2.
The Discourse on the Inferior Horse
22.
"I will teach you, monks, three inferior horses and three inferior persons, three thoroughbred horses and three thoroughbred persons, three good thoroughbred horses and three good thoroughbred persons.
Listen to that.
"And which, monks, are the three inferior horses? Here, monks, a certain inferior horse is endowed with speed; not endowed with beauty, not endowed with height and girth. Here again, monks, a certain inferior horse is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty; not endowed with height and girth. Here again, monks, a certain inferior horse is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth. These, monks, are the three inferior horses.
"And which, monks, are the three inferior persons? Here, monks, a certain inferior person is endowed with speed; not endowed with beauty, not endowed with height and girth. Here again, monks, a certain inferior person is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty; not endowed with height and girth. Here again, monks, a certain inferior person is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth.
"And how, monks, is an inferior person endowed with speed; not endowed with beauty, not endowed with height and girth? Here, monks, a monk understands as it really is: 'This is suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the origin of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' This I say is his speed. But when asked a question about the higher teaching and higher discipline, he evades and does not answer. This I say is not his beauty. And he is not an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick. This I say is not his height and girth. Thus, monks, an inferior person is endowed with speed; not endowed with beauty, not endowed with height and girth.
"And how, monks, is an inferior person endowed with speed and endowed with beauty; not endowed with height and girth? Here, monks, a monk understands as it really is: 'This is suffering', etc. he understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' This I say is his speed. But when asked a question about the higher teaching and higher discipline, he answers and does not evade. This I say is his beauty. And he is not an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick. This I say is not his height and girth. Thus, monks, an inferior person is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty; not endowed with height and girth.
"And how, monks, is a man-colt endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth? Here, monks, a monk understands as it really is: 'This is suffering', etc. he understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' This I say is his speed. But when asked a question about the higher teaching and higher discipline, he answers and does not evade. This I say is his beauty. And he is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick. This I say is his height and girth. Thus, monks, a man-colt is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth. These, monks, are the three inferior persons.
"And which, monks, are the three thoroughbred horses? Here, monks, a certain thoroughbred horse... etc. is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth. These, monks, are the three thoroughbred horses.
"And which, monks, are the three thoroughbred persons? Here, monks, a certain thoroughbred person... etc. is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth.
"And how, monks, is a thoroughbred person... etc. endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth? Here, monks, a monk, with the utter elimination of the five lower mental fetters, becomes one of spontaneous birth, attaining final nibbāna there, not subject to return from that world. This I say is his speed. But when asked a question about the higher teaching and higher discipline, he answers and does not evade. This I say is his beauty. And he is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick. This I say is his height and girth. Thus, monks, a man-thoroughbred is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth. These, monks, are the three thoroughbred persons.
"And which, monks, are the three good thoroughbred horses? Here, monks, a certain good thoroughbred horse... etc. is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth. These, monks, are the three good thoroughbred horses.
"And which, monks, are the three good thoroughbred persons? Here, monks, a certain good thoroughbred person... etc. is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth.
"And how, monks, is a good thoroughbred person... etc. endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth? Here, monks, a monk, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, dwells in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions. This I say is his speed. But when asked a question about the higher teaching and higher discipline, he answers and does not evade. This I say is his beauty. And he is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging and medicine for the sick. This I say is his height and girth. Thus, monks, a good thoroughbred person is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with height and girth. These, monks, are the three good thoroughbred persons." The second.