翻譯名義集 2.204

2.204

[Aśva] (阿濕婆): Here translated as 'horse' (馬). The *Book of Han*, 'Treatise on the Western Regions', says: 'In the kingdom of Dayuan there is a high mountain where horses cannot be caught. Therefore, five-colored mares were taken and placed beneath it to mate with them and produce foals, all of which sweat blood; hence they were called heavenly horses. Li Bole, courtesy name Sunyang, was traveling to the mountain slope of Yu when he encountered a salt cart arriving. There was a dragon-horse among them that people did not recognize, using it to draw the salt cart. Seeing Bole from afar, it whinnied. Bole traded the horse he was riding for it, and it could travel a thousand *li* in a single day.' The *Huainanzi* says: 'Duke Mu of Qin said to Bole: "Do you have someone who can seek out horses?" He replied: "A horse is not judged by physical appearance, sinews, and bones. The exceptional horses of the world appear faint and hidden; my sons are all of inferior talent. For someone who can identify the horses of the world, there is Jiufang Gao, a carrier of bundled firewood; his eye for horses is not inferior to mine." He sought horses for three months and returned, saying, "I have found a horse. It is at Shaqiu, a yellow stallion." When the horse arrived, it was a black mare. The Duke said to Bole: "The person you sent to seek horses cannot even tell coat colors or male from female; what does he know about trade?" Bole sighed deeply and said: "Has he reached such heights as this! What Gao perceives is the heavenly mechanism. He grasps its essence and forgets its coarseness; he perceives its interior and forgets its exterior. It is indeed a horse that can run a thousand *li*."' The *Āgama* says: 'The Buddha told the bhikṣus: "There are four kinds of horses: first, one that is startled and alert just upon seeing the shadow of the whip; second, one that is startled only when the whip touches its hair; third, one that is startled only when the whip touches its flesh; fourth, one that feels it only when it reaches the bone. The first corresponds to hearing of impermanence in another village and becoming startled; the second is like hearing of impermanence in one's own village and giving rise to disillusionment; the third is like hearing of impermanence among one's own relatives and giving rise to disillusionment; the fourth is like giving rise to disillusionment only when one's own body suffers sickness and pain."' The four horses in the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra* are metaphors for birth, old age, sickness, and death. It is also called *vahala* (婆訶羅), here translated as 'long hair' (長毛).