3.
The Greater Discourse on the Cowherd
346. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. There the Blessed One addressed the monks - "Monks." "Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
"Monks, a cowherd possessed of eleven factors is incapable of looking after a herd of cattle and making it prosper. Which eleven? Here, monks, a cowherd does not know form, is not skilled in characteristics, does not remove fly eggs, does not dress wounds, does not make smoke, does not know the ford, does not know what has been drunk, does not know the path, is not skilled in pastures, and is one who milks dry. Those bulls who are fathers of the herd, leaders of the herd, he does not honour with extra veneration. Monks, a cowherd possessed of these eleven factors is incapable of looking after a herd of cattle and making it prosper. Just so, monks, a monk possessed of eleven qualities is incapable of attaining growth, increase, and expansion in this Teaching and discipline. Which eleven? Here, monks, a monk does not know form, is not skilled in characteristics, does not remove fly eggs, does not dress wounds, does not make smoke, does not know the ford, does not know what has been drunk, does not know the path, is not skilled in pastures, and is one who milks dry. Those monks who are elders, of long standing, long gone forth, fathers of the Community, leaders of the Community, he does not honour with extra veneration.
347. "And how, monks, is a monk one who does not know form? Here, monks, a monk does not understand as it really is that whatever form, all form, is 'the four primary elements and the materiality derived from the four primary elements'. Thus, monks, a monk does not know form.
"And how, monks, is a monk not skilled in characteristics? Here, monks, a monk does not understand as it really is that 'the fool is characterised by action, the wise one is characterised by action'. Thus, monks, a monk is not skilled in characteristics.
"And how, monks, is a monk not one who removes fly eggs? Here, monks, a monk accepts an arisen sensual thought, does not abandon it, does not dispel it, does not put an end to it, does not bring it to obliteration. An arisen thought of anger... etc. an arisen thought of violence... etc. Whatever evil unwholesome mental states have arisen, he accepts them, does not abandon them, does not dispel them, does not put an end to them, does not bring them to obliteration. Thus, monks, a monk is not one who removes fly eggs.
"And how, monks, is a monk not one who dresses wounds? Here, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, is one who grasps at signs, one who grasps at features. Since, if he were to dwell with the eye-faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon him, he does not proceed to restrain it, he does not guard the eye-faculty, he does not commit to restraint of the eye-faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear. Etc. Having smelled an odour with the nose... etc... Having tasted a flavour with the tongue... etc. Having touched a tangible object with the body... etc... Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is one who grasps at signs, one who grasps at features. Since, if he were to dwell with the mind faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon him, he does not proceed to restrain it, he does not guard the mind faculty, he does not commit to restraint of the mind faculty. Thus, monks, a monk is not one who dresses wounds.
"And how, monks, is a monk not one who makes smoke? Here, monks, a monk is not one who teaches the Teaching in detail to others as he has heard it, as he has learned it. Thus, monks, a monk is not one who makes smoke.
"And how, monks, does a monk not know the ford? Here, monks, a monk does not approach from time to time those monks who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices, and does not question, does not inquire - 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?' Those venerable ones do not open up what is not opened up for him, do not make clear what is not made clear, and do not dispel doubt regarding the various phenomena that are grounds for doubt. Thus, monks, a monk does not know the ford.
"And how, monks, does a monk not know what has been drunk? Here, monks, a monk, when the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder is being taught, does not obtain inspiration regarding the meaning, does not obtain inspiration regarding the Teaching, does not obtain gladness connected with the Teaching. Thus, monks, a monk does not know what has been drunk.
"And how, monks, does a monk not know the path? Here, monks, a monk does not understand as it really is the noble eightfold path. Thus, monks, a monk does not know the path.
"And how, monks, is a monk not skilled in pastures? Here, monks, a monk does not understand as it really is the four establishments of mindfulness. Thus, monks, a monk is not skilled in pastures.
"And how, monks, is a monk one who milks dry? Here, monks, faithful householders invite a monk, bringing requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick, and there the monk does not know moderation in accepting. Thus, monks, a monk is one who milks dry.
"And how, monks, is a monk one who does not honour with extra veneration those monks who are elders, of long standing, long gone forth, fathers of the Community, leaders of the Community? Here, monks, a monk does not establish bodily action of friendliness towards those monks who are elders, of long standing, long gone forth, fathers of the Community, leaders of the Community, both openly and in private; he does not establish verbal action of friendliness both openly and in private; he does not establish mental action of friendliness both openly and in private. Thus, monks, a monk is one who does not honour with extra veneration those monks who are elders, of long standing, long gone forth, fathers of the Community, leaders of the Community.
"Monks, a monk possessed of these eleven qualities is incapable of attaining growth, increase, and expansion in this Teaching and discipline.
348. "Monks, a cowherd possessed of eleven factors is capable of looking after a herd of cattle and making it prosper. Which eleven? Here, monks, a cowherd knows form, is skilled in characteristics, removes fly eggs, dresses wounds, makes smoke, knows the ford, knows what has been drunk, knows the path, is skilled in pastures, and is one who milks with a remainder. Those bulls who are fathers of the herd, leaders of the herd, he honours with extra veneration. Monks, a cowherd possessed of these eleven factors is capable of looking after a herd of cattle and making it prosper. Just so, monks, a monk possessed of eleven qualities is capable of attaining growth, increase, and expansion in this Teaching and discipline. Which eleven? Here, monks, a monk knows form, is skilled in characteristics, removes fly eggs, dresses wounds, makes smoke, knows the ford, knows what has been drunk, knows the path, is skilled in pastures, and is one who milks with a remainder. Those monks who are elders, of long standing, long gone forth, fathers of the Community, leaders of the Community, he honours with extra veneration.
349. "And how, monks, is a monk one who knows form? Here, monks, a monk understands as it really is that whatever form, all form, is 'the four primary elements and the materiality derived from the four primary elements'. Thus, monks, a monk is one who knows form.
"And how, monks, is a monk skilled in characteristics? Here, monks, a monk understands as it really is that 'the fool is characterised by action, the wise one is characterised by action'. Thus, monks, a monk is skilled in characteristics.
"And how, monks, is a monk one who removes fly eggs? Here, monks, a monk does not accept an arisen sensual thought, he abandons it, dispels it, puts an end to it, brings it to obliteration. An arisen thought of anger... etc. an arisen thought of violence... etc. Whatever evil unwholesome mental states have arisen, he does not accept them, he abandons them, dispels them, puts an end to them, brings them to obliteration. Thus, monks, a monk is one who removes fly eggs.
"And how, monks, is a monk one who dresses wounds? Here, monks, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, is not one who grasps at signs, nor one who grasps at features. Since, if he were to dwell with the eye-faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon him, he proceeds to restrain it, he guards the eye-faculty, he commits to restraint of the eye-faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear. Etc. Having smelled an odour with the nose... etc... Having tasted a flavour with the tongue... etc. Having touched a tangible object with the body... etc... Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is not one who grasps at signs, nor one who grasps at features. Since, if he were to dwell with the mind faculty unrestrained, covetousness, displeasure, and evil unwholesome mental states would flow in upon him, he proceeds to restrain it, he guards the mind faculty, he commits to restraint of the mind faculty. Thus, monks, a monk is one who dresses wounds.
"And how, monks, is a monk one who makes smoke? Here, monks, a monk is one who teaches the Teaching in detail to others as he has heard it, as he has learned it. Thus, monks, a monk is one who makes smoke.
"And how, monks, does a monk know the ford? Here, monks, a monk approaches from time to time those monks who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices, and questions, inquires - 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?' Those venerable ones open up what is not opened up for him, make clear what is not made clear, and dispel doubt regarding the various phenomena that are grounds for doubt. Thus, monks, a monk knows the ford.
"And how, monks, does a monk know what has been drunk? Here, monks, a monk, when the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder is being taught, obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching. Thus, monks, a monk knows what has been drunk.
"And how, monks, does a monk know the path? Here, monks, a monk understands as it really is the noble eightfold path. Thus, monks, a monk knows the path.
"And how, monks, is a monk skilled in pastures? Here, monks, a monk understands as it really is the four establishments of mindfulness. Thus, monks, a monk is skilled in pastures.
"And how, monks, is a monk one who milks with a remainder? Here, monks, faithful householders invite a monk, bringing requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick. There the monk knows moderation in accepting. Thus, monks, a monk is one who milks with a remainder.
"And how, monks, is a monk one who honours with extra veneration those monks who are elders, of long standing, long gone forth, fathers of the Community, leaders of the Community? Here, monks, a monk establishes bodily action of friendliness towards those monks who are elders, of long standing, long gone forth, fathers of the Community, leaders of the Community, both openly and in private; he establishes verbal action of friendliness both openly and in private; he establishes mental action of friendliness both openly and in private. Thus, monks, a monk is one who honours with extra veneration those monks who are elders, of long standing, long gone forth, fathers of the Community, leaders of the Community.
"Monks, a monk possessed of these eleven qualities is capable of attaining growth, increase, and expansion in this Teaching and discipline."
This is what the Blessed One said. Those monks, delighted, rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse on the Greater Cowherd is concluded as third.