Aṅguttara Nikāya
VIII. Aṭṭhaka Nipāta
II: Mahā Vagga
The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha
VIII. The Book of the Eights
II. The Great Chapter
Sutta 14
Khaluṅka Suttaɱ
Wild Colts
Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
© 2012 Bhikkhu Bodhi
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[1][pts][than] "Bhikkhus, I will teach you the eight kinds of wild colts and the eight faults of a horse, and I will teach you the eight kinds of persons who are like wild colts and the eight faults of a person.
Listen and attend closely.
I will speak."
"Yes, bhante," those bhikkhus replied.
The Blessed One said this:
"And what, bhikkhus, are the eight kinds of wild colts and the eight faults of a horse?
(1) "Here, when a wild colt is told:
'Go forward!'
and is being spurred and incited by its trainer, it backs up [191] and spins the chariot around behind it.
There is such a kind of wild colt here.
This is the first fault of a horse.
(2) "Again, when a wild colt is told:
'Go forward!'
and is being spurred and incited by its trainer, it leaps back and [thereby] damages the rail and breaks the triple rod.
There is such a kind of wild colt here.
This is the second fault of a horse.
(3) "Again, when a wild colt is told:
'Go forward!'
and is being spurred and incited by its trainer, it loosens its thigh from the chariot pole and crushes the chariot pole.
There is such a kind of wild colt here.
This is the third fault of a horse.
(4) "Again, when a wild colt is told:
'Go forward!'
and is being spurred and incited by its trainer, it takes a wrong path and leads the chariot off the track.
There is such a kind of wild colt here.
This is the fourth fault of a horse.
(5) "Again, when a wild colt is told:
'Go forward!'
and is being spurred and incited by its trainer, it leaps up with the front of its body and churns the air with its front feet.
There is such a kind of wild colt here.
This is the fifth fault of a horse.
(6) "Again, when a wild colt is told:
'Go forward!' and is being spurred and incited by its trainer, it does not heed its trainer or the goad but destroys the mouthbit with its teeth [192] and sets out wherever it wishes.
There is such a kind of wild colt here.
This is the sixth fault of a horse.
(7) "Again, when a wild colt is told:
'Go forward!'
and is being spurred and incited by its trainer, it does not go forward or turn back but stands right there as still as a post.
There is such a kind of wild colt here.
This is the seventh fault of a horse.
(8) "Again, when a wild colt is told:
'Go forward!'
and is being spurred and incited by its trainer, it tucks in its front legs and its back legs and sits down right there on all four legs.
There is such a kind of wild colt here.
This is the eighth fault of a horse.
"These are the eight kinds of wild colts and the eight faults of a horse.
"And what, bhikkhus, are the eight kinds of persons who are like wild colts and the eight faults of a person?
(1) "Here, when the bhikkhus are reproving a bhikkhu for an offense, he exonerates himself by reason of lack of memory, saying:
'I don't remember [committing such an offense].'
I say this person is similar to the wild colt that, when told:
'Go forward!'
and when spurred and incited by its trainer, backs up and spins the chariot around behind it. There is such a kind of person here like a wild colt.
This is the first fault of a person.
(2) "Again, when the bhikkhus are reproving a bhikkhu for an offense, [193] he castigates the reprover himself:
'What right does an incompetent fool like you have to speak?
Do you really think you have something to say?'
I say this person is similar to the wild colt that, when told:
'Go forward!'
and when spurred and incited by its trainer, leaps back and [thereby] damages the rail and breaks the triple pole.
There is such a kind of person here like a wild colt.
This is the second fault of a person.
(3) "Again, when the bhikkhus are reproving a bhikkhu for an offense, he attributes an offense to the reprover himself, saying:
'You have committed such and such an offense.
Make amends for it first.'
I say this person is similar to the wild colt that, when told:
'Go forward!'
and when spurred and incited by its trainer, loosens its thigh from the chariot pole and crushes the chariot pole.
There is such a kind of person here like a wild colt.
This is the third fault of a person.
(4) "Again, when the bhikkhus are reproving a bhikkhu for an offense, he answers evasively, diverts the discussion to an irrelevant subject, and displays anger, hatred, and bitterness.
I say this person is similar to the wild colt that, when told:
'Go forward!'
and when spurred and incited by its trainer, takes a wrong path and leads the chariot off the track.
There is such a kind of person here like a wild colt.
This is the fourth fault of a person.
(5) "Again, when the bhikkhus are reproving a bhikkhu for an offense, he speaks while waving his arms about in the midst of the Saṅgha.
I say this person is similar to [194] the wild colt that, when told:
'Go forward!'
and when spurred and incited by its trainer, leaps up with the front of its body and churns the air with its front feet.
There is such a kind of person here like a wild colt.
This is the fifth fault of a person.
(6) "Again, when the bhikkhus are reproving a bhikkhu for an offense, he does not heed the Saṅgha or his reprover but sets out wherever he wishes while still bearing his offense.
I say this person is similar to the wild colt that, when told:
'Go forward!'
and when spurred and incited by its trainer, does not heed its trainer or the goad but destroys the mouthbit with its teeth and sets out wherever it wishes.
There is such a kind of person here like a wild colt.
This is the sixth fault of a person.
(7) "Again, when the bhikkhus are reproving a bhikkhu for an offense, he does not say,
'I committed an offense,'
nor does he say,
'I did not commit an offense,'
but he vexes the Saṅgha by keeping silent.
I say this person is similar to the wild colt that, when told:
'Go forward!'
and when spurred and incited by its trainer, does not go forward or turn back but stands right there as still as a post.
There is such a kind of person here like a wild colt.
This is the seventh fault of a person.
(8) "Again, when the bhikkhus are reproving a bhikkhu for an offense, he says: [195]
'Why are you making such a fuss about me?
Now I'll reject the training and return to the lower life.'
He then rejects the training, returns to the lower life, and declares:
'Now you can be satisfied!'
I say this person is similar to the wild colt that, when told:
'Go forward!'
and when spurred and incited by its trainer, tucks in its front legs and its back legs and sits down right there on all four legs.
There is such a kind of person here like a wild colt.
This is the eighth fault of a person.
"These, bhikkhus, are the eight kinds of persons who are like wild colts and the eight faults of a person."
