[573] Bhikkhus, possessing three factors, a professional warrior is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned simply as a limb of a king. What three? Here, bhikkhus, a warrior is a long-distance shooter, a shooter who does not miss, and one who shatters a great body. Possessing these three factors, bhikkhus, a professional warrior is worthy of a king, fit for a king's use, and is reckoned simply as a limb of a king.
In just the same way, bhikkhus, possessing three qualities, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts … an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. What three? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is a long-distance shooter, a shooter who does not miss, and one who shatters a great body.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu a long-distance shooter? Here, bhikkhus, whatever form (rūpa) there is — past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near — a bhikkhu sees all form as it really is (yathābhūta) with correct wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Whatever feeling (vedanā) there is — past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near — he sees all feeling as it really is with correct wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Whatever perception (saññā) there is — past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near — he sees all perception as it really is with correct wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Whatever volitional formations (saṅkhārā) there are — past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near — he sees all volitional formations as they really are with correct wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Whatever consciousness (viññāṇa) there is — past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near — he sees all consciousness as it really is with correct wisdom thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is a long-distance shooter.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu a shooter who does not miss? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: 'This is suffering (dukkha)'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the origin of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; he understands as it really is: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is a shooter who does not miss.
And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu one who shatters a great body? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu shatters the great mass of ignorance (avijjā). It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is one who shatters a great body.
Possessing these three qualities, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is worthy of gifts … an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.