1"Bhikkhus, I will teach you the three kinds of wild colts and the three kinds of persons who are like wild colts; the three kinds of good horses and the three kinds of persons who are like good horses; the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred horses and the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred persons. [n.1886] This sutta combines the three triads defined separately in AN3.140 – 42. Hence this may be considered a composite nine. We meet here the same divergence in readings in the second group of horses as we met earlier: Ce and Ee tayo assasadassā, as against Be tayo assaparassā. Listen and attend closely. I will speak."

"Yes, Bhante," those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:

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2"And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of wild colts? (1) Here, one kind of wild colt possesses speed but not beauty or the right proportions. (2) Another kind of wild colt possesses speed and beauty but not the right proportions. (3) And still another kind of wild colt possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These are the three kinds of wild colts.

3"And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of persons who are like wild colts? (1) Here, one kind of person who is like a wild colt possesses speed but not beauty or the right proportions. (2) Another kind of person who is like a wild colt possesses speed and beauty but not the right proportions. (3) And still another kind of person who is like a wild colt possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions.

4(1) "And how, bhikkhus, does a person who is like a wild colt possess speed but not beauty or the right proportions? Here, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ This, I say, is his speed. But when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma or the discipline, he falters and does not answer. This, I say, is his lack of beauty. And he does not gain robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his lack of the right proportions. In this way a person who is like a wild colt possesses speed but not beauty or the right proportions.

5(2) "And how does a person who is like a wild colt possess speed and beauty but not the right proportions? Here, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma or the discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. But he does not gain robes … and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his lack of the right proportions. In this way a person who is like a wild colt possesses speed and beauty but not the right proportions.

6(3) "And how does a person who is like a wild colt possess speed, beauty, and the right proportions? Here, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma or the discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. And he gains robes … and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his right proportions. In this way a person who is like a wild colt possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These are the three kinds of persons who are like wild colts.

7"And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of good horses? (4) –(6) Here, one kind of good horse … (as above for the wild colts) … possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These are the three kinds of good horses. [n.1887] The text is abridged thus in all three editions.

8"And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of persons who are like good horses? (4) –(6) Here, one person who is like a good horse … (as above for the persons who are like wild colts) … possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions.

9(4) –(6) "And how, bhikkhus, does a person who is like a good horse … possess speed, beauty, and the right proportions? Here, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, a bhikkhu is one of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without ever returning from that world. This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma and the discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. And he gains robes … and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his right proportions. In this way a person who is like a good horse possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These are the three kinds of persons that are like good horses.

10"And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred horses? (7) –(9) Here, one kind of excellent thoroughbred horse … (as above for the wild colts) … possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These are the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred horses.

11"And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred persons? (7) –(9) Here, one kind of excellent thoroughbred person … (as above for the persons who are like wild colts) … possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions.

12(7) –(9) "And how, bhikkhus, does an excellent thoroughbred person … possess speed, beauty, and the right proportions? Here, with the destruction of the taints, a bhikkhu has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma and the discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. And he gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his right proportions. In this way an excellent thoroughbred person possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred persons."

1"Tayo ca, bhikkhave, assakhaḷuṅke desessāmi tayo ca purisakhaḷuṅke tayo ca assaparasse tayo ca purisaparasse tayo ca bhadde assājānīye tayo ca bhadde purisājānīye. Taṁ suṇātha.

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2Katame 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.

3Katame 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.

4Kathañca, 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 cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkārānaṁ. Idamassa na ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno hoti, na vaṇṇasampanno na ārohapariṇāhasampanno.

5Kathañca, 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 cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkārānaṁ. Idamassa na ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca, na ārohapariṇāhasampanno.

6Kathañca, 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 cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkārānaṁ. Idamassa ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, purisakhaḷuṅko javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo purisakhaḷuṅkā.

7Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo assaparassā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco assaparasso … pe … javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo assaparassā.

8Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo purisaparassā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco purisaparasso … pe … javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca.

9Kathañca, 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 cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkārānaṁ. Idamassa ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, purisaparasso javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo purisaparassā.

10Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo bhaddā assājānīyā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bhaddo assājānīyo … pe … javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo bhaddā assājānīyā.

11Katame ca, bhikkhave, tayo bhaddā purisājānīyā? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco bhaddo purisājānīyo … pe … javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca.

12Kathañca, 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 cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānapaccayabhesajjaparikkārānaṁ. Idamassa ārohapariṇāhasmiṁ vadāmi. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhaddo purisājānīyo javasampanno ca hoti vaṇṇasampanno ca ārohapariṇāhasampanno ca. Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo bhaddā purisājānīyā"ti.

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Dutiyaṁ.