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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

4: The Book of the Fours

X. Demons — AN 4.108: Oxen

1“Mendicants, there are these four kinds of oxen. What four?

  1. One hostile to its own herd, not others;
  2. one hostile to other herds, not its own;
  3. one hostile to both its own herd and others; and
  4. one hostile to neither its own herd nor others.

These are the four kinds of oxen. In the same way, these four people similar to oxen are found in the world. What four?

  1. One hostile to their own herd, not others;
  2. one hostile to other herds, not their own;
  3. one hostile to both their own herd and others; and
  4. one hostile to neither their own herd nor others.

2And how is a person hostile to their own herd, not others? It’s when a person intimidates their own followers, not the followers of others. That’s how a person is hostile to their own herd, not others. That person is like an ox that’s hostile to its own herd, not others.

3And how is a person hostile to other herds, not their own? It’s when a person intimidates the followers of others, not their own. …


4And how is a person hostile to both their own herd and others? It’s when a person intimidates their own followers and the followers of others. …

5And how is a person hostile to neither their own herd nor others? It’s when a person doesn’t intimidate their own followers or the followers of others.

These four people similar to oxen are found in the world.”

1"Cattārome, bhikkhave, balībaddā. Katame cattāro?

Sagavacaṇḍo no paragavacaṇḍo,

paragavacaṇḍo no sagavacaṇḍo,

sagavacaṇḍo ca paragavacaṇḍo ca,

neva sagavacaṇḍo no paragavacaṇḍo – 

ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro balībaddā. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro balībaddūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?

Sagavacaṇḍo no paragavacaṇḍo,

paragavacaṇḍo no sagavacaṇḍo,

sagavacaṇḍo ca paragavacaṇḍo ca,

neva sagavacaṇḍo no paragavacaṇḍo.


2Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo sagavacaṇḍo hoti, no paragavacaṇḍo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sakaparisaṁ ubbejetā hoti, no paraparisaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo sagavacaṇḍo hoti, no paragavacaṇḍo. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, balībaddo sagavacaṇḍo, no paragavacaṇḍo; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

3Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo paragavacaṇḍo hoti, no sagavacaṇḍo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo paraparisaṁ ubbejetā hoti, no sakaparisaṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo paragavacaṇḍo hoti, no sagavacaṇḍo. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, balībaddo paragavacaṇḍo, no sagavacaṇḍo; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.


4Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo sagavacaṇḍo ca hoti paragavacaṇḍo ca? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo sakaparisaṁ ubbejetā hoti paraparisañca. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo sagavacaṇḍo ca hoti paragavacaṇḍo ca. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, balībaddo sagavacaṇḍo ca paragavacaṇḍo ca; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

5Kathañca, bhikkhave, puggalo neva sagavacaṇḍo hoti no paragavacaṇḍo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo neva sakaparisaṁ ubbejetā hoti, no paraparisañca. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, puggalo neva sagavacaṇḍo hoti, no paragavacaṇḍo. Seyyathāpi so, bhikkhave, balībaddo neva sagavacaṇḍo, no paragavacaṇḍo; tathūpamāhaṁ, bhikkhave, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.


Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro balībaddūpamā puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.