At one time, the Blessed One was staying among the |Sumbhans::name of the people of Sumbha [sumbha]|, in a town of the Sumbhans named |Sedaka::name of a town in Sumbha [sedaka]|. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus:
“Once in the past, bhikkhus, an acrobat set up his |acrobatic pole::lit. play bamboo [caṇḍālavaṃsa]| and addressed his apprentice Medakathālika thus: ‘Come, friend Medakathālikā, climb up the acrobatic pole and stand on my upper shoulder.’
‘Yes, teacher,’ having agreed, the apprentice Medakathālikā climbed up the acrobatic pole and stood on the teacher’s upper shoulder.
Then, bhikkhus, the acrobat said this to the apprentice Medakathālikā: ‘Friend Medakathālikā, you |protect::watch over [rakkha]| me, and I will protect you. In this way, guarded and protected by one another, we will display our skills, gain our livelihood, and descend safely from the pole.’
When this was said, bhikkhus, the apprentice Medakathālikā said this to the acrobat: ‘That’s not the way to do it, teacher. You protect yourself, teacher, and I’ll protect myself. Thus, each self-guarded and self-protected, we will display our skills, gain our livelihood, and descend safely from the pole.’”
“This is the method here,” the Blessed One said. “It is just as the apprentice Medakathālikā said to the teacher. Thinking ‘I will protect myself,’ bhikkhus, one should cultivate the establishments of mindfulness. Thinking ‘I will protect others,’ bhikkhus, one should cultivate the establishments of mindfulness. Protecting oneself, bhikkhus, one protects others; protecting others, one protects oneself. [1]
And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By diligent practicing of, cultivation of, and zealous application of [the four establishments of mindfulness]—it is in this way that by protecting oneself, one protects others. And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By |patience::acceptance, receptivity in emotional or interpersonal contexts [khantī]|, by |non-violence::non-cruelty, non-harm [avihiṃsā]|, with a |mind of loving-kindness::mind of benevolence, friendly heart [mettacitta]|, and compassion—it is in this way that by protecting others, one protects oneself.
Thinking ‘I will protect myself,’ bhikkhus, one should cultivate the establishments of mindfulness. Thinking ‘I will protect others,’ one should cultivate the establishments of mindfulness.”
Per Spk [1], the bhikkhu who gives up frivolous activity and pursues, develops, and cultivates his basic meditation subject day and night attains arahantship. Then, when others see him and gain confidence in him, they become destined for heaven. This one protects others by protecting himself.