Disciples, when a king's frontier city is well fortified with seven kinds of fortifications, and it has easy access to the four kinds of food, it is said to be a city that cannot be conquered by external enemies or adversaries.
Furthermore in the king's frontier city, there are many troops residing, such as elephant riders, horse riders, charioteers, archers, soldiers, warriors, and brave fighters.
Furthermore in the king's frontier city, there is a wise, skilled, and intelligent gatekeeper who prevents the entry of strangers and allows the entry of known persons.
Here in the frontier city of a king, there is an abundance of grass, wood, and water stored for the enjoyment and comfort of the inhabitants, and for the repulsion of outsiders.
Furthermore in the frontier city of a king, there is an abundance of rice and barley stored for the enjoyment and comfort of the inhabitants, and for the repulsion of outsiders.
Furthermore in the frontier city of a king, there is an abundance of sesame, mung beans, and other grains stored for the enjoyment and comfort of the inhabitants, and for the repulsion of outsiders.
Furthermore in the frontier city of a king, there is an abundance of medicines stored, such as ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, molasses, and salt, for the enjoyment and comfort of the inhabitants, and for the repulsion of outsiders.
When the frontier city of a king is well protected with these seven fortifications, and one obtains these four types of sustenance at will, without difficulty, and without trouble, it is said that the frontier city of a king is invulnerable to external enemies and adversaries.
In the same way when a noble disciple is endowed with seven true qualities and obtains the four jhānas, the contemplative absorptions, at will, without difficulty, and without trouble, it is said that the noble disciple is invulnerable to Māra, invulnerable to the evil one.
Just as in the frontier city of a king, there is a deep, well-founded, immovable, and unshakable pillar for the protection of the inhabitants and the repulsion of outsiders, in the same way a noble disciple is faithful, having faith in the enlightenment of the Tathāgata: Thus indeed, the Blessed One is... a Tathāgata.
A noble disciple, endowed with faith, abandons the unwholesome and cultivates the wholesome; abandons the blameworthy and cultivates the blameless; keeps oneself pure.
In the same way a noble disciple is endowed with a sense of shame; he feels shame regarding misconduct of body, speech, and mind, and feels shame at the attainment of unskillful, unwholesome states.
With the protection of shame a noble disciple abandons the unwholesome and cultivates the wholesome; he abandons what is blameworthy and cultivates what is blameless; he maintains himself in purity.
In the same way a noble disciple is endowed with a sense of fear; he fears misconduct of body, speech, and mind, and fears the attainment of unskillful, unwholesome states.
With the path of fear a noble disciple abandons the unwholesome and cultivates the wholesome; he abandons what is blameworthy and cultivates what is blameless; he maintains himself in purity.
Just as in a frontier city of a king, there is a great accumulation of weapons, both sharp and blunt, for the protection of those within and the repulsion of those outside.
In the same way a noble disciple is learned... and has penetrated the view well.
With the weapon of learning a noble disciple abandons the unwholesome and cultivates the wholesome; he abandons what is blameworthy and cultivates what is blameless; maintains purity of self.
Thus, he is endowed with this fourth true teaching. Just as in a frontier city of a king, there is a great accumulation of grass, wood, and water for the enjoyment, non-distress, and comfortable living of those inside, and for the repulsion of those outside. In the same way a noble disciple, secluded from sensual pleasures, enters and dwells in the first jhāna, experiencing joy and ease, without distress, for the attainment of Nibbāna.
Just as in a frontier city of a king, there is a great accumulation of rice and barley for the enjoyment, non-distress, and comfortable living of those inside, and for the repulsion of those outside. In the same way a noble disciple, with the subsiding of directed and sustained attention, enters and dwells in the second jhāna, experiencing joy and ease, without distress, for the attainment of Nibbāna.
Just as in a frontier city of a king, there is a great accumulation of sesame, mung beans, and other grains for the enjoyment, non-distress, and comfortable living of those inside, and for the repulsion of those outside.
In the same way a noble disciple, with the fading away of pīti, enters and dwells in the third jhāna, experiencing equanimity and mindfulness, without distress, for the attainment of Nibbāna.
Just as in a frontier city of a king, there is a great accumulation of medicines, such as ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, molasses, and salt, for the enjoyment, non-distress, and comfortable living of those inside, and for the repulsion of those outside.
Thus a noble disciple, having abandoned pleasure and pain, and with the prior cessation of joy and sorrow, enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is beyond pleasure and pain, and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness.
He becomes one who easily attains these four jhānas, which are higher states of consciousness and provide a pleasant abiding in the present life, without difficulty or trouble.
When a noble disciple is endowed with these seven true qualities and easily attains these four jhānas, which are higher states of consciousness and provide a pleasant abiding in the present life, without difficulty or trouble, he is called a noble disciple who is beyond the reach of Māra, beyond the reach of the evil one.
Tatiyaṁ.
This is the third.
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