6.
The First Discourse on the Thoroughbred
259.
"Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of four factors is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned as a factor of the king himself.
With which four?
Here, monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse is endowed with beauty, endowed with strength, endowed with speed, and endowed with height and girth.
Monks, a king's good thoroughbred horse possessed of these four 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 four qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. With which four? Here, monks, a monk is endowed with beauty, endowed with strength, endowed with speed, and endowed with height and girth.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with beauty? Here, monks, a monk is virtuous, etc. having accepted the training rules he trains in them. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with beauty.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with strength? Here, monks, a monk dwells putting forth strenuous energy for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states, steadfast, of firm effort, not shirking the responsibility regarding wholesome mental states. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with strength.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with speed? 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.' Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with speed.
"And how, monks, is a monk endowed with height and girth? Here, monks, a monk is an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine for the sick. Thus, monks, a monk is endowed with height and girth.
"Monks, a monk possessed of these four qualities is worthy of offerings, etc. an unsurpassed field of merit for the world." The sixth.