3. The Border Town （三）城喻经（初一日诵）

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying at the Jeta Grove Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus: "Just as a border city of a king is equipped with seven things, and the four kinds of food are abundant and easy to obtain, therefore the king's city is not broken by external enemies, except for internal destruction.

What are the seven things that the king's border city is equipped with? It means that the king's border city builds watchtowers and fortifications, making them firm and indestructible, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the first thing that the king's city is equipped with. Furthermore, it is like the king's border city digging moats, making them extremely deep and wide, and preparing them for reliance, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the second thing that the king's city is equipped with. Furthermore, it is like the king's border city having roads all around, opening them up and leveling them, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the third thing that the king's city is equipped with. Furthermore, it is like the king's border city gathering the four kinds of military forces: elephant troops, cavalry, chariot troops, and infantry, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the fourth thing that the king's city is equipped with. Furthermore, it is like the king's border city preparing military equipment such as bows, arrows, spears, and halberds, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the fifth thing that the king's city is equipped with. Furthermore, it is like the king's border city establishing a gatekeeper general who is wise, intelligent, brave, and resourceful, allowing what is good to enter and forbidding what is not good, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the sixth thing that the king's city is equipped with. Furthermore, it is like the king's border city building high walls, making them extremely strong, plastering them with mud and whitewash, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the seventh thing that the king's city is equipped with.

What are the four kinds of food that are abundant and easy to obtain in the king's city? It means that the king's border city has abundant water, grass, firewood, and timber, prepared for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the first kind of food that is abundant and easy to obtain in the king's city. Furthermore, it is like the king's border city harvesting a lot of rice and storing wheat, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the second kind of food that is abundant and easy to obtain in the king's city. Furthermore, it is like the king's border city accumulating a lot of beans, both large and small, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the third kind of food that is abundant and easy to obtain in the king's city. Furthermore, it is like the king's border city storing butter, oil, honey, sugarcane, dried meat, fish, salt, and dried meat, all in abundance, for the sake of internal peace and to restrain external enemies. This is called the fourth kind of food that is abundant and easy to obtain in the king's city. In this way, the king's city is equipped with seven things and has four kinds of food that are abundant and easy to obtain. It is not broken by external enemies, except for internal destruction.

In the same way, if a noble disciple also attains the seven good dharmas and the four kinds of supreme concentration, it is easy and not difficult to obtain. Therefore, a noble disciple is not taken advantage of by Māra, the Evil One, does not follow unwholesome dharmas, is not defiled by defilements, and will not be reborn again.

What are the seven good dharmas attained by the noble disciple? It means that the noble disciple attains firm faith, deeply attached to the Tathāgata, with the faculty of faith already established, never following other śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, gods, demons, Brahmā, or any other worldly beings. This is called the first good dharma attained by the noble disciple. Furthermore, the noble disciple always practices shame, knowing what is shameful, and the defiled afflictions of evil and unwholesome dharmas, which bring about all kinds of evil consequences and are the basis for birth and death. This is called the second good dharma attained by the noble disciple. Furthermore, the noble disciple always practices modesty, knowing what is modest, and the defiled afflictions of evil and unwholesome dharmas, which bring about all kinds of evil consequences and are the basis for birth and death. This is called the third good dharma attained by the noble disciple. Furthermore, the noble disciple always practices diligence, abandoning evil and unwholesome dharmas, cultivating all wholesome dharmas, always arousing the mind, single-mindedly firm, for the sake of all wholesome roots, not abandoning skillful means. This is called the fourth good dharma attained by the noble disciple. Furthermore, the noble disciple extensively studies and memorizes, guarding and not forgetting, accumulating extensive learning, namely the Dharma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with meaning and expression, fully pure, manifesting the holy life. Thus, with regard to these dharmas, one extensively studies and memorizes, mastering them up to a thousand times, contemplating them with the mind, clearly seeing and deeply penetrating them. This is called the fifth good dharma attained by the noble disciple. Furthermore, the noble disciple always practices mindfulness, accomplishing right mindfulness, remembering for a long time what has been practiced and heard before, never forgetting it. This is called the sixth good dharma attained by the noble disciple. Furthermore, the noble disciple cultivates wisdom, observing the dharmas of arising and ceasing, attaining such wisdom, with the illumination of noble wisdom, discerning and understanding, with right ending of suffering. This is called the seventh good dharma attained by the noble disciple.

How does a noble disciple attain the four kinds of supreme concentration, which are easy and not difficult to obtain? It means that the noble disciple, having abandoned desire and evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, attains the joy and bliss born of seclusion, and dwells having attained the first concentration. This is called the first kind of supreme concentration attained by the noble disciple, which is easy and not difficult to obtain. Furthermore, the noble disciple, having abandoned initial and sustained thought, with inner tranquility and one-pointedness of mind, without initial and sustained thought, attains the joy and bliss born of concentration, and dwells having attained the second concentration. This is called the second kind of supreme concentration attained by the noble disciple, which is easy and not difficult to obtain. Furthermore, the noble disciple, having abandoned joy, with detachment, attains equanimity, mindfulness, and clear comprehension, and dwells in bliss, which the noble ones declare, having attained the bliss of equanimity, and dwells having attained the third concentration. This is called the third kind of supreme concentration attained by the noble disciple, which is easy and not difficult to obtain. Furthermore, the noble disciple, having abandoned pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and displeasure, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness, attains the fourth concentration and dwells having attained it. This is called the fourth kind of supreme concentration attained by the noble disciple, which is easy and not difficult to obtain.

Thus, the noble disciple attains the seven good dharmas and attains the four kinds of supreme concentration, which are easy and not difficult to obtain. He is not an easy target for Māra, the Evil One, nor does he follow evil and unwholesome dharmas, nor is he defiled by defilements. He will not be reborn again. It is like a king's border city, where watchtowers are built and the ground is made firm and unbreakable, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple attains firm faith, deeply attached to the Tathāgata, with the faculty of faith already established, never following other śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, gods, demons, Brahmā, or any other worldly beings. This is called the noble disciple attaining the watchtower of faith, abandoning evil and unwholesome dharmas and cultivating all wholesome dharmas.

It is like a king's border city, where moats are dug and made extremely deep and wide, well-prepared and reliable, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple always practices shame, knowing what is shameful. Evil and unwholesome dharmas defile and afflict, leading to all kinds of evil consequences and creating the basis for birth and death. This is called the noble disciple attaining the moat of shame, abandoning evil and unwholesome dharmas and cultivating all wholesome dharmas.

It is like a king's border city, where roads are built all around, opened and leveled, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple always practices modesty, knowing what is modest. Evil and unwholesome dharmas defile and afflict, leading to all kinds of evil consequences and creating the basis for birth and death. This is called the noble disciple attaining the level road of modesty, abandoning evil and unwholesome dharmas and cultivating all wholesome dharmas.

It is like a king's border city, where the four divisions of the army - the elephant division, cavalry, chariot division, and infantry - are assembled, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple always practices diligence, abandoning evil and unwholesome dharmas and cultivating all wholesome dharmas. He always arouses his mind, single-mindedly and firmly, for the sake of all wholesome roots, not abandoning skillful means. This is called the noble disciple attaining the strength of the army of diligence, abandoning evil and unwholesome dharmas and cultivating all wholesome dharmas.

It is like a king's border city, where military equipment such as bows, arrows, spears, and halberds are prepared, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple extensively studies and memorizes, guarding and not forgetting, accumulating extensive learning. As for the Dharma, it is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with meaning and words, complete and pure, manifesting the holy life. Such dharmas are extensively studied and memorized, practiced and mastered a thousand times, contemplated and observed with the mind, clearly seen and deeply understood. This is called the noble disciple attaining the military equipment of extensive learning, abandoning evil and unwholesome dharmas and cultivating all wholesome dharmas.

It is like a king's border city, where a gatekeeper general is appointed, who is wise, intelligent, brave, and resourceful, allowing entry for what is good and preventing what is not good, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple always practices mindfulness, accomplishing right mindfulness. For a long time, he has practiced and heard, always remembering without forgetting. This is called the noble disciple attaining the gatekeeper general of mindfulness, abandoning evil and unwholesome dharmas and cultivating all wholesome dharmas.

It is like a king's border city, where a high wall is built, made extremely solid, plastered with mud and whitewash, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple cultivates wisdom, observing the Dharma of arising and ceasing. Attaining such wisdom, with the illumination of noble wisdom, discerning and understanding, he fully ends suffering. This is called the noble disciple attaining the wall of wisdom, abandoning evil and unwholesome dharmas and cultivating all wholesome dharmas.

It is like a king's border city, where water, grass, firewood, and timber are prepared in advance, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple, apart from desire and evil and unwholesome dharmas, with initial and sustained thought, attains the joy and bliss born of seclusion, and dwells in the first concentration, accomplished and fully endowed. He dwells happily, without want, peaceful and blissful, attaining nirvana by himself.

It is like a king's border city, where rice is harvested and wheat stored in abundance, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple, with initial and sustained thought ceased, internally tranquil, with single-minded concentration, without initial or sustained thought, with concentration born of seclusion, attains joy and bliss, and dwells in the second concentration, accomplished and fully endowed. He dwells happily, without want, peaceful and blissful, attaining nirvana by himself.

It is like a king's border city, where lentils and beans are stored in abundance, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple, apart from the desire for joy, dwells without seeking, with right mindfulness and right knowledge, and experiences bodily bliss, which is said to be the bliss of the noble ones, the bliss of the noble ones' relinquishment, the bliss of mindfulness, the bliss of dwelling in emptiness, and attains the third concentration, accomplished and fully endowed. He dwells happily, without want, peaceful and blissful, attaining nirvana by himself.

It is like a king's border city, where butter, oil, honey, sugarcane, fish, salt, and dried meat are stored in abundance, for the sake of inner peace and to control external enemies. Thus, the noble disciple, with the cessation of pleasure and pain, and the earlier disappearance of joy and grief, attains the fourth concentration, which is neither painful nor pleasant and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness, accomplished and fully endowed. He dwells happily, without want, peaceful and blissful, attaining nirvana by himself.

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced them.