English
Because of what reason, in "yatvādhikaraṇamentanti," because of what reason, for that person who, with unguarded sense faculty of the eye, because of the cause of the restraint of the eye, dwells with the sense faculty of the eye unrestrained, with the door of the eye unclosed, these qualities, such as covetousness, would flow in, would follow, would overwhelm. He does not practice for its restraint, meaning he does not practice for the purpose of closing that sense faculty of the eye with mindfulness. And being such, he is said not to guard the sense faculty of the eye, not to undertake restraint in the sense faculty of the eye. Here, although there is neither restraint nor lack of restraint in the sense faculty of the eye, for neither mindfulness nor forgetfulness arises dependent on the eye-sensitivity. However, when a visual object comes into the range of the eye, then, with the life-continuum arising and ceasing twice, the functional mind-element, accomplishing the function of adverting, arises and ceases. Then, eye-consciousness performs the function of seeing, then the resultant mind-element performs the function of receiving, then the resultant rootless mind-consciousness element performs the function of investigating, then the functional root-caused mind-consciousness element, accomplishing the function of determining, arises and ceases. Immediately after that, apperception rushes forth. Even there, neither at the time of the life-continuum nor at any time of the adverting, etc., is there restraint or lack of restraint. But in the moment of apperception, immorality or forgetfulness or ignorance or impatience or laziness arises, there is lack of restraint. Thus occurring, he is called "lacking restraint in the sense faculty of the eye." Why? Because when there is lack of restraint in that, the door is also unguarded, and the life-continuum, and the process-cognitions such as adverting. How is it like? Just as when the four gates in a city are unguarded, although the inner house door, the chamber, and the inner room are well-guarded, still all the goods inside the city are unprotected and unguarded. For thieves, having entered through the city gate, would do as they please. Just so, when immorality, etc., arise in apperception, in that... When there is no restraint, the door is unguarded, and so is the life-continuum, and the process-minds beginning with advertence. The same method applies in cases such as "hearing a sound with the ear." "Which of these" means: for one who does not incur such restraint, this unguardedness, this lack of protection, this lack of restraint of these six senses, that is, the non-closing, that is the meaning. 1353. In the definition of immoderation in eating, "here, someone" means in this world of beings, someone. "Without reflection" means without knowing, without considering with the wisdom of reflection. "Unwisely" means in an improper way. "Food" means what is to be ingested, such as what is eaten and drunk. "Eats" means consumes, ingests. "For pleasure," etc., is said to show the improper way. For one who eats unwisely eats for pleasure, for intoxication, for adornment, or for beautification, but not with regard to the purpose. "Whatever dissatisfaction there is" means whatever dissatisfaction, whatever state of dissatisfaction, there is in that unwise consumption of food. "Immoderation" means the state of immoderation, the non-knowing of the measure called quantity. "This is called" means this immoderation in eating, which arises from consuming without reflection, is called. 1354. In the definition of guarding the sense doors, "with the eye," etc., should be understood in the manner already stated. "Is not a taker of signs" means does not take the sign of the type already stated, based on desire and lust. Similarly, the remaining terms should be understood in the manner of the stated opposite. Just as below it was said, "when unwholesome conduct, etc., arise in the impulsion, when there is no restraint, the door is unguarded, and so is the life-continuum, and the process-minds beginning with advertence," so here, when virtue, etc., arise, the door is guarded, and so is the life-continuum, and the process-minds beginning with advertence. How so? Just as when the city gates are well-guarded, even though the inner houses, etc., are unguarded, still all the goods within the city are well-protected, well-guarded – when the city gates are closed, there is no entry for thieves – just so, when virtue, etc., arise in the impulsion, the door is guarded, and so is the life-continuum, and the process-minds. And also the threshold-cognitions and the like. Therefore, even though it arises in the impulsive moment, it is called "restraint in the eye faculty." The same method applies to "having heard a sound with the ear," and so on. 1355. In the instruction on moderation in eating, "reflecting wisely, he takes food," means he partakes of food with skillful means, knowing it with the wisdom of reflection. Now, to show that skillful means, "not for amusement," and so on, is stated. There, "not for amusement" means he does not take food for the sake of amusement. Here, dancers, acrobats, and the like, take food for the sake of amusement. For the food that, when eaten, causes amusement in the form of dance, song, poetry, or verses to arise in abundance, that food they seek by unrighteous and improper means and eat. But this bhikkhu does not eat in this way. "Nor for intoxication" means he does not take food for the sake of increasing pride, arrogance, and intoxication. Here, kings, royal ministers, and great ministers take food for the sake of intoxication. They eat delicious foods, such as fine rice and curries, to increase their pride, arrogance, and intoxication. But this bhikkhu does not eat in this way. "Nor for adornment" means he does not take food for the sake of adorning the body. Here, women who live by their beauty, women of the inner chambers, and the like, drink ghee and molasses, for they eat rich, soft, and mild food, thinking, "Thus our limbs will be well-formed, and the complexion of the skin on our body will be clear." But this bhikkhu does not eat in this way. "Nor for beautification" means he does not take food for the sake of beautifying the flesh on the body. Here, wrestlers, boxers, and the like, nourish the flesh on their bodies with very rich fish and meat, thinking, "Thus our flesh will be prominent, for the sake of withstanding blows." But this bhikkhu does not eat in this way for the sake of beautifying the flesh on the body. "Only for" shows the limitation and determination of purpose in taking food. "For the maintenance of this body" means he takes food for the sake of maintaining this body made of the four great elements. This is the purpose of his taking food, is the meaning. "For the support of life" means for the support of the life faculty. It is for nourishment. "For the cessation of harm": harm means the minor pains that arise from lack of sustenance. It is for the cessation, for the calming of that harm, that I take food. "For the support of the holy life": the holy life means the three trainings, the entire dispensation; it is for supporting that, that I take food. "Thus": this is showing the means; it means, by this means. "And I will ward off old feeling": old feeling means the feeling that arises from lack of sustenance. I will ward that off, so I take food. "And I will not generate new feeling": new feeling means the feeling that arises from overeating. I will not generate that, so I take food. Or rather, "new feeling" means the feeling that does not arise from sustenance. I take food just for the non-arising of that which has not arisen. "And my sustenance will be maintained": my livelihood will be maintained. "And blamelessness": here, there is blameworthy and there is blameless. Therein, unrighteous seeking, unrighteous receiving, consuming in an unrighteous way, this is called "blameworthy." Righteously seeking, righteously receiving, reflecting and then consuming, is called "blameless." Some, even in blamelessness, do what is blameworthy, thinking "I have received," they eat beyond measure. Unable to digest that, they suffer with upward purges, downward purges, and so on. In the entire monastery, the monks become eager in attending to his body, seeking medicine, and so on. When asked "What is this?" they say "So-and-so's stomach is bloated," and so on. "He is always like this; he doesn't know the measure of his own stomach," they criticize and reproach him. This is called doing what is blameworthy even in blamelessness. Not doing so, "and blamelessness will be," so I take food. "And a comfortable dwelling": here too, there is a comfortable dwelling and there is not a comfortable dwelling. Therein, the meal of these five brahmins: "the hand-eater, the cloth-shoulder, the bowl-licker, the crow-masher, the vomit-eater," this is not called a comfortable dwelling. They say, "The Hand-Fed One" eats so much, Unable to rise due to his nature, He says, "Feed my hand!" "The Robe-Dragger" rises With an excessively swollen belly, Yet cannot manage to put on his robe. "The Rolling One" Unable to rise, Merely rolls around there. "The Crow-Morsel" As crows can peck at food, So food is brought to his mouth. "The Vomit-Eater" Unable to hold it in his mouth, He vomits it right there. Without doing so, He eats, thinking, "Ease will be mine." Ease means eating four or five mouthfuls less than full. Having eaten this much, While drinking water, The four postures proceed with ease. Therefore, the General of the Dhamma said: "Four or five mouthfuls, Having eaten, let him drink water; Enough for ease, For a mindful bhikkhu." In this context, the factors should be combined. "Not for pleasure" is one factor, "Not for intoxication" is one, "Not for adornment" is one, "Not for beautification" is one,