8.
The Discourse on the Inferior Horse
141.
"I will teach you, monks, three inferior horses and three inferior persons.
Listen to that, pay close attention;
I will speak."
"Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"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', 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 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 a man-colt endowed with speed and endowed with beauty, but 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. But 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, a man-colt 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 man-colts." The eighth.