AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.111 With Kesi

Numbered Discourses 4.111 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.111

12. With Kesi – 12. Kesivagga

AN 4.111 With Kesi – Kesisutta

1.1

Then Kesi the horse trainer went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,

Atha kho kesi assadammasārathi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho kesiṁ assadammasārathiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

1.2

“Kesi, you’re known as a horse trainer.

“tvaṁ khosi, kesi, paññāto assadammasārathīti.

1.3

Just how do you guide a horse in training?”

Kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, kesi, assadammaṁ vinesī”ti?

1.4

“Sir, I guide a horse in training sometimes gently, sometimes harshly, and sometimes both gently and harshly.”

“Ahaṁ kho, bhante, assadammaṁ saṇhenapi vinemi, pharusenapi vinemi, saṇhapharusenapi vinemī”ti.

1.5

“Kesi, what do you do with a horse in training that doesn’t follow these forms of training?”

“Sace te, kesi, assadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, kinti naṁ karosī”ti?

1.6

“Sace me, bhante, assadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti;

1.7

“In that case, sir, I kill it.

hanāmi naṁ, bhante.

1.8

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

1.9

So that I don’t disgrace my tradition.

‘Mā me ācariyakulassa avaṇṇo ahosī’ti.

2.1

But sir, the Buddha is the supreme guide for those who wish to train.

Bhagavā pana, bhante, anuttaro purisadammasārathi.

2.2

Just how do you guide a person in training?”

Kathaṁ pana, bhante, bhagavā purisadammaṁ vinetī”ti?

2.3

“Kesi, I guide a person in training sometimes gently, sometimes harshly, and sometimes both gently and harshly.

“Ahaṁ kho, kesi, purisadammaṁ saṇhenapi vinemi, pharusenapi vinemi, saṇhapharusenapi vinemi.

2.4

The gentle way is this:

Tatridaṁ, kesi, saṇhasmiṁ—

2.5

‘This is good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is the result of good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is life as a god. This is life as a human.’

iti kāyasucaritaṁ iti kāyasucaritassa vipāko, iti vacīsucaritaṁ iti vacīsucaritassa vipāko, iti manosucaritaṁ iti manosucaritassa vipāko, iti devā, iti manussāti.

2.6

The harsh way is this:

Tatridaṁ, kesi, pharusasmiṁ—

2.7

‘This is bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is the result of bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is life in hell. This is life as an animal. This is life as a ghost.’

iti kāyaduccaritaṁ iti kāyaduccaritassa vipāko, iti vacīduccaritaṁ iti vacīduccaritassa vipāko, iti manoduccaritaṁ iti manoduccaritassa vipāko, iti nirayo, iti tiracchānayoni, iti pettivisayoti.

3.1

The both gentle and harsh way is this:

Tatridaṁ, kesi, saṇhapharusasmiṁ—

3.2

‘This is good conduct … this is bad conduct …’”

iti kāyasucaritaṁ iti kāyasucaritassa vipāko, iti kāyaduccaritaṁ iti kāyaduccaritassa vipāko, iti vacīsucaritaṁ iti vacīsucaritassa vipāko, iti vacīduccaritaṁ iti vacīduccaritassa vipāko, iti manosucaritaṁ iti manosucaritassa vipāko, iti manoduccaritaṁ iti manoduccaritassa vipāko, iti devā, iti manussā, iti nirayo, iti tiracchānayoni, iti pettivisayo”ti.

4.1

“Sir, what do you do with a person in training who doesn’t follow these forms of training?”

“Sace te, bhante, purisadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, kinti naṁ bhagavā karotī”ti?

4.2

“In that case, Kesi, I kill them.”

“Sace me, kesi, purisadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, hanāmi naṁ, kesī”ti.

4.3

“Sir, it’s not appropriate for the Buddha to kill living creatures.

“Na kho, bhante, bhagavato pāṇātipāto kappati.

4.4

And yet you say

Atha ca pana bhagavā evamāha:

4.5

you kill them.”

‘hanāmi naṁ, kesī’”ti.

4.6

“It’s true, Kesi,

“Saccaṁ, kesi.

4.7

it’s not appropriate for a Realized One to kill living creatures.

Na tathāgatassa pāṇātipāto kappati.

4.8

But when a person in training doesn’t follow any of these forms of training, the Realized One doesn’t think they’re worth advising or instructing, and neither do their sensible spiritual companions.

Api ca yo purisadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, na taṁ tathāgato vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññati, nāpi viññū sabrahmacārī vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññanti.

4.9

For it is killing in the training of the Noble One

Vadho heso, kesi, ariyassa vinaye—

4.10

when the Realized One doesn’t think they’re worth advising or instructing, and neither do their sensible spiritual companions.”

yaṁ na tathāgato vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññati, nāpi viññū sabrahmacārī vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññantī”ti.

5.1

“Well, they’re definitely dead

“So hi nūna, bhante, suhato hoti—

5.2

when the Realized One doesn’t think they’re worth advising or instructing, and neither do their sensible spiritual companions.

yaṁ na tathāgato vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññati, nāpi viññū sabrahmacārī vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññantīti.

5.3

Excellent, sir! … From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

5.4

Paṭhamaṁ.