Numbered Discourses 5.71

8. Warriors

Freedom of Heart is the Fruit (1st)

“Bhikkhus, these five things, when developed and cultivated, have freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom as their fruit and benefit.

What five? A bhikkhu meditates watching, again and again, the ugliness of the body, perceives the repulsiveness of food, perceives non-obsession with the whole world, observes the impermanence of all conditions, and has well established the perception of their own death. These five things, when developed and cultivated, have freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom as their fruit and benefit. When a bhikkhu has freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, they’re called a bhikkhu who has lifted up the cross-bar, filled in the trench, and pulled up the pillar; they’re unbarred, a noble one with banner and burden put down, detached.

And how has a bhikkhu lifted the cross-bar? It’s when a bhikkhu has given up ignorance, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s how a bhikkhu has lifted the cross-bar.

And how has a bhikkhu filled in the trench? It’s when a bhikkhu has given up transmigrating through births in future lives, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s how a bhikkhu has filled in the trench.

And how has a bhikkhu pulled up the pillar? It’s when a bhikkhu has given up craving, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s how a bhikkhu has pulled up the pillar.

And how is a bhikkhu unbarred? It’s when a bhikkhu has given up the five lower fetters, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them, so they’re unable to arise in the future. That’s how a bhikkhu is unbarred.

And how is a bhikkhu a noble one with banner and burden put down, detached? It’s when a bhikkhu has given up the conceit ‘I am’, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s how a bhikkhu is a noble one with banner and burden put down, detached.”