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.