[581] "Bhikkhus, I shall teach you the three kinds of good horses (assasadassa) and the three kinds of good persons. Listen to it and attend well; I shall speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of good horses? Here, bhikkhus, one kind of good horse is possessed of speed, but not possessed of beauty, not possessed of height and girth. Here again, bhikkhus, one kind of good horse is possessed of speed and possessed of beauty, but not possessed of height and girth. Here again, bhikkhus, one kind of good horse is possessed of speed, possessed of beauty, and possessed of height and girth. These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of good horses.
"And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of good persons? Here, bhikkhus, one kind of good person is possessed of speed, but not possessed of beauty, not possessed of height and girth. Here again, bhikkhus, one kind of good person is possessed of speed and possessed of beauty, but not possessed of height and girth. Here again, bhikkhus, one kind of good person is possessed of speed, possessed of beauty, and possessed of height and girth.
"And how, bhikkhus, is a good person possessed of speed, but not possessed of beauty, not possessed of height and girth? Here, bhikkhus, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters (saṃyojana), a bhikkhu is one of spontaneous rebirth (opapātika), attaining final Nibbāna there, not subject to returning from that world. This, I say, is his speed. But when asked a question on the higher Dhamma and the higher Discipline (abhidhamma, abhivinaya), he falters and does not answer. This, I say, is his lack of beauty. And he is not one who gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick. This, I say, is his lack of height and girth. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a good person is possessed of speed, but not possessed of beauty, not possessed of height and girth.
"And how, bhikkhus, is a good person possessed of speed and possessed of beauty, but not possessed of height and girth? Here, bhikkhus, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, a bhikkhu is one of spontaneous rebirth, attaining final Nibbāna there, not subject to returning from that world. This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question on the higher Dhamma and the higher Discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. But he is not one who gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick. This, I say, is his lack of height and girth. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a good person is possessed of speed and possessed of beauty, but not possessed of height and girth.
"And how, bhikkhus, is a good person possessed of speed, possessed of beauty, and possessed of height and girth? Here, bhikkhus, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, a bhikkhu is one of spontaneous rebirth, attaining final Nibbāna there, not subject to returning from that world. This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question on the higher Dhamma and the higher Discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. And he is one who gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for the sick. This, I say, is his height and girth. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a good person is possessed of speed, possessed of beauty, and possessed of height and girth.
"These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of good persons."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.