• Numbered Discourses 4.111 Aį¹…guttara Nikāya 4.111
  • 12. With Kesi 12. Kesivagga

With Kesi Kesisutta

Then Kesi the horse trainer went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, Atha kho kesi assadammasārathi yena bhagavā tenupasaį¹…kami; upasaį¹…kamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisÄ«di. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho kesiṁ assadammasārathiṁ bhagavā etadavoca: ā€œKesi, you’re known as a horse trainer. ā€œtvaṁ khosi, kesi, paƱƱāto assadammasārathÄ«ti. Just how do you guide a horse in training?ā€ Kathaṁ pana tvaṁ, kesi, assadammaṁ vinesÄ«ā€ti?

ā€œSir, I guide a horse in training sometimes gently, sometimes harshly, and sometimes both gently and harshly.ā€ ā€œAhaṁ kho, bhante, assadammaṁ saṇhenapi vinemi, pharusenapi vinemi, saṇhapharusenapi vinemÄ«ā€ti.

ā€œKesi, what do you do with a horse in training that doesn’t follow these forms of training?ā€ ā€œSace te, kesi, assadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, kinti naṁ karosÄ«ā€ti?

ā€œSace me, bhante, assadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti; ā€œIn that case, sir, I kill it. hanāmi naṁ, bhante. Why is that? Taṁ kissa hetu? So that I don’t disgrace my tradition. ā€˜Mā me ācariyakulassa avaṇṇo ahosī’ti.

But sir, the Buddha is the supreme guide for those fit for training. Bhagavā pana, bhante, anuttaro purisadammasārathi. Just how do you guide a person in training?ā€ Kathaṁ pana, bhante, bhagavā purisadammaṁ vinetÄ«ā€ti?

ā€œKesi, I guide a person in training sometimes gently, sometimes harshly, and sometimes both gently and harshly. ā€œAhaṁ kho, kesi, purisadammaṁ saṇhenapi vinemi, pharusenapi vinemi, saṇhapharusenapi vinemi.

The gentle way is this: Tatridaṁ, kesi, saṇhasmiį¹ā€”ā€˜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.’ iti kāyasucaritaṁ iti kāyasucaritassa vipāko, iti vacÄ«sucaritaṁ iti vacÄ«sucaritassa vipāko, iti manosucaritaṁ iti manosucaritassa vipāko, iti devā, iti manussāti.

The harsh way is this: Tatridaṁ, kesi, pharusasmiį¹ā€”ā€˜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.’ iti kāyaduccaritaṁ iti kāyaduccaritassa vipāko, iti vacÄ«duccaritaṁ iti vacÄ«duccaritassa vipāko, iti manoduccaritaṁ iti manoduccaritassa vipāko, iti nirayo, iti tiracchānayoni, iti pettivisayoti.

The both gentle and harsh way is this: Tatridaṁ, kesi, saṇhapharusasmiį¹ā€”ā€˜This is good conduct … this is bad conduct ā€¦ā€™ā€ iti kāyasucaritaṁ iti kāyasucaritassa vipāko, iti kāyaduccaritaṁ iti kāyaduccaritassa vipāko, iti vacÄ«sucaritaṁ iti vacÄ«sucaritassa vipāko, iti vacÄ«duccaritaṁ iti vacÄ«duccaritassa vipāko, iti manosucaritaṁ iti manosucaritassa vipāko, iti manoduccaritaṁ iti manoduccaritassa vipāko, iti devā, iti manussā, iti nirayo, iti tiracchānayoni, iti pettivisayoā€ti.

ā€œSir, what do you do with a person in training who doesn’t follow these forms of training?ā€ ā€œSace te, bhante, purisadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, kinti naṁ bhagavā karotÄ«ā€ti?

ā€œIn that case, Kesi, I kill them.ā€ ā€œSace me, kesi, purisadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, hanāmi naṁ, kesÄ«ā€ti.

ā€œSir, it’s not appropriate for the Buddha to kill living creatures. ā€œNa kho, bhante, bhagavato pāṇātipāto kappati. And yet you say Atha ca pana bhagavā evamāha: you kill them.ā€ ā€˜hanāmi naṁ, kesÄ«ā€™ā€ti.

ā€œIt’s true, Kesi, ā€œSaccaṁ, kesi. it’s not appropriate for a Realized One to kill living creatures. Na tathāgatassa pāṇātipāto kappati. 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. Api ca yo purisadammo saṇhena vinayaṁ na upeti, pharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, saṇhapharusena vinayaṁ na upeti, na taṁ tathāgato vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maƱƱati, nāpi viññū sabrahmacārÄ« vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maƱƱanti. For it is killing in the training of the Noble One Vadho heso, kesi, ariyassa vinaye—when the Realized One doesn’t think they’re worth advising or instructing, and neither do their sensible spiritual companions.ā€ yaṁ na tathāgato vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maƱƱati, nāpi viññū sabrahmacārÄ« vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maƱƱantÄ«ā€ti.

ā€œWell, they’re definitely dead ā€œSo hi nÅ«na, bhante, suhato hoti—when the Realized One doesn’t think they’re worth advising or instructing, and neither do their sensible spiritual companions. yaṁ na tathāgato vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maƱƱati, nāpi viññū sabrahmacārÄ« vattabbaṁ anusāsitabbaṁ maƱƱantÄ«ti. Excellent, sir! … From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.ā€ Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ, bhante, bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatanā€ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.