Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
II: Mahā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Eights
II. The Great Chapter
Sutta 14
Khaluṅka Suttaɱ
The Excitable
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
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[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
2. 'Monks, I will define eight excitable[1] horses
and their eight vices,
eight excitable men
and their eight vices.
Listen well,
pay heed,
I will speak.
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
3. Monks, what are the eight excitable horses
and their eight vices?
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Herein, monks, when an excitable horse is told to go on,
being beaten and urged by the driver,
he backs
and twists the carriage round
with his hind-quarters.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable horse
and this is his first vice.
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4. Again monks, when an excitable horse is told to go on,
being beaten and urged by the driver,
he jumps back,
batters against the carriage railing[2]
and breaks the triple bar.[3]
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable horse
and this is his second vice.
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5. Again monks, when an excitable horse is told to go on,
being beaten and urged by the driver,
he looses[4] his hind-quarters from the pole
and tramples on it.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable horse
and this is his third vice.
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6. Again monks, when an excitable horse is told to go on,
being beaten and urged by the driver,
he takes the wrong road
and makes the carriage go awry.[5]
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable horse
and this is his fourth vice.
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7. Again monks, when an excitable horse is told to go on,
being beaten and urged by the driver,
he tosses high his breast and paws (the air).
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable horse
and this is his fifth vice.
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8. Again monks, when an excitable horse is told to go on,
being beaten and urged by the driver,
heedless of the driver and the goad,
he champs the bit[6] with his teeth and wanders at random.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable horse
and this is his sixth vice.
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9. Again monks, when an excitable horse is told to go on,
being beaten and
when urged by the driver,
he goes neither on nor back,
but halts and stands like a post.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable horse
and this is his seventh vice.
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10. Moreover, monks, when an excitable horse is told to go on,
being beaten and urged by the driver,
he draws together his fore and hind legs
and just sits down there on his four feet.
Such, indeed, is an excitable horse
and this is his eighth vice.
Monks, these are the eight excitable horses
and their eight vices.
§
11. And what, monks, are the eight excitable men
and their eight vices?
Herein, monks, the monks reprove one of themselves for some offence,
and he, being thus reproved,
evades (the matter by a plea) of forgetfulness, saying:
"I don't remember! I don't remember!"
Just as an excitable horse,
when beaten and urged by his driver,
backs
and twists the carriage round
with his hind-quarters;
like that, I say, is this person.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable man
and this is his first vice.
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12. Or, monks, the monks reprove one of themselves for some offence,
and he, being thus reproved,
blurts out at his reprover:
"What right have you to talk,
an ignorant fool?
Why do you think you must speak?"
Monks, just as an excitable horse,
when beaten and urged by his driver,
he jumps back,
batters against the carriage railing
and breaks the triple bar;
like that, I say, is this person.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable man
and this is his second vice.
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13. Or, monks, the monks reprove one of themselves for some offence,
and he, being thus reproved, retorts:
"Well, you too committed such and such an offence.
You had best make amends first!"
Monks, just as an excitable horse,
when beaten and urged by his driver,
looses his hind-quarters from the pole
and tramples on it;
like that, I say, is this person.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable man
and this is his third vice.
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14. Or, monks, the monks reprove one of themselves for some offence,
and he, being thus reproved,
evades the question by another,
turns the issue aside and shows temper,
ill-will
and sulkiness.[7]
Monks, just as an excitable horse,
when beaten and urged by his driver,
takes the wrong road
and makes the carriage go awry; like that, I say, is this person.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable man
and this is his fourth vice.
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15. Or, monks, the monks reprove one of themselves for some offence,
and he, being thus reproved,
speaks when the Order is in conclave,
with much gesticulation.
Monks, just as an excitable horse,
when beaten and urged by his driver,
tosses high his breast and paws the air;
like that, I say, is this person.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable man
and this is his fifth vice.
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16. Or, monks, the monks reprove one of themselves for some offence,
and he, being thus reproved,
pays no attention to the Order,
nor heeds his reprover,
but wanders about at random,
like an offender.[8]
Monks, just as an excitable horse,
when beaten and urged by his driver,
is heedless of the driver
and the goad
and champs his bit with his teeth
and wanders at random;
like that, I say, is this person.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable man
and this is his sixth vice.
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17. Or, monks, the monks reprove one of themselves for some offence,
and he, being thus reproved, says:
"But I've not committed an offence.
No, I've not offended."
And he vexes the Order by his silence.
Monks, just as an excitable horse,
when beaten and urged by his driver,
goes neither on nor back
but just halts and stands like a post;
like that, I say, is this person.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable man
and this is his seventh vice.
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18. Moreover, monks, when the monks reprove one of themselves for some offence,
he, being thus reproved by them, says:
"Reverend sirs, why worry[9] so much about me?
From now on I will disavow the training and return to the lower life."
And when he has returned to the lower life, be says:
"Now, reverend sirs, be satisfied!"
Monks, just as an excitable horse,
when told to go on,
being beaten and urged by the driver,
draws his fore and hind legs together
and sits down;
like that, I say, is this person.
Such, indeed, herein is an excitable man,
and this is his eighth vice.
Monks, these are the eight excitable men and these are their eight vices.'
[1] Khaḷuṅka, a shaker; cf. G.S. i, 266; A. v. 166, 323; below, p. 266.
[2] Comy. 'Raising his two hind feet, he strikes and breaks the carriage railing.'
[3] Ibid. 'There are three cross-bars on a carriage and he smashes these.' Cf. Mil. 27 for parts of a chariot.
[4] Bending his head so that the yoke falls to the ground, he strikes the pole with his hind-quarters.' See J.H.A.S., July, 1931, and E. H. Johnston's Notes, p. 577.
[5] 'He takes it through thorny brakes or over bumpy ground.'
[6] Mukhādhānaɱ. Comy. An iron chain made for fixing in the mouth. Cf. M. i, 446; iii, 2.
[7] Cf. above, p. 114.
[8] Sāpattika.
