The Greater Cowherd Discourse Mahṅ Gopṅlaka Sutta (MN 33) · 莲华归心开放中文佛学资料库

- suttas - - evening talks - short morning talks - lectures - guided meditations - talk collections - other themes - chants - - - - à¹à¸à¸¢ - Franā§ais - Espaā±ol - - Portuguāªs - Ð ÑÑÑÐºÐ¸Ð¹ - - - Ð£ÐºÑÐ°ÑÐ½ÑÑÐºÐ° Submit Search - Home - Suttas - MN - MN 33 The Greater Cowherd Discourse ## Browse Suttas Go to Majjhima Nikṅya index MN index ## The Greater Cowherd Discourse Mahṅ Gopṅlaka SuttaÂ Â (MNÂ 33) I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sṅvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anṅthapiṃṇika's monastery. There he addressed the monks: "Monks!" "Yes, lord," the monks responded to him. The Blessed One said, "Monks, a cowherd endowed with eleven factors is incapable of looking after a herd so that it prospers & grows. Which eleven? There is the case where a cowherd is not well-versed in forms [appearances], unskilled in characteristics,1 doesnât pick out fliesâ eggs, doesnât dress wounds, doesnât fumigate (the cattle pen), doesnât know fords, doesnât know what it is (for the cattle) to have drunk, doesnât know the road, isnât skilled in pastures, milks dry, and shows no extra respect for the bulls who are fathers & leaders of the herd. A cowherd endowed with these eleven factors is incapable of looking after a herd so that it prospers & grows. "A monk endowed with these eleven factors is incapable of attaining growth, increase, & abundance in this Dhamma-Vinaya. Which eleven? There is the case where a monk is not well-versed in forms, unskilled in characteristics, doesnât pick out fliesâ eggs, doesnât dress wounds, doesnât fumigate, doesnât know fords, doesnât know what it is to have drunk, doesnât know the road, is not skilled in pastures, milks dry, and shows no extra respect for the elder monks with seniority, who have been ordained long, who are fathers & leaders of the Saṃgha. "And how is a monk not well-versed in forms? There is the case where a monk doesnât discern, as it has come to be, that every form whatsoever is composed of the four great elements [earth, water, fire, & wind] and the forms dependent on them. This is how a monk is not well-versed in forms. "And how is a monk unskilled in characteristics? There is the case where a monk doesnât discern, as it has come to be, that a fool is characterized by his actions, a wise person is characterized by his actions.2 This is how a monk is unskilled in characteristics. "And how does a monk not pick out fliesâ eggs? There is the case where a monk acquiesces with an arisen thought of sensuality. He doesnât abandon it, dispel it, demolish it, or wipe it out of existence. He acquiesces with an arisen thought of ill willâ¦ an arisen thought of harmfulness. He doesnât abandon it, dispel it, demolish it, or wipe it out of existence. He acquiesces with arisen evil, unskillful qualities. He doesnât abandon them, dispel them demolish them, or wipe them out of existence. This is how a monk doesnât pick out fliesâ eggs. "And how does a monk not dress wounds? There is the case where a monk, on seeing a form with the eye, grasps at themes or details by which—as he dwells without restraint over the faculty of the eye—evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He doesnât practice for its restraint. He doesnât protect the faculty of the eye. On hearing a sound with the earâ¦ On smelling an aroma with the noseâ¦ On tasting a flavor with the tongueâ¦ On touching a tactile sensation with the bodyâ¦ On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he grasps at themes or details by which—as he dwells without restraint over the faculty of the intellect—evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He doesnât practice for its restraint. He doesnât protect the faculty of the intellect. This is how a monk doesnât dress wounds. "And how does a monk not fumigate? There is the case where a monk doesnât teach others in detail the Dhamma as he has heard and mastered it. This is how a monk doesnât fumigate. "And how does a monk not know fords? There is the case where a monk goes time & again to the monks who are learned, well-versed in the tradition, who have memorized the Dhamma, the Vinaya, and the Mṅtikṅs,3 but doesnât question them, doesnât present them with his problems: ), # Right single quote ('â', How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?â These venerable ones do not reveal what has not been revealed to him, do not make plain what has not been made plain to him, do not resolve his doubts about the many teachings that might give rise to doubt. This is how a monk doesnât know fords. "And how does a monk not know what it is to have drunk? There is the case where a monk, when the Dhamma-Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathṅgata is being taught, doesnât gain understanding of the meaning, doesnât gain understanding of the Dhamma, doesnât gain joy connected with the Dhamma. This is how a monk doesnât know what it is to have drunk. "And how does a monk not know the road? There is the case where a monk doesnât discern