The first on the thoroughbred

Bhikkhus, endowed with three characteristics the king's thoroughbred becomes, the king's possession and becomes royal with the sign. What three?

Here bhikkhus the king's thoroughbred is endowed with beauty, power and speed. The king's thoroughbred endowed with these three characteristics becomes, the king's possession and becomes royal with the sign.

Bhikkhus, in the same manner the bhikkhu endowed with three things becomes suitable for, hospitality, reverence, gifts and for reverential salutation with clasped hands, the field of merit for the world. What three?

Here bhikkhus the bhikkhu is endowed with beauty, power and speed.

Bhikkhus, how is the bhikkhu endowed with beauty?

Here, bhikkhus the bhikkhu becomes virtuous observing the higher code of rules and practising the right conduct. He observes the rules seeing fear in the slightest fault. Thus the bhikkhu is endowed with beauty.

Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu become powerful?

Here bhikkhus, the bhikkhu abides with aroused effort to dispel demeritorious thoughts and to arouse meritorious thoughts becoming firm with aroused effort for meritorious thoughts and not putting off the single aim. Thus the bhikkhu becomes powerful.

Bhikkhus, how does the bhikkhu become endowed with speed?

Here, bhikkhus, the bhikkhu knows as it really is, this is unpleasant. Knows as it really is, this is the arising of unpleasantness. Knows as it really is this is the cessation of unpleasantness and knows as it really is, this is the path leading to the cessation of unpleasantness.

Bhikkhus, thus the bhikkhu becomes endowed with speed.

Bhikkhus, the bhikkhu endowed with these three things becomes suitable for, hospitality, reverence, gifts and for reverential salutation with clasped hands, the field of merit for the world.