Deep Commentary

This verse was taught by the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery, in connection with a group of monks. A number of monks went to spend the rains retreat in a frontier town. The first month passed very peacefully. But in the second month, bands of robbers attacked the town and took some people hostage. From that time on, the townspeople were occupied with defending themselves and resisting the robbers, and they no longer had time to provide food and necessities for the monks. The monks passed those months in great hardship and uneasiness. When the rains retreat ended, they returned to Jetavana Monastery, paid homage to the Buddha, and sat down to one side. The Buddha kindly asked them: “Were you at ease?” They replied: “Venerable Sir, the first month was truly peaceful. But in the following months, robbers caused great disorder, and the people had no time to look after us. During that period we suffered greatly.” The Buddha taught them: “It is all right. Do not be troubled. It is not easy to find a retreat place that is always completely as one wishes. But just as the people guard their town, each monk must guard himself.” On that occasion, the Buddha spoke this verse. A practitioner who wishes body and mind to be peaceful must carefully restrain and guard the six sense faculties. One should be like a sentry guarding a fortress, never negligent even for a moment. If the guardian of the fortress does not keep strict watch, the fortress will surely fall into the hands of enemies. Then not only is the fortress lost, but the guardian himself will also perish. Because the monks had told the story of how the townspeople had to defend themselves against the robbers, leaving the monks in distress because there was not enough food for them, the Buddha taught them the method of guarding body and mind. The monks described the hardship of lacking food as truly bitter and painful. Although food and drink should not be treated as the most important matter by one who has gone forth, they are still a necessary condition that helps a renunciant live steadily and practice peacefully. People say that one must have nourishment in order to sustain the path. This is something no one can deny. However, if we give too much importance to eating and drinking, we lose the noble virtue and dignity of a practitioner. Therefore, according to the teaching of the Buddha and the ancient masters, one who has gone forth should practice “being content with insufficiency in three things.” In everything there should be a sense of having just enough, even somewhat little, and not too much abundance. For the more one indulges in enjoyment, the more one loses the liberating virtue of renunciation. A renunciant must be someone who always lives in mindfulness. The Buddha was one who constantly lived in mindfulness. Where there is mindfulness, there is peace and liberation. A mindful person is clear-sighted and always guards the three forms of action: body, speech, and mind. A practitioner must guard body, speech, and mind as carefully as a watchman guards a fortress. Above all, one must guard the mind. This is to practice skillfully at the very root.