The Chapter on a Warrior

AN 3.133 A Warrior Yodhājīvasutta

"Mendicants, a warrior with three factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned as a factor of kingship. What three? He's a long-distance shooter, a marksman, one who shatters large objects. A warrior with these three factors is worthy of a king, fit to serve a king, and is reckoned as a factor of kingship.

In the same way, a mendicant with three factors is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world. What three? They're a long-distance shooter, a marksman, and one who shatters large objects.

And how is a mendicant a long-distance shooter? It's when a mendicant truly sees any kind of form at all---past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all form---with right understanding: 'This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.' They truly see any kind of feeling at all---past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all feeling---with right understanding: 'This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.' They truly see any kind of perception at all---past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all perception---with right understanding: 'This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.' They truly see any kind of choices at all---past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all choices---with right understanding: 'This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.' They truly see any kind of consciousness at all---past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near, all consciousness---with right understanding: 'This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.' That's how a mendicant is a long-distance shooter.

And how is a mendicant a marksman? It's when a mendicant truly understands: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. That's how a mendicant is a marksman.

And how does a mendicant shatter large objects? It's when a mendicant shatters the great mass of ignorance. That's how a mendicant shatters large objects.

A mendicant with these three qualities is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of veneration with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world."

AN 3.134 Assemblies Parisāsutta

"Mendicants, there are these three assemblies. What three? An assembly educated in fancy talk, an assembly educated in questioning, and an assembly educated to the fullest extent. These are the three assemblies."

AN 3.135 A Friend Mittasutta

"Mendicants, you should associate with a friend who has three factors. What three? They give what is hard to give, they do what is hard to do, and they bear what is hard to bear. You should associate with a friend who has these three factors."

AN 3.136 Arising Uppādāsutta

"Mendicants, whether Realized Ones arise or not, this law of nature persists, this regularity of natural principles, this invariance of natural principles: all conditions are impermanent. A Realized One understands this and comprehends it, then he explains, teaches, asserts, establishes, clarifies, analyzes, and reveals it: 'All conditions are impermanent.'

Whether Realized Ones arise or not, this law of nature persists, this regularity of natural principles, this invariance of natural principles: all conditions are suffering. A Realized One understands this and comprehends it, then he explains, teaches, asserts, establishes, clarifies, analyzes, and reveals it: 'All conditions are suffering.'

Whether Realized Ones arise or not, this law of nature persists, this regularity of natural principles, this invariance of natural principles: all things are not-self. A Realized One understands this and comprehends it, then he explains, teaches, asserts, establishes, clarifies, analyzes, and reveals it: 'All things are not-self.'"

AN 3.137 A Hair Blanket Kesakambalasutta

"Mendicants, a hair blanket is said to be the worst kind of woven cloth. It's cold in the cold, hot in the heat, ugly, smelly, and unpleasant to touch. In the same way, the teaching of the bamboo-staffed ascetic is said to be the worst of all the doctrines of the various ascetics and brahmins.

The bamboo-staffed ascetic, that silly man, has this doctrine and view: 'There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.'

Now, all the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who lived in the past taught the efficacy of deeds, action, and energy. But the bamboo-staffed ascetic opposes them by saying: 'There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.'

All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who will live in the future will teach the efficacy of deeds, action, and energy. But the bamboo-staffed ascetic opposes them by saying: 'There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.'

I too, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha in the present, teach the efficacy of deeds, action, and energy. But the bamboo-staffed ascetic opposes me by saying: 'There is no power in deeds, action, or energy.'

It's like a trap set at the mouth of a river, which would bring harm, suffering, calamity, and disaster for many fish. In the same way that futile man the bamboo-staffed ascetic is a trap for humans, it seems to me. He has come into the world for the harm, suffering, calamity, and disaster of many beings."

AN 3.138 Accomplishment Sampadāsutta

"Mendicants, there are three accomplishments. What three? Accomplishment in faith, ethics, and wisdom. These are the three accomplishments."

AN 3.139 Growth Vuddhisutta

"Mendicants, there are three kinds of growth. What three? Growth in faith, ethics, and wisdom. These are the three kinds of growth."

AN 3.140 A Wild Colt Assakhaḷuṅkasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you about three wild colts and three wild people. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak."

"Yes, sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:

"What are the three wild colts? One wild colt is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned. Another wild colt is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned. While another wild colt is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

These are the three wild colts.

And what are the three wild people? One wild person is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned. Another wild person is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned. While another wild person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

And how is a wild person fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned? It's when a mendicant truly understands: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. This is how they're fast, I say. But when asked a question about the teaching or training, they falter without answering. This is how they're not beautiful, I say. And they don't receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they're not well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned.

And how is a wild person fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned? It's when a mendicant truly understands: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. This is how they're fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they're beautiful, I say. But they don't receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they're not well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned.

And how is a wild person fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? It's when a mendicant truly understands: 'This is suffering' ... 'This is the origin of suffering' ... 'This is the cessation of suffering' ... 'This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering'. This is how they're fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they're beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they're well proportioned, I say. This is how a wild person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

These are the three wild people."

AN 3.141 Excellent Horses Assaparassasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you the three excellent horses and the three excellent people. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak."

"Yes, sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:

"What are the three excellent horses? One excellent horse is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned. Another excellent horse is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned. While another excellent horse is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

These are the three excellent horses.

"What are the three excellent people? One excellent person is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned. Another excellent person is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned. While another excellent person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

And how is an excellent person fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned? It's when a mendicant, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously. They're extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This is how they're fast, I say. But when asked a question about the teaching or training, they falter without answering. This is how they're not beautiful, I say. And they don't receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they're not well proportioned, I say. This is how an excellent person is fast, but not beautiful or well proportioned.

And how is an excellent person fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned? It's when a mendicant, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously. They're extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This is how they're fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they're beautiful, I say. But they don't receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they're not well proportioned, I say. This is how an excellent person is fast and beautiful, but not well proportioned.

And how is an excellent person fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? It's when a mendicant, with the ending of the five lower fetters, is reborn spontaneously. They're extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world. This is how they're fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they're beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they're well proportioned, I say. This is how an excellent person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

These are the three excellent people."

AN 3.142 The Thoroughbred Assājānīyasutta

"Mendicants, I will teach you the three fine thoroughbred horses, and the three fine thoroughbred people. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak."

"Yes, sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:

"What are the three fine thoroughbred horses? One fine thoroughbred horse ... is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

These are the three fine thoroughbred horses.

And what are the three fine thoroughbred people? One fine thoroughbred person ... is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

And how is a fine thoroughbred person ... fast, beautiful, and well proportioned? It's when a mendicant realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements. This is how they're fast, I say. When asked a question about the teaching or training, they answer without faltering. This is how they're beautiful, I say. They receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. This is how they're well proportioned, I say. This is how a fine thoroughbred person is fast, beautiful, and well proportioned.

These are the three fine thoroughbred people."

AN 3.143 At the Peacocks' Feeding Ground (1st) Paṭhamamoranivāpasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, at the monastery of the wanderers in the peacocks' feeding ground. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, "Mendicants!"

"Venerable sir," they replied. The Buddha said this:

"Mendicants, a mendicant with three qualities has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal. They are the best among gods and humans. What three? The entire spectrum of an adept's ethics, immersion, and wisdom.

A mendicant with these three qualities has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal. They are the best among gods and humans."

AN 3.144 At the Peacocks' Feeding Ground (2nd) Dutiyamoranivāpasutta

"Mendicants, a mendicant who has three qualities has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal. They are the best among gods and humans. What three? A demonstration of psychic power, a demonstration of revealing, and a demonstration of instruction.

A mendicant with these three qualities has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal. They are the best among gods and humans."

AN 3.145 At the Peacocks' Feeding Ground (3rd) Tatiyamoranivāpasutta

"Mendicants, a mendicant who has three qualities has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal. They are the best among gods and humans. What three? Right view, right knowledge, and right freedom.

A mendicant with these three qualities has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate sanctuary from the yoke, the ultimate spiritual life, the ultimate goal. They are the best among gods and humans."