English
a bhikkhu does not gain a sense of the goal, does not gain a sense of the Dhamma, does not gain joy connected with the Dhamma. Thus, monks, a bhikkhu does not know the drink. And how, monks, does a bhikkhu not know the path? Here, monks, a bhikkhu does not understand the Noble Eightfold Path as it actually is. Thus, monks, a bhikkhu does not know the path. And how, monks, is a bhikkhu not skilled in pasturage? Here, monks, a bhikkhu does not understand the four foundations of mindfulness as they actually are. Thus, monks, a bhikkhu is not skilled in pasturage. And how, monks, is a bhikkhu one who milks dry? Here, monks, faithful householders offer and provide a bhikkhu with robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick, but the bhikkhu does not know the measure for receiving them. Thus, monks, a bhikkhu is one who milks dry. And how, monks, is a bhikkhu one who does not honor with extra honor those bhikkhus who are elders, long-experienced, long-ordained, fathers of the Sangha, leaders of the Sangha? Here, monks, a bhikkhu... fathers of the Sangha, leaders of the Sangha, towards them he does not establish bodily action of loving-kindness, openly or in private; he does not establish verbal action of loving-kindness, openly or in private; he does not establish mental action of loving-kindness, openly or in private. Thus, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu does not honor with extra reverence those bhikkhus who are elders, long-experienced, long-ordained, fathers of the Sangha, leaders of the Sangha. "Indeed, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu endowed with these eleven qualities is incapable of growth, increase, and abundance in this Dhamma and Discipline. 348. "Bhikkhus, a cowherd endowed with eleven factors is capable of tending the herd and making it prosper. Which eleven? Here, bhikkhus, a cowherd knows forms, is skilled in characteristics, removes the flies, covers the wounds, makes smoke, knows the ford, knows the drinking place, knows the path, is skilled in pasturage, and milks with a remainder. He honors with extra reverence those bulls who are fathers of the herd, leaders of the herd. Indeed, bhikkhus, a cowherd endowed with these eleven factors is capable of tending the herd and making it prosper. In the same way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu endowed with eleven qualities is capable of growth, increase, and abundance in this Dhamma and Discipline. Which eleven? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu knows forms, is skilled in characteristics, removes the flies, covers the wounds, makes smoke, knows the ford, knows the drinking place, knows the path, is skilled in pasturage, and milks with a remainder. He honors with extra reverence those bhikkhus who are elders, long-experienced, long-ordained, fathers of the Sangha, leaders of the Sangha. 349. "And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu know forms? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu knows any form whatsoever, all form, as 'the four great elements, and form derived from the four great elements,' as it really is. understands. Thus, monks, a bhikkhu is one who knows forms. And how, monks, is a bhikkhu skilled in characteristics? Here, monks, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: 'This one is foolish by the characteristic of kamma, this one is wise by the characteristic of kamma.' Thus, monks, a bhikkhu is skilled in characteristics. And how, monks, is a bhikkhu one who removes the troublesome? Here, monks, a bhikkhu does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensual desire; he abandons it, dispels it, makes an end of it, brings it to an end. An arisen thought of ill-will... An arisen thought of harming... Any arisen evil unwholesome states; he does not tolerate them, he abandons them, dispels them, makes an end of them, brings them to an end. Thus, monks, a bhikkhu is one who removes the troublesome. And how, monks, is a bhikkhu one who covers a wound? Here, monks, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu is not one who grasps at its general appearance, nor at its detailed features. Because of that by which, while the eye faculty remains unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and distress might invade him, he practices for its restraint, he guards the eye faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the eye faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear... Having smelled an odor with the nose... Having tasted a flavor with the tongue... Having felt a tactile sensation with the body... Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he is not one who grasps at its general appearance, nor at its detailed features. Because of that by which, while the mind faculty remains unguarded, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and distress might invade him, he practices for its restraint, he guards the mind faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the mind faculty. Thus, monks, a bhikkhu is one who covers a wound. And how, monks, is a bhikkhu one who makes smoke? Here, monks, a bhikkhu teaches the Dhamma to others in detail, just as he has heard it, just as he has learned it. Thus, monks, a bhikkhu is one who makes smoke. And how, monks, is a bhikkhu... How does he know the ford? Here, monks, a monk, from time to time, approaches those monks who are learned, who have come to the tradition, who uphold the Dhamma, who uphold the Vinaya, who uphold the summaries, and he questions them, he asks them: ‘Venerable sir, how is this? What is the meaning of this?’ Those venerable ones reveal what was unrevealed to him, they make plain what was not plain, and they dispel his doubt concerning various points of Dhamma that give rise to doubt. Thus, monks, a monk knows the ford. And how, monks, does a monk know the drink? Here, monks, when the Dhamma and Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathāgata is taught, a monk gains understanding of the meaning, he gains understanding of the Dhamma, he gains joy connected with the Dhamma. Thus, monks, a monk knows the drink. And how, monks, does a monk know the path? Here, monks, a monk understands the Noble Eightfold Path as it really is. Thus, monks, a monk knows the path. And how, monks, is a monk skilled in the pasture? Here, monks, a monk understands the four foundations of mindfulness as they really are. Thus, monks, a monk is skilled in the pasture. And how, monks, is a monk one who milks with something left over? Here, monks, faithful householders offer and provide for a monk robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick. Therein, the monk knows the measure for receiving. Thus, monks, a monk is one who milks with something left over. And how, monks, does a monk honor with extra honor those elder monks who are long-practiced, long-ordained, fathers of the Sangha, leaders of the Sangha? Here, monks, a monk maintains bodily action of loving-kindness towards those elder monks who are long-practiced, long-ordained, fathers of the Sangha, leaders of the Sangha, both openly and in private; he maintains verbal action of loving-kindness, both openly and in private; he maintains mental action of loving-kindness... openly and in private. Thus, indeed, monks, a bhikkhu honors with exceeding honor those bhikkhus who are elders, long-experienced, long-ordained, fathers of the Sangha, leaders of the Sangha. "Indeed, monks, a bhikkhu endowed with these eleven qualities is capable of attaining growth, increase, and fullness in this Dhamma and Discipline." This the Blessed One said. Delighted, those bhikkhus rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Great Cowherd Discourse, the third, is finished. 4. The Shorter Cowherd Discourse 350. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Vajjians, at Ukkacelā, on the bank of the river Gaṅgā. There, indeed, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Bhikkhus!" "Venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One spoke thus: "Formerly, monks, there was a Magadhan cowherd, foolish by nature. In the last month of the rainy season, in autumn, without examining the near bank of the river Gaṅgā, without examining the far bank, he drove the cows across to the northern bank, to the Suvidehans, at an unsuitable ford. Then, indeed, monks, the cows, having whirled around in the middle of the Gaṅgā river's current, met with ruin and disaster right there. What was the reason for that? For indeed, monks, that Magadhan cowherd was foolish by nature. In the last month of the rainy season, in autumn, without examining the near bank of the river Gaṅgā, without examining the far bank, he drove the cows across to the northern bank, to the Suvidehans, at an unsuitable ford. Even so, monks, whatever recluses or brahmins are unskilled in this world, unskilled in the other world, unskilled in the realm of Māra, unskilled in the realm beyond Māra, unskilled in the realm of death, unskilled in the realm beyond death, for those who think they should listen to them and trust them, that will be for their long-term harm and suffering. 351. "Formerly, monks, there was a Magadhan cowherd, wise by nature. In the rainy season, In the last month, in the autumn season, having surveyed the near bank of the river Ganges, having surveyed the far bank, he made the cows cross to the northern bank of the Suvidehas, right at the ford. He first made those bulls cross, the fathers of the herd, the leaders of the herd. They, cutting across the current of the Ganges, safely reached the far bank. Then he made others cross, the strong cows, the tame cows. They too, cutting across the current of the Ganges, safely reached the far bank. Then he made others cross, the young bulls, the young heifers. They too, cutting across the current of the Ganges, safely reached the far bank. Then he made others cross, the calves, the weak ones. They too, cutting across the current of the Ganges, safely reached the far bank. Formerly, monks, a young calf, just born, being carried by respect for its mother, it too, cutting across the current of the Ganges, safely reached the far bank. For what reason? Because, monks,