Deep Commentary

This verse praises Venerable Maha Kaccayana, who was deeply revered even by heavenly beings like Indra because he perfectly guarded his senses. When other monks felt jealous, the Buddha explained the supreme importance of sense restraint. Every day, our six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) make contact with their corresponding external objects. For the unawakened, if these senses are left unguarded, they act like "six thieves" that steal our peace and drag us into craving and suffering. However, an enlightened being tames these senses just as an expert charioteer tames wild horses. They perceive the world without falling into the extremes of attachment or aversion. When the mind no longer discriminates with worldly likes and dislikes, pride and mental defilements naturally dissolve. Nirvana is not a distant place; it is found right here, in the very moment our senses encounter the world without being stained by it.