5.
The Discourse on a Sword
227.
He was dwelling at Sāvatthī, etc.
"Just as, monks, a spear with a sharp blade.
Then a man might come along -
'I will bend back this spear with a sharp blade with my hand or with my fist, I will beat it back, I will roll it back.'
What do you think, monks, is that man able to bend back that spear with a sharp blade with his hand or with his fist, to beat it back, to roll it back?"
"No, Venerable Sir."
"What is the reason for this?"
"Because, Venerable Sir, that spear with a sharp blade is not easy to bend back with the hand or with the fist, to beat back, to roll back.
That man would only become a partaker of weariness and vexation."
"So too, monks, for whatever monk the liberation of mind through friendliness has been developed, cultivated, mastered, made a basis of, practised, accumulated, and thoroughly undertaken, if a spirit should think to overthrow his mind; then that very spirit would become a partaker of weariness and vexation. Therefore, monks, you should train thus - 'The liberation of mind through friendliness will be developed by us, cultivated, mastered, made a basis of, practised, accumulated, and thoroughly undertaken.' Thus indeed, monks, should you train." The fifth.