

“Mendicants, a fine royal thoroughbred with eight factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and considered a factor of kingship.
What eight?
It’s when a fine royal thoroughbred is well born on both
the mother’s and the father’s sides.
He’s bred in the region fine thoroughbreds come from.
Whatever food he’s given,
fresh or dry,
he eats carefully, without making a mess.
He’s disgusted by sitting or lying down in excrement or urine.
He’s sweet-natured and pleasant to live with, and he doesn’t upset the other horses.
He openly shows his tricks, bluffs, ruses, and feints to his trainer,
so the trainer can try to subdue them.
He carries his load, determining:
‘Whether or not the other horses carry their loads, I’ll carry mine.’
He always walks in a straight path.
He’s strong, and stays strong even until death.
A fine royal thoroughbred with these eight factors is worthy of a king. …
In the same way, a mendicant with eight qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.
What eight?
It’s when a mendicant is ethical, restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and seeking alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken.
Whatever food they’re given,
coarse or fine,
they eat carefully, without bother.
They're disgusted with bad conduct by way of body, speech, or mind,
and by attainment of the many kinds of unskillful things.
They're sweet-natured and pleasant to live with, and they doesn’t upset the other mendicants.
They openly show their tricks, bluffs, ruses, and feints to their sensible spiritual companions,
so they can try to subdue them.
They do their training, determining:
‘Whether or not the other mendicants do their training, I’ll do mine.’
They always walk in a straight path.
And here the straight path is
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
They’re energetic:
‘Gladly, let my skin, sinews, and bones remain! Let the blood and flesh waste away in my body! I will not stop trying until I have achieved what is possible by human strength, energy, and vigor.’
A mendicant with these eight qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.”