10.
The Discourse on the Stream
140.
"Monks, a king's elephant possessed of five factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself.
Which five?
Here, monks, a king's elephant is a listener, a slayer, a protector, an endurer, and a goer.
"And how, monks, is a king's elephant a listener? Here, monks, a king's elephant, whatever task the elephant trainer makes him do - whether done before or not done before - having given attention, having reflected, having collected together with the whole mind, listens with ears inclined. Thus, monks, a king's elephant is a listener.
"And how, monks, is a king's elephant a slayer? Here, monks, a king's elephant, gone into battle, kills an elephant, kills an elephant rider, kills a horse, kills a horse rider, kills a chariot, kills a charioteer, kills a foot soldier. Thus, monks, a king's elephant is a slayer.
"And how, monks, is a king's elephant a protector? Here, monks, a king's elephant, gone into battle, protects the front part of his body, protects the hind part of his body, protects his front feet, protects his hind feet, protects his head, protects his ears, protects his tusks, protects his trunk, protects his tail, protects his rider. Thus, monks, a king's elephant is a protector.
"And how, monks, is a king's elephant an endurer? Here, monks, a king's elephant, gone into battle, is patient with blows from spears, blows from swords, blows from arrows, blows from axes, and the sounds of drums, small drums, conch shells, and kettledrums resounding. Thus, monks, a king's elephant is an endurer.
"And how, monks, is a king's elephant a goer? Here, monks, a king's elephant, to whatever direction the elephant trainer sends him - whether gone before or not gone before - he quickly goes there. Thus, monks, a king's elephant is a goer.
"Monks, a king's elephant possessed of these five factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself.
"So too, monks, a monk possessed of five qualities is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which five? Here, monks, a monk is a listener, a slayer, a protector, an endurer, and a goer.
"And how, monks, is a monk a listener? Here, monks, a monk, when the Teaching and discipline proclaimed by the Truth-finder is being taught, having given attention, having reflected, having collected together with the whole mind, listens to the Teaching with ears inclined. Thus, monks, a monk is a listener.
"And how, monks, is a monk a slayer? 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 a slayer.
"And how, monks, is a monk a guardian? 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... Having smelled an odour with the nose. Having tasted a flavour with the tongue. having touched a tangible object with the body... 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 a guardian.
"And how, monks, is a monk patient? Here, monks, a monk is patient with cold and heat, with hunger and thirst, with the contact of gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping creatures; with ill-spoken and ill-expressed ways of speech, he is one who by nature endures arisen bodily feelings that are painful, sharp, rough, severe, disagreeable, unpleasant, and life-threatening. Thus, monks, a monk is patient.
"And how, monks, is a monk a goer? Here, monks, a monk is one who quickly goes to that direction not gone to before during this long period of time, that is to say, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all clinging, the elimination of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna. Thus, monks, a monk is a goer.
Monks, a monk possessed of these five qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The tenth.