laypeople attaining
https://ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Dhamma-Verses-Comm/01-01.htm
Dhammapada Aṭṭhakathā
1. The Chapter about the Pairs
Yamakavagga
1.1 The Story about the Elder Cakkhupāla
Cakkhupālattheravatthu
Mind precedes thoughts, mind is their chief, {1.3} [28.146]
their quality is made by mind,
if with base mind one speaks or acts
through that suffering follows one
like a wheel follows ox’s foot.Where was this Dhamma teaching given? At Sāvatthī. With reference to whom? The Elder Cakkhupāla.
[…]not a single day had Anāthapiṇḍika asked the Teacher a question. Anāthapiṇḍika, we are told, refrained from asking questions by reason of his excessive love for the Teacher. He thought to himself: “The Realised One is a delicate Buddha, a delicate prince. Were the Teacher, because of the thought: ‘This householder is my supporter,’ to teach the Dhamma to me, he would grow weary.” Therefore he asked the Teacher no questions. But so soon as Anāthapiṇḍika took his seat, the Teacher thought to himself: “This merchant protects me where I have no need to be protected. For I spent four immeasurables and 100,000 aeons of time in addition fulfilling the perfections. My own gloriously adorned head have I cut off; my eyes have I torn out; my heart’s flesh have I uprooted; both son and wife, dear to me as life, have I renounced, solely that I might teach the Dhamma to others. This man protects me where I have no need to be protected.” And straightaway he taught a sermon on the Dhamma.
At this time seventy million people dwelt in Sāvatthī. Of these, fifty million became noble disciples after hearing the discourse of the Teacher, but twenty million remained unattained. The noble disciples had two duties: before breakfast they gave alms; after breakfast, bearing perfumes and garlands in their hands, with [28.148] servants bearing garments, medicaments, and beverages, they went to hear the Dhamma.
Now one day Mahā Pāla saw the noble disciples going to the monastery with perfumes and garlands in their hands. {1.6} When he saw them, he asked: “Where is this great throng going?” – “To hear the Dhamma.” – “I will go too,” he said. So he went, worshipped the Teacher, and sat down in the outer circle of the congregation.
[…]
- Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā,
manasā ce paduṭṭhena bhāsati vā karoti vā,
tato naṁ dukkham-anveti cakkaṁ va vahato padaṁ.Mind precedes thoughts, mind is their chief,
their quality is made by mind,
if with base mind one speaks or acts
through that, suffering follows one
like a wheel follows ox’s foot.At the end of the verse 30,000 bhikkhus became Arahats with the analytic knowledges. This teaching that instilled fear was of benefit and fruitful to those assembled