[76] "Bhikkhus, there are these five kinds of warriors found existing in the world. Which five? Here, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle. He strives and exerts himself in that battle, but as he strives and exerts himself, others slay him and finish him off. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the first kind of warrior found existing in the world.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior here, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle. He strives and exerts himself in that battle, but as he strives and exerts himself, others wound him; they carry him away, and having carried him away they bring him to his relatives. While he is being brought to his relatives, he dies along the way without reaching his relatives. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the second kind of warrior found existing in the world.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior here, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle. He strives and exerts himself in that battle, but as he strives and exerts himself, others wound him; they carry him away, and having carried him away they bring him to his relatives. His relatives attend upon him and nurse him, but while being attended upon and nursed by his relatives, he dies of that very affliction. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the third kind of warrior found existing in the world.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior here, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle. He strives and exerts himself in that battle, but as he strives and exerts himself, others wound him; they carry him away, and having carried him away they bring him to his relatives. His relatives attend upon him and nurse him, and while being attended upon and nursed by his relatives, he recovers from that affliction. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the fourth kind of warrior found existing in the world.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior here, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle. Having won that battle, victorious in battle, he dwells at the head of that same battlefield. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of warrior here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the fifth kind of warrior found existing in the world. These, bhikkhus, are the five kinds of warriors found existing in the world.
"Even so, bhikkhus, there are these five kinds of persons comparable to warriors found existing among the bhikkhus. Which five? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells in dependence upon a certain village or town. In the morning, having dressed and taking bowl and robe, he enters that same village or town for alms with body unguarded, with speech unguarded, with mind (citta) unguarded, with mindfulness (sati) unestablished, with faculties unrestrained. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or improperly clad. When he has seen the woman improperly dressed or improperly clad, lust assails his mind. With his mind assailed by lust, without renouncing the training and without disclosing his weakness, he engages in sexual intercourse. Just as, bhikkhus, that warrior, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle, and as he strives and exerts himself in that battle, others slay him and finish him off — such, bhikkhus, I declare, is the simile for this person. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of person here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the first person comparable to a warrior found existing among the bhikkhus.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells in dependence upon a certain village or town. In the morning, having dressed and taking bowl and robe, he enters that same village or town for alms with body unguarded, with speech unguarded, with mind unguarded, [with mindfulness unestablished, with faculties unrestrained; there he sees] a woman improperly dressed or improperly clad. When he has seen the woman improperly dressed or improperly clad, lust assails his mind. With his mind assailed by lust, he burns in body and burns in mind. It occurs to him: 'Suppose I were to go to the monastery and inform the bhikkhus: "Friends, I am impassioned with lust, overcome by lust; I am unable to continue the holy life. Having disclosed my weakness in the training and renounced the training, I shall return to the lower life."' Going toward the monastery, without reaching the monastery, along the way he discloses his weakness in the training, renounces the training, and returns to the lower life. Just as, bhikkhus, that warrior, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle, and as he strives and exerts himself in that battle, others wound him; they carry him away, and having carried him away they bring him to his relatives, and while being brought to his relatives he dies along the way without reaching his relatives — such, bhikkhus, I declare, is the simile for this person. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of person here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the second person comparable to a warrior found existing among the bhikkhus.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells in dependence upon a certain village or town. In the morning, having dressed and taking bowl and robe, he enters that same village or town for alms with body unguarded, with speech unguarded, with mind unguarded, with mindfulness unestablished, with faculties unrestrained. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or improperly clad. When he has seen the woman improperly dressed or improperly clad, lust assails his mind. With his mind assailed by lust, he burns in body and burns in mind. It occurs to him: 'Suppose I were to go to the monastery and inform the bhikkhus: "Friends, I am impassioned with lust, overcome by lust; I am unable to continue the holy life. Having disclosed my weakness in the training and renounced the training, I shall return to the lower life."' Having gone to the monastery, he informs the bhikkhus: 'Friends, I am impassioned with lust, overcome by lust; I am unable to continue the holy life. Having disclosed my weakness in the training and renounced the training, I shall return to the lower life.' His companions in the holy life exhort and instruct him: 'Sensual pleasures, friend, have been declared by the Blessed One to provide little gratification, much suffering (dukkha), and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a skeleton, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a piece of meat, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a grass torch, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a pit of glowing coals, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a dream, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like borrowed goods, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like the fruits of a tree, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a butcher's knife and block, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a sword stake, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a snake's head, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Let the venerable one delight in the holy life; let the venerable one not disclose his weakness in the training, renounce the training, and return to the lower life.' Being thus exhorted and thus instructed by his companions in the holy life, he says: 'Even though, friends, sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, while the danger in them is greater, still I am unable to continue the holy life. Having disclosed my weakness in the training and renounced the training, I shall return to the lower life.' Having disclosed his weakness in the training and renounced the training, he returns to the lower life. Just as, bhikkhus, that warrior, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle, and as he strives and exerts himself in that battle, others wound him; they carry him away, and having carried him away they bring him to his relatives; his relatives attend upon him and nurse him, and while being attended upon and nursed by his relatives, he dies of that very affliction — such, bhikkhus, I declare, is the simile for this person. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of person here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the third person comparable to a warrior found existing among the bhikkhus.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells in dependence upon a certain village or town. In the morning, having dressed and taking bowl and robe, he enters that same village or town for alms with body unguarded, with speech unguarded, with mind unguarded, with mindfulness unestablished, with faculties unrestrained. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or improperly clad. When he has seen the woman improperly dressed or improperly clad, lust assails his mind. With his mind assailed by lust, he burns in body and burns in mind. It occurs to him: 'Suppose I were to go to the monastery and inform the bhikkhus: "Friends, I am impassioned with lust, overcome by lust; I am unable to continue the holy life. Having disclosed my weakness in the training and renounced the training, I shall return to the lower life."' Having gone to the monastery, he informs the bhikkhus: 'Friends, I am impassioned with lust, overcome by lust; I am unable to continue the holy life. Having disclosed my weakness in the training and renounced the training, I shall return to the lower life.' His companions in the holy life exhort and instruct him: 'Sensual pleasures, friend, have been declared by the Blessed One to provide little gratification, much suffering, and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a skeleton, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a piece of meat … like a grass torch … like a pit of glowing coals … like a dream … like borrowed goods … like the fruits of a tree … like a butcher's knife and block … like a sword stake … Sensual pleasures have been declared by the Blessed One to be like a snake's head, providing much suffering and much despair, while the danger in them is greater. Let the venerable one delight in the holy life; let the venerable one not disclose his weakness in the training, renounce the training, and return to the lower life.' Being thus exhorted and thus instructed by his companions in the holy life, he says: 'I shall strive, friends; I shall hold on, friends; I shall delight, friends. Now I shall not disclose my weakness in the training, renounce the training, and return to the lower life.' Just as, bhikkhus, that warrior, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle, and as he strives and exerts himself in that battle, others wound him; they carry him away, and having carried him away they bring him to his relatives; his relatives attend upon him and nurse him, and while being attended upon and nursed by his relatives, he recovers from that affliction — such, bhikkhus, I declare, is the simile for this person. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of person here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the fourth person comparable to a warrior found existing among the bhikkhus.
"Furthermore, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu dwells in dependence upon a certain village or town. In the morning, having dressed and taking bowl and robe, he enters that same village or town for alms with body guarded, with speech guarded, with mind guarded, with mindfulness established, with faculties restrained. Having seen a form with the eye, he does not grasp at its signs and features; since, if he dwelt with the eye faculty unrestrained, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might flow in upon him, he practices for its restraint; he guards the eye faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the eye faculty. Having heard a sound with the ear … having smelled an odour with the nose … having tasted a flavour with the tongue … having touched a tangible with the body … having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, he does not grasp at its signs and features; since, if he dwelt with the mind faculty unrestrained, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might flow in upon him, he practices for its restraint; he guards the mind faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the mind faculty. After the meal, returned from his alms round, he resorts to a secluded lodging: a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a gorge, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, the open air, a heap of straw. Gone to the forest, to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut, he sits down, folding his legs crosswise, setting his body erect, and establishing mindfulness before him. Having abandoned covetousness for the world … Having abandoned these five hindrances (nīvaraṇa), corruptions of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures … he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna. When his mind is thus concentrated, purified, cleansed, unblemished, rid of defilement, become malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs his mind to the knowledge (ñāṇa) of the destruction of the taints (āsava). He understands as it really is (yathābhūta): 'This is suffering' … he understands: '… there is no more of this state of being.' Just as, bhikkhus, that warrior, taking up sword and shield and girding on bow and quiver, plunges into the thick of a battle, and having won that battle, victorious in battle, he dwells at the head of that same battlefield — such, bhikkhus, I declare, is the simile for this person. There is, bhikkhus, one kind of person here of such a sort. This, bhikkhus, is the fifth person comparable to a warrior found existing among the bhikkhus. These, bhikkhus, are the five persons comparable to warriors found existing among the bhikkhus."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.