3.
The Discourse on the Thoroughbred Horse
13.
"Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of eight factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself.
Which eight?
Here, monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse is well-born on both sides -
on his mother's side and on his father's side.
In whatever direction other good thoroughbred horses are born, in that direction he is born.
Whatever food they give him -
whether fresh or dry -
that he consumes carefully without scattering.
He is one who detests sitting down or lying down on excrement or urine.
He is gentle and pleasant to live with, and does not agitate other horses.
Whatever fraudulent behaviours, deceitful behaviours, crooked behaviours, and dishonest behaviours he has, those he reveals as they really are to the charioteer.
His charioteer strives for the subduing of those.
And he is one who draws.
He arouses the mind: 'Let other horses draw or not, I will draw here.'
When going, he goes by the straight path only.
He is steadfast, showing strength until the exhaustion of life and death.
Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of these eight 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 eight qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which eight? Here, monks, a monk is virtuous, he dwells restrained by the restraint of the Pātimokkha, accomplished in good conduct and lawful resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, having accepted the training rules he trains in them. Whatever food they give him - whether coarse or superior - that he consumes carefully without being distressed. He is one who detests bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct; he is one who detests the attainment of various evil unwholesome mental states. He is gentle and pleasant to live with, and does not agitate other monks. Whatever fraudulent behaviours, deceitful behaviours, crooked behaviours, and dishonest behaviours he has, those he reveals as they really are to the Teacher, to the wise, or to his fellows in the holy life. His Teacher, or a wise one, or a fellow in the holy life strives for the subduing of those. And he is one who trains. He arouses the mind: 'Let other monks train or not, I will train here.' When going, he goes by the straight path only; therein this is the straight path, as follows - right view, etc. right concentration. He dwells putting forth strenuous energy - 'Let only skin and sinews and bones remain, let the flesh and blood in the body dry up; what is to be attained by manly strength, by manly energy, by manly effort - without attaining that, there will be no cessation of energy.' Monks, a monk possessed of these eight qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The third.