The Buddha uses the analogy of a household that is hard to overpower by thieves and burglars to illustrate the importance of developing and cultivating loving-kindness.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici kulāni bahutthikāni appapurisāni tāni suppadhaṁsiyāni honti corehi kumbhatthenakehi; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti abhāvitā abahulīkatā so suppadhaṁsiyo hoti amanussehi. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici kulāni appitthikāni bahupurisāni tāni duppadhaṁsiyāni honti corehi kumbhatthenakehi; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā so duppadhaṁsiyo hoti amanussehi.
“Bhikkhus, just as households with many women but few men are easily overwhelmed by thieves and burglars, so too, a bhikkhu whose |release of mind::mental liberation, emancipation of heart, a meditation attainment [cetovimutti]| through loving-kindness is undeveloped and uncultivated is easily overwhelmed by |non-human beings::deity, god, daemon, ghost [amanussa]|. Conversely, just as households with few women but many men are hard to overcome by thieves and burglars, so too, a bhikkhu whose release of mind through loving-kindness is well-developed and cultivated is hard to overcome by non-human beings.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘Our release of mind through loving-kindness will be developed, practiced often, made a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, nurtured, and |resolutely undertaken::fully engaged with, energetically taken up [susamāraddha]|.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”
At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, just as households with many women but few men are easily overwhelmed by thieves and burglars, so too, a bhikkhu whose |release of mind::mental liberation, emancipation of heart, a meditation attainment [cetovimutti]| through loving-kindness is undeveloped and uncultivated is easily overwhelmed by |non-human beings::deity, god, daemon, ghost [amanussa]|. Conversely, just as households with few women but many men are hard to overcome by thieves and burglars, so too, a bhikkhu whose release of mind through loving-kindness is well-developed and cultivated is hard to overcome by non-human beings.
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘Our release of mind through loving-kindness will be developed, practiced often, made a vehicle, made a basis, firmly established, nurtured, and |resolutely undertaken::fully engaged with, energetically taken up [susamāraddha]|.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici kulāni bahutthikāni appapurisāni tāni suppadhaṁsiyāni honti corehi kumbhatthenakehi; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti abhāvitā abahulīkatā so suppadhaṁsiyo hoti amanussehi. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici kulāni appitthikāni bahupurisāni tāni duppadhaṁsiyāni honti corehi kumbhatthenakehi; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā so duppadhaṁsiyo hoti amanussehi.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.