Donkey or cow

 Donkey or cow

By Jiang Song

I have learnt this story from a few of sutras. At one time, Buddha said to the monks/bhikkhus: I will now tell you about a donkey and a cow. You have to listen carefully.

       What is meaning of a monk who is like a donkey? let us say a man shaves his hair and wears the robes. he also has firm faith and renounces the household life. But he does not have steady faculties. When his eyes see forms from outside environment, in his mind arise vile/evil thoughts and he is attached to the forms because he is not able to control the mind. So, all kinds of unwholesome mentalities in him. The same thing happens. when his ears hear sounds, the nose smells odors, the tongue knows tastes, the body feels sensation, the mind also understands the doctrine of the Buddha’s teaching. However, he follows just the delusions and is unable to control his mind. Therefore, ignorance drifts in various directions. The mind is not pure. It drifts between constantly arising greedy and hatred. Such kinds of unwholesomeness are in front of him.

In this situation, the monk although he wears robes is like a donkey. That is Because he cannot properly protect the mind and his violates the precepts.

      On the other hand, let us say, a person has firm faith and renounces the life of householder, shaves the/his hair, beard and wears the robes. He learns the right way, then his mind becomes tranquil and steady. What is the right way? When his eyes see forms, unwholesome thoughts about colors do not arise in his mind. In this case, the eyes are pure. And his ears hear sounds, the nose smells odors, the tongue knows tastes, the body feels sensation, and the mind understands the Dharma (teaching) of Buddha, in which there are not arising any delusions, his mind is pure. That is because in daily life the monk keeps mindfulness when he eats, drinks, walks, and sleeps.

In this case, he is called a person who is like a cow or a herd of cows, who are protected by their horns. That is because he is well-protected by sense-restraint and virtue; there are no evils coming from him, and then he can accept the alms foods from people.

      After hearing the teaching of Buddha, the 200 monks who had listened, reflected that they were greedy and not practice meditation or the Dharma, they felt ashamed. At that moment, they became energized, they achieved the fruit of Arhatship, and had six supernatural powers.