And how is a mendicant’s mind well consolidated by heart? The mind is well consolidated by heart when they know: ‘My mind is without greed.’ … ‘My mind is without hate.’ … ‘My mind is without delusion.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become greedy.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become hateful.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to become deluded.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to rebirth in the sensual realm.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to rebirth in the realm of luminous form.’ … ‘My mind is not liable to return to rebirth in the formless realm.’

When a mendicant’s mind is rightly freed like this, even if compelling sights come into the range of vision they don’t occupy their mind. Their mind is quite untainted. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.

Suppose there was a stone post, sixteen feet long. Eight feet were buried underground, and eight above ground. And violent storms were to blow up out of the east, the west, the north, and the south. They couldn’t make it tremor and tremble and quake. Why is that? It’s because that stone post is firmly embedded, with deep foundations. In the same way, when a mendicant’s mind is rightly freed like this, even if compelling sights come into the range of vision they don’t occupy their mind. Their mind is quite untainted. It is steady, imperturbable, observing disappearance.