Kesisutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.111

Numbered Discourses 4.111

12. Kesivagga

12. With Kesi

Kesisutta

With Kesi

Atha kho kesi assadammasārathi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho kesiṁ assadammasārathiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then Kesi the horse trainer went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him,

“tvaṁ khosi, kesi, paññāto assadammasārathīti.

“Kesi, you’re known as a horse trainer.

Kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, kesi, assadammaṁ vinesī”ti?

Just how do you guide a horse in training?”

“Ahaṁ kho, bhante, assadammaṁ saṇhenapi vinemi, pharusenapi vinemi, saṇhapharusenapi vinemī”ti.

“Sir, I guide a horse in training sometimes gently, sometimes harshly, and sometimes both gently and harshly.”

“Sace te, kesi, assadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, kinti naṁ karosī”ti?

“Kesi, what do you do with a horse in training that doesn’t follow these forms of training?”

“Sace me, bhante, assadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti;

hanāmi naṁ, bhante.

“In that case, sir, I kill it.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

‘Mā me ācariyakulassa avaṇṇo ahosī’ti.

So that I don’t disgrace my tutor’s community.

Bhagavā pana, bhante, anuttaro purisadammasārathi.

But sir, the Buddha is the supreme guide for those fit for training.

Kathaṁ pana, bhante, bhagavā purisadammaṁ vinetī”ti?

Just how do you guide a person in training?”

“Ahaṁ kho, kesi, purisadammaṁ saṇhenapi vinemi, pharusenapi vinemi, saṇhapharusenapi vinemi.

“Kesi, I guide a person in training sometimes gently, sometimes harshly, and sometimes both gently and harshly.

Tatridaṁ, kesi, saṇhasmiṁ—

The gentle way is this:

iti kāyasucaritaṁ iti kāyasucaritassa vipāko, iti vacīsucaritaṁ iti vacīsucaritassa vipāko, iti manosucaritaṁ iti manosucaritassa vipāko, iti devā, iti manussāti.

‘This is good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is the result of good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is life as a god. This is life as a human.’

Tatridaṁ, kesi, pharusasmiṁ—

The harsh way is this:

iti kāyaduccaritaṁ iti kāyaduccaritassa vipāko, iti vacīduccaritaṁ iti vacīduccaritassa vipāko, iti manoduccaritaṁ iti manoduccaritassa vipāko, iti nirayo, iti tiracchānayoni, iti pettivisayoti.

‘This is bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is the result of bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is life in hell. This is life as an animal. This is life as a ghost.’

Tatridaṁ, kesi, saṇhapharusasmiṁ—

The both gentle and harsh way is this:

iti kāyasucaritaṁ iti kāyasucaritassa vipāko, iti kāyaduccaritaṁ iti kāyaduccaritassa vipāko, iti vacīsucaritaṁ iti vacīsucaritassa vipāko, iti vacīduccaritaṁ iti vacīduccaritassa vipāko, iti manosucaritaṁ iti manosucaritassa vipāko, iti manoduccaritaṁ iti manoduccaritassa vipāko, iti devā, iti manussā, iti nirayo, iti tiracchānayoni, iti pettivisayo”ti.

‘This is good conduct … this is bad conduct …’”

“Sace te, bhante, purisadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, kinti naṁ bhagavā karotī”ti?

“Sir, what do you do with a person in training who doesn’t follow these forms of training?”

“Sace me, kesi, purisadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, hanāmi naṁ, kesī”ti.

“In that case, Kesi, I kill them.”

“Na kho, bhante, bhagavato pāṇātipāto kappati.

“Sir, it’s not appropriate for the Buddha to kill living creatures.

Atha ca pana bhagavā evamāha:

And yet you say

‘hanāmi naṁ, kesī’”ti.

you kill them.”

“Saccaṁ, kesi.

“It’s true, Kesi,

Na tathāgatassa pāṇātipāto kappati.

it’s not appropriate for a Realized One to kill living creatures.

Api ca yo purisadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, na taṁ tathāgato vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññati, nāpi viññū sabrahmacārī vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññanti.

But when a person in training doesn’t follow any of these forms of training, the Realized One doesn’t think they’re worth advising or instructing, and neither do their sensible spiritual companions.

Vadho heso, kesi, ariyassa vinaye—

For it is killing in the training of the Noble One

yaṁ na tathāgato vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññati, nāpi viññū sabrahmacārī vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññantī”ti.

when the Realized One doesn’t think they’re worth advising or instructing, and neither do their sensible spiritual companions.”

“So hi nūna, bhante, suhato hoti—

“Well, they’re definitely dead

yaṁ na tathāgato vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññati, nāpi viññū sabrahmacārī vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maññantīti.

when the Realized One doesn’t think they’re worth advising or instructing, and neither do their sensible spiritual companions.

Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

Excellent, sir! … From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Paṭhamaṁ.