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(14) 4. The Chapter on the Warrior 1. The Discourse on the Warrior 134. “With three qualities, monks, a warrior is worthy of a king, fit for a king, and is counted as a limb of the king. Which three? Here, monks, a warrior is a far-shooter, an instant-hitter, and a piercer of a great body. With these three qualities, monks, a warrior is worthy of a king, fit for a king, and is counted as a limb of the king. In the same way, monks, a monk endowed with three qualities is worthy of offerings… the unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Which three? Here, monks, a monk is a far-shooter, an instant-hitter, and a piercer of a great body. “And how, monks, is a monk a far-shooter? Here, monks, whatever form there is— past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near— all form, he sees as it actually is with right wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Whatever feeling there is— past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near— all feeling, he sees as it actually is with right wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Whatever perception there is— past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near— all perception, he sees as it actually is with right wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Whatever volitional formations there are— past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near— all volitional formations, he sees as it actually is with right wisdom: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ this he sees as it actually is, with right wisdom. Whatever consciousness there is—past, future, present; internal or external; gross or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near—all consciousness: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self’—thus he sees this as it actually is, with right wisdom. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is a far-striker. “And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu an instant-piercer? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu understands ‘This is suffering’ as it actually is; he understands ‘This is the origin of suffering’ as it actually is; he understands ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ as it actually is; he understands ‘This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering’ as it actually is. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is an instant-piercer. “And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu a cleaver of a great mass? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu cleaves the great mass of ignorance. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is a cleaver of a great mass. A bhikkhu endowed with these three qualities, bhikkhus, is worthy of offerings… worthy of the highest field of merit for the world.” The First. 2. The Assembly Sutta “There are these three assemblies, bhikkhus. Which three? The assembly trained by instruction, the assembly trained by questioning, the assembly trained by how much they know—these, bhikkhus, are the three assemblies.” The Second. 3. The Friend Sutta “A friend endowed with three qualities, bhikkhus, should be associated with. Which three? He gives what is hard to give, he does what is hard to do, he endures what is hard to endure—a friend endowed with these three qualities, bhikkhus, should be associated with.” The Third. 4. The Arising Sutta “Whether Tathāgatas arise or Tathāgatas do not arise, this element stands, the fixed nature of phenomena, the regularity of phenomena: All conditioned things are impermanent. This is what the Tathāgata fully awakens to it, fully comprehends it. Having fully awakened to it, having fully comprehended it, he teaches, he proclaims, he establishes, he reveals, he explains, he clarifies, he makes it plain – ‘All formations are impermanent.’ Whether Tathāgatas arise, O bhikkhus, or whether Tathāgatas do not arise, that element stands, the stability of the Dhamma, the fixedness of the Dhamma. All formations are suffering. The Tathāgata fully awakens to it, fully comprehends it. Having fully awakened to it, having fully comprehended it, he teaches, he proclaims, he establishes, he reveals, he explains, he clarifies, he makes it plain – ‘All formations are suffering.’ Whether Tathāgatas arise, O bhikkhus, or whether Tathāgatas do not arise, that element stands, the stability of the Dhamma, the fixedness of the Dhamma. All phenomena are non-self. The Tathāgata fully awakens to it, fully comprehends it. Having fully awakened to it, having fully comprehended it, he teaches, he proclaims, he establishes, he reveals, he explains, he clarifies, he makes it plain – ‘All phenomena are non-self.’ Fourth. 5. The Hair-Blanket Discourse 138. “Just as, bhikkhus, among whatever woven cloths there are, a hair-blanket is declared to be the worst of them. A hair-blanket, bhikkhus, is cold in the cold, hot in the hot, ugly in color, foul-smelling, and unpleasant to the touch. In the same way, bhikkhus, among whatever diverse doctrines of ascetics and brahmins there are, the doctrine of Makkhali is declared to be the worst of them. “Makkhali, bhikkhus, that deluded man, holds such a doctrine, such a view – ‘There is no action, there is no doing, there is no effort.’ Even those, bhikkhus, who were Arahants, Perfectly Self-Awakened Ones in the past, those Blessed Ones were teachers of action, teachers of doing, and teachers of effort. Even those, bhikkhus, that deluded man Makkhali rejects – ‘There is no action, there is no doing, there is no effort.’ Even those, bhikkhus, who will be Arahants, Perfectly Self-Awakened Ones in the future, those Blessed Ones will be teachers of action, teachers of doing... He is a speaker of action, a speaker of doing, a speaker of effort. But, bhikkhus, Makkhali the deluded man obstructs them, saying: ‘There is no action, there is no doing, there is no effort.’ And I, bhikkhus, who am now an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, am a speaker of action, a speaker of doing, a speaker of effort. But, bhikkhus, Makkhali the deluded man obstructs even me, saying: ‘There is no action, there is no doing, there is no effort.’ Just as, bhikkhus, a net cast at the mouth of a river would quickly rise up for the harm, suffering, ruin, and destruction of many fish; even so, bhikkhus, Makkhali the deluded man, like a human net, has arisen in the world for the harm, suffering, ruin, and destruction of many beings.” The fifth. 6. The Discourse on Accomplishments “There are these three accomplishments, bhikkhus. Which three? Accomplishment in faith, accomplishment in virtue, accomplishment in wisdom. These, bhikkhus, are the three accomplishments.” The sixth. 7. The Discourse on Growths “There are these three growths, bhikkhus. Which three? Growth in faith, growth in virtue, growth in wisdom. These, bhikkhus, are the three growths.” The seventh. 8. The Discourse on Horse-Breeds “I will teach you, bhikkhus, three breeds of horses and three breeds of persons. Listen to that, pay careful attention; I will speak.” “Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Which, bhikkhus, are the three breeds of horses? Here, bhikkhus, a certain breed of horse is endowed with speed; not endowed with beauty, not endowed with stature and girth. But here, bhikkhus, a certain breed of horse is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty; not endowed with stature and girth. But here, bhikkhus, a certain breed of horse is endowed with speed, and endowed with beauty, and endowed with stature and girth. These, bhikkhus, are the three breeds of horses. Which, bhikkhus, are the three What is a man-thoroughbred? Here, monks, some man-thoroughbred is endowed with speed; not endowed with beauty, not endowed with stature and girth. But here, monks, some man-thoroughbred is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty; not endowed with stature and girth. But here, monks, some man-thoroughbred is endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with stature and girth. And how, monks, is a man-thoroughbred endowed with speed; not endowed with beauty, not endowed with stature and girth? Here, monks, a monk truly understands 'This is suffering'... 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'. This I call his speed. But when questioned on a problem concerning the higher doctrine or higher discipline, he falters, he does not answer. This I call his lack of beauty. Furthermore, he is not a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, or medicinal requisites for the sick. This I call his lack of stature and girth. Thus, monks, is a man-thoroughbred endowed with speed; not endowed with beauty, not endowed with stature and girth. And how, monks, is a man-thoroughbred endowed with speed and endowed with beauty; not endowed with stature and girth? Here, monks, a monk truly understands 'This is suffering'... 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'. This I call his speed. But when questioned on a problem concerning the higher doctrine or higher discipline, he answers, he does not falter. This I call his beauty. Furthermore, he is not a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, or medicinal requisites for the sick. This I call his lack of stature and girth. Thus, monks, is a man-thoroughbred endowed with speed and endowed with beauty; not endowed with stature and girth. And how, monks, is a man-thoroughbred endowed with speed and endowed with beauty and endowed with stature and girth... What then? Here, monks, a monk understands ‘this is suffering’ as it really is… …he understands ‘this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering’ as it really is. This I say is his speed. When questioned on the Abhidhamma and Abhivinaya, he answers, he does not falter. This I say is his beauty. And he is a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and requisites for the sick, medicines. This I say is his stature and girth. Thus, monks,