1“Mendicants, when a mendicant has three qualities they’re full of joy and happiness in the present life, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements. What three?

They guard the sense doors, eat in moderation, and are committed to wakefulness.

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2And how does a mendicant guard the sense doors?

When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, they don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of desire and aversion would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint.

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When they hear a sound with their ears …

When they smell an odor with their nose …

When they taste a flavor with their tongue …

When they feel a touch with their body …

When they know a thought with their mind, they don’t get caught up in the features and details. If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of desire and aversion would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint.

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Suppose a chariot stood harnessed to thoroughbreds at a level crossroads, with a goad ready. Then a deft horse trainer, a master charioteer, might mount the chariot, taking the reins in his right hand and goad in the left. He’d drive out and back wherever he wishes, whenever he wishes.

In the same way, a mendicant trains to protect, control, tame, and pacify these six senses.

That’s how a mendicant guards the sense doors.

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3And how does a mendicant eat in moderation?

It’s when a mendicant reflects properly on the food that they eat: ‘Not for fun, indulgence, adornment, or decoration, but only to sustain this body, to avoid harm, and to support spiritual practice. In this way, I shall put an end to old discomfort and not give rise to new discomfort, and I will live blamelessly and at ease.’

It’s like a person who puts ointment on a wound only so that it can heal; or who oils an axle only so that it can carry a load.

In the same way, a mendicant reflects properly on the food that they eat: ‘Not for fun, indulgence, adornment, or decoration, but only to sustain this body, to avoid harm, and to support spiritual practice. In this way, I shall put an end to old discomfort and not give rise to new discomfort, and I will live blamelessly and at ease.’

That’s how a mendicant eats in moderation.

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4And how is a mendicant committed to wakefulness?

It’s when a mendicant practices walking and sitting meditation by day, purifying their mind from obstacles. In the evening, they continue to practice walking and sitting meditation. In the middle of the night, they lie down in the lion’s posture — on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other — mindful and aware, and focused on the time of getting up. In the last part of the night, they get up and continue to practice walking and sitting meditation, purifying their mind from obstacles.

This is how a mendicant is committed to wakefulness.

When a mendicant has these three qualities they’re full of joy and happiness in the present life, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements.”

1"Tīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu diṭṭheva dhamme sukhasomanassabahulo vihārati, yoni cassa āraddhā hoti āsavānaṁ khayāya. Katamehi tīhi?

Indriyesu guttadvāro hoti, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto.

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2Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na nimittaggāhī hoti, nānubyañjanaggāhī; yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ vihārantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ. Tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati; rakkhati cakkhundriyaṁ; cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.

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Sotena saddaṁ sutvā … ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī; yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ manindriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ vihārantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati; rakkhati manindriyaṁ; manindriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.

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Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, subhūmiyaṁ cātumahāpathe ājaññaratho yutto assa ṭhito odhastapatodo. Tamenaṁ dakkho yoggācariyo assadammasārathi abhiruhitvā vāmena hatthena rasmiyo gahetvā, dakkhiṇena hatthena patodaṁ gahetvā, yenicchakaṁ yadicchakaṁ sāreyyapi paccāsāreyyapi.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imesaṁ channaṁ indriyānaṁ ārakkhāya sikkhati, saṁyamāya sikkhati, damāya sikkhati, upasamāya sikkhati.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti.

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3Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu bhojane mattaññū hoti?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti: ‘neva davāya, na madāya, na maṇḍanāya, na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā, yāpanāya, vihiṁsūparatiyā, brahmacariyānuggahāya, iti purāṇañca vedanāṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanāṁ na uppādessāmi, yātrā ca me bhavissati, anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso vaṇaṁ ālimpeyya yāvadeva rohanatthāya, seyyathā vā pana akkhaṁ abbhañjeyya yāvadeva bhārassa nittharaṇatthāya;

evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti: ‘neva davāya, na madāya, na maṇḍanāya, na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā, yāpanāya, vihiṁsūparatiyā, brahmacariyānuggahāya, iti purāṇañca vedanāṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanāṁ na uppādessāmi, yātrā ca me bhavissati, anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu bhojane mattaññū hoti.

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4Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu divasaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti. Rattiyā paṭhamaṁ yāmaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti. Rattiyā majjhimaṁ yāmaṁ dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappeti pāde pādaṁ accādhāya sato sampajāno uṭṭhānasaññaṁ manasi karitvā. Rattiyā pacchimaṁ yāmaṁ paccuṭṭhāya caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu diṭṭheva dhamme sukhasomanassabahulo vihārati, yoni cassa āraddhā hoti āsavānaṁ khayāyā"ti.

Dutiyaṁ.