Monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen attaining

General Theravada topics
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Mahāvacchagotta Sutta (MN 73): Greater Discourse to Vacchagotta
(Ñāṇamoli & Bodhi, )

8. “Apart from Master Gotama and the bhikkhus, is there any one bhikkhunī, Master Gotama’s disciple, who by realising for herself with direct knowledge here and now enters upon and abides in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints?”

“There are not only one hundred… or five hundred, but far more bhikkhunīs, my disciples, who by realising for themselves with direct knowledge here and now enter upon and abide in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints.”

9. “Apart from Master Gotama and the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, is there any one man lay follower, Master Gotama’s disciple, clothed in white leading a life of celibacy, who, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, will reappear spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world?”

“There are not only one hundred… or five hundred, but far more men lay followers, my disciples, clothed in white leading lives of celibacy, who, with the destruction of the five lower fetters, will reappear spontaneously [in the Pure Abodes] and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.”

10. “Apart from Master Gotama, the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, and the men lay followers clothed in white leading lives of celibacy, is there any one man lay follower, Master Gotama’s disciple, clothed in white enjoying sensual pleasures, who carries out his instruction, responds to his advice, has gone beyond doubt, become free from perplexity, gained intrepidity, and become independent of others in the Teacher’s Dispensation?”

“There are not only one hundred… or five hundred, but far more men lay followers, my disciples, clothed in white enjoying sensual pleasures, who carry out my instruction, respond to my advice, have gone beyond doubt, become free from perplexity, gained intrepidity, and become independent of others in the Teacher’s Dispensation.”

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Note in the sutta above that some laymen and laywomen disciples were chaste while some enjoyed pleasures of the senses…
Another sutta enjoined some laypeople to strive for seclusion:

Pītisutta
AN 5.176
176 (6) Rapture Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika, accompanied by five hundred lay followers, approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika [and his retinue]: “Householders, you have presented robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. You should not be content merely with this much, [thinking]: ‘We have presented robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.’ Therefore, householders, you should train yourselves thus: [207] ‘How can we from time to time enter and dwell in the rapture of solitude?’ [bodhi notes that according to MP this is the rapture that arises based on the first and second jhanas] It is in such a way that you should train yourselves.”

When this was said, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One: “It’s astounding and amazing, Bhante, how well that was said by the Blessed One. Bhante, whenever a noble disciple enters and dwells in the rapture of solitude, on that occasion five things do not occur in him. (1) Pain and dejection connected with sensuality do not occur in him. (2) Pleasure and joy connected with sensuality do not occur in him. (3) Pain and dejection connected with the unwholesome do not occur in him. (4) Pleasure and joy connected with the unwholesome do not occur in him. (5) Pain and dejection connected with the wholesome do not occur in him. Bhante, whenever a noble disciple enters and dwells in the rapture of solitude, on that occasion these five things do not occur in him.”

It should also be noted that the sutta says “noble disciples”, ariyasāvako, this usually this refers to those who have an attainment, (such as Anathapindika).

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Thank you for posting this sutta.
So, lay people should also try to attain Jhana even if they may have a job and other responsibilities. It’s definitely possible.

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In the sutta the laypeople were ariyasavaka so it would be easier for them.

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I remember a wheel turning monarch also attaining jhana as a layman.

Then King Mahāsudassana thought, ‘Of what deed of mine is this the fruit and result, that I am now so mighty and powerful?’

Then King Mahāsudassana thought, ‘It is the fruit and result of three kinds of deeds: giving, self-control, and restraint.’

Then he went to the great foyer, stood at the door, and expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Stop here, sensual, malicious, and cruel thoughts—no further!’

Then he entered the great foyer and sat on the golden couch. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, he entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, he entered and remained in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. And with the fading away of rapture, he entered and remained in the third absorption, where he meditated with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’ With the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the ending of former happiness and sadness, he entered and remained in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.

Then King Mahāsudassana left the great foyer and entered the golden chamber, where he sat on the golden couch. He meditated spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way he spread a heart full of love above, below, across, everywhere, all around, to everyone in the world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. He meditated spreading a heart full of compassion … He meditated spreading a heart full of rejoicing … He meditated spreading a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, he spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

When he passed away King Mahāsudassana was reborn in a good place, a realm of divinity. Ānanda, King Mahāsudassana played children’s games for 84,000 years. He ruled as viceroy for 84,000 years. He ruled as king for 84,000 years. He led the spiritual life as a layman in the Palace of Principle for 84,000 years. And having developed the four divine meditations, when his body broke up, after death, he was reborn in a good place, a realm of divinity.
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If, for some reason, I don’t end up ordaining as a monk, I’d like to at least lead the spiritual life as a layman.

Mine were the 84,000 cities, with the royal capital of Kusāvatī foremost. And mine were all the other possessions.

Of those 84,000 cities, I only stayed in one, the capital Kusāvatī. Of those 84,000 mansions, I only dwelt in one, the Palace of Principle. Of those 84,000 chambers, I only dwelt in the great foyer. Of those 84,000 couches, I only used one, made of gold or silver or ivory or heartwood. Of those 84,000 bull elephants, I only rode one, the royal bull elephant named Sabbath. Of those 84,000 horses, I only rode one, the royal horse named Thundercloud. Of those 84,000 chariots, I only rode one, the chariot named Triumph. Of those 84,000 women, I was only served by one, a maiden of the aristocratic or peasant classes. Of those 8,400,000,000 cloths, I only wore one pair, made of fine linen, cotton, silk, or wool. Of those 84,000 servings of food, I only had one, eating at most a cup of rice with suitable sauce.

He practiced renunciation even as a king.