The Buddha uses the analogy of a sharp-bladed spear that cannot be easily grasped, twisted, or rolled back to illustrate the power of loving-kindness in protecting the mind from agitation by non-human beings.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, satti tiṇhaphalā. Atha puriso āgaccheyya: ‘ahaṁ imaṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇissāmi paṭikoṭṭissāmi paṭivaṭṭessāmī’ti.
“Bhikkhus, suppose there were a spear with a sharp blade. Then a man might come along and say, ‘I will grasp this sharp-bladed spear with my hand or fist, bend it back, twist it out of shape, and roll it back.’
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, bhabbo nu kho so puriso amuṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetun”ti?
What do you think, bhikkhus? Would that man be able to grasp, twist, or roll back that sharp-bladed spear with his hand or fist?”
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, venerable sir.”
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
“For what reason?”
“Asu hi, bhante, satti tiṇhaphalā na sukarā pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetuṁ. Yāvadeva ca pana so puriso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.
“Because, venerable sir, the sharp-bladed spear cannot easily be grasped, twisted, or rolled back with the hand or fist. And moreover, the only result for that man would be |weariness::fatigue, tiredness [kilamatha]| and |vexation::affliction, irritation [vighāta]|.”
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā, tassa ce amanusso cittaṁ khipitabbaṁ maññeyya; atha kho sveva amanusso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.
“In the same way, bhikkhus, if any bhikkhu has developed, practiced often, made a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, consolidated, and |resolutely undertaken::fully engaged with, energetically taken up [susamāraddha]| the |release of mind::mental liberation, emancipation of heart, a meditation attainment [cetovimutti]| through loving-kindness, and a |non-human being::deity, god, daemon, ghost [amanussa]| were to think, ‘I will agitate this bhikkhu’s mind,’ that non-human being would only end up weary and distressed.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘Our |release of mind::mental liberation, emancipation of heart, a meditation attainment [cetovimutti]| through loving-kindness will be developed, practiced often, made a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, consolidated, and |resolutely undertaken::fully engaged with, energetically taken up [susamāraddha]|.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”
At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, suppose there were a spear with a sharp blade. Then a man might come along and say, ‘I will grasp this sharp-bladed spear with my hand or fist, bend it back, twist it out of shape, and roll it back.’
What do you think, bhikkhus? Would that man be able to grasp, twist, or roll back that sharp-bladed spear with his hand or fist?”
“No, venerable sir.”
“For what reason?”
“Because, venerable sir, the sharp-bladed spear cannot easily be grasped, twisted, or rolled back with the hand or fist. And moreover, the only result for that man would be |weariness::fatigue, tiredness [kilamatha]| and |vexation::affliction, irritation [vighāta]|.”
“In the same way, bhikkhus, if any bhikkhu has developed, practiced often, made a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, consolidated, and |resolutely undertaken::fully engaged with, energetically taken up [susamāraddha]| the |release of mind::mental liberation, emancipation of heart, a meditation attainment [cetovimutti]| through loving-kindness, and a |non-human being::deity, god, daemon, ghost [amanussa]| were to think, ‘I will agitate this bhikkhu’s mind,’ that non-human being would only end up weary and distressed.
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘Our |release of mind::mental liberation, emancipation of heart, a meditation attainment [cetovimutti]| through loving-kindness will be developed, practiced often, made a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, consolidated, and |resolutely undertaken::fully engaged with, energetically taken up [susamāraddha]|.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, satti tiṇhaphalā. Atha puriso āgaccheyya: ‘ahaṁ imaṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇissāmi paṭikoṭṭissāmi paṭivaṭṭessāmī’ti.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, bhabbo nu kho so puriso amuṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetun”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
“Asu hi, bhante, satti tiṇhaphalā na sukarā pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetuṁ. Yāvadeva ca pana so puriso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā, tassa ce amanusso cittaṁ khipitabbaṁ maññeyya; atha kho sveva amanusso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.
