Numbered Discourses 11.17

2. Recollection

The Cowherd

“Bhikkhus, a cowherd with eleven factors can’t maintain and expand a herd of cattle. What eleven? It’s when a cowherd doesn’t know form, is unskilled in characteristics, doesn’t pick out flies’ eggs, doesn’t dress wounds, doesn’t smoke out pests, doesn’t know the ford, doesn’t know satisfaction, doesn’t know the trail, is not skilled in pastures, milks dry, and doesn’t show extra respect to the bulls who are fathers and leaders of the herd. A cowherd with these eleven factors can’t maintain and expand a herd of cattle.

In the same way, a bhikkhu with eleven qualities can’t achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training. What eleven? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t know form, is unskilled in characteristics, doesn’t pick out flies’ eggs, doesn’t dress wounds, doesn’t smoke out pests, doesn’t know the ford, doesn’t know satisfaction, doesn’t know the trail, is not skilled in pastures, milks dry, and doesn’t show extra respect to senior bhikkhus of long standing, long gone forth, fathers and leaders of the Saṅgha.

And how does a bhikkhu not know form? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t truly understand that all form is the four primary elements, or form derived from the four primary elements. That’s how a bhikkhu doesn’t know form.

And how is a bhikkhu not skilled in characteristics? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t understand that a fool is characterized by their deeds, and an astute person is characterized by their deeds. That’s how a bhikkhu isn’t skilled in characteristics.

And how does a bhikkhu not pick out flies’ eggs? It’s when a bhikkhu tolerates a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought that has arisen. They don’t give it up, get rid of it, eliminate it, and obliterate it. They tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen. They don’t give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. That’s how a bhikkhu doesn’t pick out flies’ eggs.

And how does a bhikkhu not dress wounds? When a bhikkhu sees a sight with their eyes, they get caught up in the features and details. Since the faculty of sight is left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure become overwhelming. They don’t practice restraint, they don’t protect the faculty of sight, and they don’t achieve its restraint. When they hear a sound with their ears … When they smell an odor with their nose … When they taste a flavor with their tongue … When they feel a touch with their body … When they know a thought with their mind, they get caught up in the features and details. Since the faculty of the mind is left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure become overwhelming. They don’t practice restraint, they don’t protect the faculty of the mind, and they don’t achieve its restraint. That’s how a bhikkhu doesn’t dress wounds.

And how does a bhikkhu not smoke out pests? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t teach others the Dhamma in detail as they learned and memorized it. That’s how a bhikkhu doesn’t smoke out pests.

And how does a bhikkhu not know the ford? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t from time to time go up to those bhikkhus who are very learned—inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines—and ask them questions: ‘Why, sir, does it say this? What does that mean?’ Those venerables don’t clarify what is unclear, reveal what is obscure, and dispel doubt regarding the many doubtful matters. That’s how a bhikkhu doesn’t know the ford.

And how does a bhikkhu not know satisfaction? It’s when a bhikkhu, when the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One are being taught, finds no inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and finds no joy connected with the teaching. That’s how a bhikkhu doesn’t know satisfaction.

And how does a bhikkhu not know the trail? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t truly understand the noble eightfold path. That’s how a bhikkhu doesn’t know the trail.

And how is a bhikkhu not skilled in pastures? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t truly understand the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. That’s how a bhikkhu is not skilled in pastures.

And how does a bhikkhu milk dry? It’s when a bhikkhu is invited by a householder to accept robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. But they don’t know moderation in accepting. That’s how a bhikkhu milks dry.

And how does a bhikkhu not show extra respect to senior bhikkhus of long standing, long gone forth, fathers and leaders of the Saṅgha? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t consistently treat senior bhikkhus of long standing, long gone forth, fathers and leaders of the Saṅgha with kindness by way of body, speech, and mind, both in public and in private. That’s how a bhikkhu doesn’t show extra respect to senior bhikkhus of long standing, long gone forth, fathers and leaders of the Saṅgha.

A bhikkhu with these eleven qualities can’t achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training.

A cowherd with eleven factors can maintain and expand a herd of cattle. What eleven? It’s when a cowherd knows form, is skilled in characteristics, picks out flies’ eggs, dresses wounds, smokes out pests, knows the ford, knows satisfaction, knows the trail, is skilled in pastures, doesn’t milk dry, and shows extra respect to the bulls who are fathers and leaders of the herd. A cowherd with these eleven factors can maintain and expand a herd of cattle.

In the same way, a bhikkhu with eleven qualities can achieve growth, improvement, and maturity in this teaching and training. What eleven? It’s when a bhikkhu knows form, is skilled in characteristics, picks out flies’ eggs, dresses wounds, smokes out pests, knows the ford, knows satisfaction, knows the trail, is skilled in pastures, doesn’t milk dry, and shows extra respect to senior bhikkhus of long standing, long gone forth, fathers and leaders of the Saṅgha.

And how does a bhikkhu know form? It’s when a bhikkhu truly understands that all form is the four primary elements, or form derived from the four primary elements. That’s how a bhikkhu knows form.

And how is a bhikkhu skilled in characteristics? It’s when a bhikkhu understands that a fool is characterized by their deeds, and an astute person is characterized by their deeds. That’s how a bhikkhu is skilled in characteristics.

And how does a bhikkhu pick out flies’ eggs? It’s when a bhikkhu doesn’t tolerate a sensual, malicious, or cruel thought that has arisen, but gives it up, gets rid of it, eliminates it, and exterminates it. They don’t tolerate any bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen, but give them up, get rid of them, eliminate them, and obliterate them. That’s how a bhikkhu picks out flies’ eggs.

And how does a bhikkhu dress wounds? When a bhikkhu sees a sight with their eyes, they don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint. When they hear a sound with their ears … When they smell an odor with their nose … When they taste a flavor with their tongue … When they feel a touch with their body … When they know a thought with their mind, they don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint. That’s how a bhikkhu dresses wounds.

And how does a bhikkhu smoke out pests? It’s when a bhikkhu teaches others the Dhamma in detail as they learned and memorized it. That’s how a bhikkhu smokes out pests.

And how does a bhikkhu know the ford? It’s when from time to time a bhikkhu goes up to those bhikkhus who are very learned—inheritors of the heritage, who have memorized the teachings, the monastic law, and the outlines—and asks them questions: ‘Why, sir, does it say this? What does that mean?’ Those venerables clarify what is unclear, reveal what is obscure, and dispel doubt regarding the many doubtful matters. That’s how a bhikkhu knows the ford.

And how does a bhikkhu know satisfaction? It’s when a bhikkhu, when the teaching and training proclaimed by the Realized One are being taught, finds inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and finds joy connected with the teaching. That’s how a bhikkhu knows satisfaction.

And how does a bhikkhu know the trail? It’s when a bhikkhu truly understands the noble eightfold path. That’s how a bhikkhu knows the trail.

And how is a bhikkhu skilled in pastures? It’s when a bhikkhu truly understands the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. That’s how a bhikkhu is skilled in pastures.

And how does a bhikkhu not milk dry? It’s when a bhikkhu is invited by a householder to accept robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And that bhikkhu knows moderation in accepting. That’s how a bhikkhu doesn’t milk dry.

And how does a bhikkhu show extra respect to senior bhikkhus of long standing, long gone forth, fathers and leaders of the Saṅgha? It’s when a bhikkhu consistently treats senior bhikkhus of long standing, long gone forth, fathers and leaders of the Saṅgha with kindness by way of body, speech, and mind, both in public and in private. That’s how a bhikkhu shows extra respect to senior bhikkhus of long standing, long gone forth, fathers and leaders of the Saṅgha.

A bhikkhu with these eleven qualities can achieve growth, improvement, or maturity in this teaching and training.”