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# AN 3:83 · The Donkey (Gadrabha Sutta)
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-3-83/
- Published: 2026-06-01T01:09:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:49:10.000Z
- Description: Aṅguttara Nikāya · AN 3:83. Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Sutta Piṭaka, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Aṅguttara Nikāya, Discourse, Pali, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 03:33

“Monks, it is just as if a donkey were following right after a herd of cattle, saying, ‘I too am a cow! I too am a cow!’ Its color is not that of a cow, its voice is not that of a cow, its hoof is not that of a cow, and yet it still keeps following right after the herd of cattle, saying, ‘I too am a cow! I too am a cow!’ In the same way, there is the case where a certain monk follows right after the Saṅgha of monks, saying, ‘I too am a monk! I too am a monk!’ He doesn’t have the other monks’ desire for undertaking the training in heightened virtue, doesn’t have their desire for undertaking the training in heightened mind \[concentration\], doesn’t have their desire for undertaking the training in heightened discernment, and yet he still keeps following right after the Saṅgha of monks, saying, ‘I too am a monk! I too am a monk!’

“So you should train yourselves: ‘Strong will be our desire for undertaking the training in heightened virtue; strong will be our desire for undertaking the training in heightened mind; strong will be our desire for undertaking the training in heightened discernment.’ That is how you should train yourselves.”

See also: [AN 3:90—91](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-3-90/); [AN 4:178](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-4-178/)

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*Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) licence, for free distribution only. Source: [dhammatalks.org](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN3%5F83.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (Metta Forest Monastery).*