瑜伽師地論 聲聞地 · 初瑜伽處 · 出離地·根律儀＋飲食知量

The restraint of discipline guards body and speech; what these two items guard is the "faculty-gates" and "food and drink." The eye: guarding the faculties has a difference of "subduing" and "cutting off" — being able to press down the present activity (enwrapment) is not the same as being able to uproot the seed (the latent proclivity); and even in eating, one is to hold the thought as of the flesh of one's child, eating it into the medicine for continuing life and cultivating the path.

In one line: The restraint of the faculties guards the six faculty-gates (not grasping the mark · not grasping the accompanying features · guarding the mind with mindfulness so as to block affliction at the place where it is "about to arise" · coursing in the position of equanimity), and is divided into two kinds — that of the power of discernment (subduing enwrapment · not uprooting the latent proclivity · the path of provisions / the path of subduing) and that of the power of cultivation (brushing away the latent proclivity · the stage of freedom from desire / the path of cutting-off): subduing the present activity is not the ultimate, only uprooting the latent proclivity forever is cutting-off; moderation in eating contemplates the three perils of material food, eats with the thought as of the flesh of one's child, and eats for the sake of taking up the holy life, not for wanton play or intoxicated indulgence (the six for-the-sake-ofs · balanced eating).

Three Points of the Eye

1. Restraint of the faculties = guarding the six faculty-gates: not grasping the mark, not grasping the accompanying features (not the not-seeing, not-hearing, but having looked and listened, not giving rise upon the mark to greed and anger); "grasping the mark" = eye-consciousness grasping the general mark, "grasping the accompanying features" = the subsequently-arising discriminating mental consciousness giving rise to greed, anger, delusion 〔T30 0406c〕. Guarding the mind with mindfulness = spontaneous eye-consciousness → discriminating mental consciousness "investigating and deciding," at the place of "about-to-arise 〔defilement-or-purity〕" blocking with right mindfulness 〔Dunlun T42 0434a18〕; causing the mind to "course in the position of equanimity" (wholesome / indeterminate equanimity · Master Bei's gloss 〔T42 0434b02〕).

2. The two kinds of restraint of the faculties (subduing / cutting off · the doctrinal eye): the power of discernment subsumes = causing the "enwrapment" of affliction (the present activity) to arise and be present no more, yet unable to cut off and uproot the "latent proclivity" clinging to and adhering to its basis (Dunlun = the path of subduing · subsumed under the path of provisions); the power of cultivation subsumes = the latent proclivity too able to be cut off and uprooted forever (Dunlun = the path of cutting-off · subsumed under the stage of freedom from desire) 〔T30 0407a · Dunlun T42 0434b23, "the power of discernment subdues the enwrapment but does not stir up the latent proclivity; the power of cultivation subdues the present activity and further brushes away the latent proclivity"〕. Subduing the present activity is not the ultimate, only uprooting the latent proclivity forever is cutting-off — pointing toward what concentration and wisdom cut off.

3. Moderation in eating = transmuting desire into medicine: contemplating the three perils of material food (enjoyment = food turned to the filthy mark of vomit · transformation = becoming blood, flesh, and feces and giving rise to the various illnesses · seeking = the six sufferings of hoarding / guarding / ruining-what-is-dear / insatiability / non-mastery / evil conduct) 〔T30 0408a–0409a〕; the thought as of the flesh of one's child in eating material food (only to continue life and requite the donors' kindness · with not the least craving for taste) · the simile of the moon in going to the donor's house (the moon, cool and refreshing, benefits the donor · Dunlun citing the Nirvāṇa-sūtra's gradual increase of wholesome states 〔T42 0434c19〕). Not for wanton play (the greed for desires and lascivious license) / intoxicated indulgence (martial contests · freedom from illness, youthful vigor, long life) / adornment and beautification, but for the "six for-the-sake-ofs" (dispelling hunger and thirst · taking up the holy life · cutting off the old feeling · causing that a new feeling shall not arise · nourishing strength and ease, faultlessly and at ease) 〔T30 0410c〕; balanced eating = not too little / too much / unfit / undigested / defiled.

Appended note: these two items inherit the restraint of discipline as the provisions of inner guarding; the two kinds of restraint of the faculties (subduing enwrapment → brushing away the latent proclivity) point toward the later concentration and wisdom that cut off the latent proclivity. Kuiji's Concise Compendium transcribes only highly selectively (only the mind-restraint's "grief in place of suffering" · the "cutting off the old feeling" as "cutting off the upper feeling / the suffering-feeling" 〔T43 0109c29 · 0110a02〕), the rest of the Concise Compendium having no dedicated gloss; Dunlun's Notes gives a dedicated gloss 〔T42 0434a06–0435b02 · including Masters Bei / Jing / Tai / Tai-Kuiji-alike / the citation of the Nirvāṇa-sūtra〕; the thought of a child's flesh the treatise establishes on its own, with no ancient-master gloss. The doctrinal unfolding is found in the 〈Exposition〉.

Among the fourteen items of provisions for the twofold path, after the restraint of discipline (戒律儀) comes the fifth item, "restraint of the faculties" (根律儀, the guarding of the six faculty-gates), and the sixth item, "moderation in eating" (飲食知量, eating measure-wise). The term-names are kept as of old; the rendering is line by line into today's language, adding no doctrinal exposition, citing no treatise, glossing no Sanskrit; where the summary verse (嗢拕南, uddāna) compresses, what was abridged is restored back within 〔 〕.

The Fifth Item · Restraint of the Faculties

What is the restraint of the faculties? It is like this: there is a certain class of person able to abide well and closely guard the faculty-gates, to defend right mindfulness and to keep right mindfulness ever at the ready, guarding the mind with mindfulness, coursing in the position of equanimity; the eye, having seen a form, does not grasp at its mark and does not grasp at the accompanying features 〔does not cling to either the general mark or the particular marks〕; the ear having heard a sound, the nose having smelled an odor, the tongue having tasted a flavor, and the body having felt a tangible likewise do not grasp at their marks or accompanying features; down to the mind, having cognized a phenomenon, likewise not grasping at its mark or accompanying features. 〔What follows expounds each item at length.〕

Closely Guarding the Faculty-Gates · Defending Right Mindfulness · Keeping Right Mindfulness Ever at the Ready

What is called closely guarding the faculty-gates? It is defending right mindfulness and keeping right mindfulness ever at the ready, extending broadly down to guarding the mind-faculty and rightly cultivating the restraint of the mind-faculty. This is called closely guarding the faculty-gates.

What is called defending right mindfulness? It is like this: there is a certain class of person who, by the strengthening force of closely guarding the faculty-gates, takes up much learning, reflection, and cultivation; and by the strengthening force of that learning, reflection, and cultivation, obtains right mindfulness; and in order that this right mindfulness once obtained be not lost, be able to lead on to realization, and not fall away, at all times, upon that same much learning, and whether reflecting or cultivating, he rightly does yoga and rightly and diligently cultivates, not resting from the exertion, not departing from the exertion. Thus the mindfulness accumulated out of that much learning, reflection, and cultivation is, at all times, well able to defend the yogic operation of right learning, reflection, and cultivation. This is called defending right mindfulness.

What is called keeping right mindfulness ever at the ready? It is that with regard to this mindfulness one acts "constantly and acts minutely" — what is done constantly is called "acting without interruption," what is done minutely is called "acting with earnest care"; and this acting-without-interruption and acting-with-earnest-care, stated together, is called keeping right mindfulness ever at the ready. According to whatever defending of right mindfulness there is, one is thereby able not to lose this mindfulness; and according to whatever keeping-ever-ready of right mindfulness there is, one gains, in this non-losing of mindfulness, the power to sustain it; and it is precisely by this functional force that one subdues form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and phenomena.

Guarding the Mind with Mindfulness · Coursing in the Position of Equanimity

What is called guarding the mind with mindfulness? It is like this: the eye and form together as condition give rise to eye-consciousness; eye-consciousness without interval gives rise to the discriminating mental consciousness; through this discriminating mental consciousness, toward an agreeable form defilement-and-attachment is about to arise, and toward a disagreeable form aversion-and-anger is about to arise — and it is precisely by the strengthening force of such mindfulness that one is able to guard this mind that "gives rise to afflictions through unprincipled discrimination," causing it not to give rise to any afflictions. The ear, nose, tongue, and body are also to be expounded at length in this way. The mind and phenomena together as condition give rise to mental consciousness, and this mental consciousness has that which, coursing together with unprincipled discrimination, is able to give rise to afflictions; through this mental consciousness, toward an agreeable phenomenon defilement-and-attachment is about to arise, and toward a disagreeable phenomenon aversion-and-anger is about to arise — also by the strengthening force of this mindfulness one is able to guard it, causing it not to give rise to afflictions. This is called guarding the mind with mindfulness.

What is called coursing in the position of equanimity? The "position of equanimity" is either wholesome equanimity or indeterminate equanimity. After he has well guarded this mind that gives rise to afflictions through unprincipled discrimination, he rightly courses in wholesome equanimity and in indeterminate equanimity, and for that reason it is called coursing in the position of equanimity. This is called coursing in the position of equanimity.

Not Grasping at the Mark · Not Grasping at the Accompanying Features (the Twofold-Mark Guarding)

How is it that toward this mind which gives rise to afflictions through unprincipled discrimination one is able to guard well? It is that toward form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and phenomena one "does not grasp at their mark and does not grasp at the accompanying features," so as never, in dependence on them, to give rise to any evil, unwholesome cogitations that make the mind leak and flow; and if at some time, through loss of mindfulness, or because affliction is exceedingly blazing, one has already departed from grasping the mark and grasping the accompanying features, yet again gives rise to evil, unwholesome states that make the mind leak and flow, one then cultivates restraint. By these two marks, therefore, one is able to guard well.

How is it that after one has, by these two marks, guarded well, one rightly courses in wholesome equanimity or indeterminate equanimity? It is by these two kinds of mark. Which two marks? They are, as was said, "guarding the eye-faculty, and rightly cultivating the restraint of the eye-faculty"; and so too for the ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-faculties. By these two marks one causes the mind to course rightly in wholesome and indeterminate equanimity.

What is called, among the forms cognized by the eye, not grasping at their mark? "Grasping the mark": it is that, among the forms ranged over by eye-consciousness, one grasps by eye-consciousness the mark ranged over — this is called grasping at its mark. If one is able to keep far from this object-mark ranged over by eye-consciousness, it is called not grasping at the mark. As with forms cognized by the eye, so too with sounds cognized by the ear, odors by the nose, flavors by the tongue, tangibles by the body, and phenomena by the mind: each is to be understood in the same way.

What is called, among the forms cognized by the eye, not grasping at the accompanying features? "Grasping the accompanying features": it is that, among the forms cognized by the eye, the discriminating mental consciousness that co-arises without interval upon eye-consciousness grasps the object-mark ranged over, and there arises either greed, or anger, or delusion — this is called grasping at the accompanying features. If one is able to keep far from this ranged-over mark, and toward this object does not give rise to mental consciousness, it is called not grasping at the accompanying features. As with forms cognized by the eye, so too with sounds cognized by the ear, odors by the nose, flavors by the tongue, tangibles by the body, and phenomena by the mind: in each case one does not grasp at the accompanying features.

There is, further, another kind of "grasping the mark, grasping the accompanying features." "Grasping the mark": it is that a form-object, being in a visible place, is able to give rise to attention rightly present before one, and the eye sees the many forms — this is called grasping at its mark. "Grasping the accompanying features": it is that a form-object, being in a visible place, and the eye having seen the form, yet he had earlier heard from another person that "there is such-and-such a form cognized by the eye," and so, taking the names, phrases, and syllables he has heard as the strengthener, as the support, as the abode, such a person, according to what he has heard, discriminates in various ways the form cognized by the eye — this is called grasping at the accompanying features. As with forms cognized by the eye, so too with sounds cognized by the ear, odors by the nose, flavors by the tongue, tangibles by the body, and phenomena by the mind: each is to be understood in the same way. This grasping of the mark and of the accompanying features has two possible results: in some cases, through this cause, this basis, and this strengthening, various evil and unwholesome states arise and make the mind leak and flow; in other cases, despite such cause, basis, and strengthening, no evil or unwholesome state arises and the mind does not leak and flow. If the grasping of the mark and accompanying features is contrary to right principle and thereby gives rise to evil and unwholesome states that make the mind leak and flow, the practitioner keeps far from grasping the mark and accompanying features toward that class of form-object.

What is called evil, unwholesome states? They are the various greeds, and the various evil actions of body, speech, and mind that arise from greed; and the various angers, and the various delusions, and the various evil actions of body, speech, and mind that arise from these two. These are called the various evil, unwholesome states.

What is called "by them the mind is made to leak and flow"? It is that if, toward those object-fields, mind, mentation, and consciousness arise and go roaming and scattering; if, precisely toward those fields, mind, mentation, and consciousness are variously associated, and there can arise all evil actions of body and speech, and greed, anger, and delusion arise, roaming and scattering — this is called "by them the mind is made to leak and flow."

Thus, among the forms cognized by the eye down to the phenomena cognized by the mind, grasping the mark and grasping the accompanying features gives rise thereby to the various defilements; when he is able to keep far from grasping the mark and grasping the accompanying features, the various defilements do not arise.

If, through loss of mindfulness, or because affliction is exceedingly blazing, even while dwelling alone in seclusion, through the strengthening force of forms cognized by the eye and formerly seen, or of phenomena cognized by the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind and formerly experienced, there arise evil, unwholesome states, then, as they arise, he does not cling to them, but quickly cuts them off, dispels and casts them away, and vomits them out 〔spits out and relinquishes them〕 — this is called, toward them, cultivating restraint.

If, among the forms cognized by the eye, the eye-faculty is to be spurred on, down to: if, among the phenomena cognized by the mind, the mind-faculty is to be spurred on, he then, toward them, applies attention to spur and rouse 〔to prod and rally〕; spurring and rousing them thus so that they are not defiled, he thereby, toward this defilement, guards the eye-faculty down to guards the mind-faculty. If, among the forms cognized by the eye, the eye-faculty is not to be spurred and roused, down to the mind-faculty, he then, toward them, does not spur and rouse them in every kind whatsoever; and because he does not spur and rouse them, they are made not to be defiled. He thereby, toward this defilement, cultivates the restraint of the faculties. This is called being able rightly to cultivate the restraint of the eye-faculty down to the restraint of the mind-faculty. Thus has the mark of the restraint of the faculties been expounded at length.

The Condensed Meaning of the Restraint of the Faculties (Two Rounds)

How is the condensed meaning here to be known? This condensed meaning is: that which is able to guard, that which is guarded, that from which one guards, the manner in which one guards, and the right guarding — all these, gathered briefly into one, are called the restraint of the faculties. Here one asks, "Who is able to guard?" That which is able to guard is defending right mindfulness together with the cultivated keeping-ever-ready of right mindfulness. "What does one guard?" That which is guarded is the eye-faculty, ear-faculty, nose-faculty, tongue-faculty, body-faculty, and mind-faculty. "From what objects does one guard?" One rightly guards the faculties from agreeable or disagreeable forms, down to agreeable or disagreeable mental phenomena. "By what manner does one guard?" By not grasping the mark and not grasping the accompanying features; if, in dependence on that ground, there arise evil, unwholesome states that make the mind leak and flow, then, precisely at that ground, one cultivates restraint (because it guards the faculties it is called cultivating restraint). "What is right guarding?" By right mindfulness one guards the discriminating mind and causes it to course in the balanced position of wholesome or neutral equanimity; this is called right guarding.

Again, the condensed meaning is: the means of guarding, the thing that is guarded, and the right guarding, gathered briefly into one, are called the restraint of the faculties. What are "the means of guarding"? They are defending right mindfulness, keeping right mindfulness ever at the ready; the eye seeing form down to the mind knowing phenomena, not grasping the mark and not grasping the accompanying features; and if, in dependence on that ground, there arise evil, unwholesome states that make the mind leak and flow, then, precisely at that ground, one cultivates restraint; because this guards the faculties, it is called cultivating restraint. This is called the means of guarding. What is "the thing that is guarded"? It is the eye and form down to the mind and phenomena. This is called the thing that is guarded. What is "right guarding"? It is by right mindfulness guarding the mind and coursing in the position of equanimity.

The Two Kinds of Restraint of the Faculties (the Power of Discernment · the Power of Cultivation)

Again, the restraint of the faculties is, in brief, of two kinds: first, that subsumed under the power of discernment; second, that subsumed under the power of cultivation.

"The restraint of the faculties subsumed under the power of discernment" is that one deeply sees the peril in the object-field, but is not able, toward all this peril, to dispel it and cut it off and annihilate it. "The restraint of the faculties subsumed under the power of cultivation" is that one deeply sees the peril in the object-field, and is also able, toward all this peril, to dispel it and cut it off and annihilate it. Again, by the restraint of the faculties subsumed under the power of discernment, toward the object taken as condition, the "enwrapment" of affliction is made to arise no more, to be present no more; but toward the "latent proclivity" clinging to and adhering to its basis, one is not able to cut it off, not able to uproot it forever. By the restraint of the faculties subsumed under the power of cultivation, toward the object taken as condition, the latent proclivity of affliction is made to arise no more, to be present no more; and at all times whatsoever, all the latent proclivities clinging to and adhering to their basis are also able to be cut off, able to be uprooted forever. Thus the two kinds of restraint of the faculties — of the power of discernment and of the power of cultivation — have this difference, this intent, and this distinction. It should be known that the restraint of the faculties subsumed under the power of discernment is subsumed under the path of provisions, and the restraint of the faculties subsumed under the power of cultivation should be known to fall within, and be subsumed under, the stage of freedom from desire.

The Sixth Item · Moderation in Eating

What is called moderation in eating? It is like this: there is a certain class of person who, by rightly discerning, eats what is to be eaten — not for wanton play, not for intoxicated indulgence, not for adornment, not for beautification 〔and so on at length〕.

Rightly Discerning · Contemplating the Three Perils of Material Food

What is called "by rightly discerning, eating what is to be eaten"? "Rightly discerning" is that with excellent wisdom one contemplates in due order the peril of material food; and having seen the peril, one gives rise to deep disgust, and only then swallows. How does one contemplate and see the peril? It is that, toward this material food to be eaten, one contemplates either "the peril of the class of enjoyment," or "the peril of the class of transformation," or "the peril of the class of seeking."

What is the peril of the class of enjoyment? It is like this: there is a certain one who, when he is about to eat, has the color, smell, taste, and touch of the material food he receives all complete and exceedingly fine; and from there, without interval, it advances into the mouth, and the teeth chew it, spittle soaks it soft, saliva enwraps it, and it turns down into the throat — and at that time all the pleasing fine marks that this food formerly had are utterly relinquished, and it turns into a loathsome, filthy mark, its condition when it alters being like vomit 〔the matter of vomiting〕. If the one able to eat rightly bears in mind the filthy mark of this one phase, then even toward all the other, not-yet-altered, exceedingly fine food and drink he is unable to abide in the joy of eating — how much more at this phase? By the strengthening force of thus enjoying it in gradual succession through such marks and features, the pure and fine mark of his food and drink sinks away and the mark of peril arises, and it is subsumed under the impure. This is called the peril of the class of enjoyment in eating.

What is the peril of the class of transformation? It is that this food and drink, once it has been eaten, one portion is digested and transformed, and by the middle watch or the last watch of the night there arise within the body the many, various kinds of impure substances that nourish and increase blood, flesh, sinews, veins, bone, marrow, skin, and the rest; and the next portion transforms into feces, and having transformed, it heads downward and, turning and turning, flows out, so that day by day one must repeatedly wash clean; and if the hands, feet, or other limbs accidentally touch it, whether oneself or another, all give rise to disgust. And by this condition there arise within the body many kinds of illnesses — namely, boils, sores, dry ringworm, wet ringworm, scabies, leprosy, carbuncles, ulcers, panting, cough, blisters, hiccups and choking, wasting, epilepsy, chills and fever, jaundice, hot blood, and the hidden-part disorder 〔the names of various maladies〕 — thus and so, measureless illnesses arise within the body through food and drink; or, through what is eaten being not in balance, it does not digest but lodges within the body. This is called the peril of the class of transformation in food and drink.

What is the peril of the class of seeking? It is that in the seeking of food and drink there are many perils: six kinds should be known: first, the peril made by amassing food; second, the peril made by guarding what has been gained; third, the peril made by ruining what is dear; fourth, the peril made by insatiability; fifth, the peril made by lack of mastery; sixth, the peril made by evil conduct for the sake of food.

"The peril made by hoarding in eating" — it is like this: there is a certain one who, for the sake of food, when it is cold is oppressed by cold, when it is hot is oppressed by heat, and in various ways drives and exhausts himself in bitter toil: farming, herding cattle, trading, reckoning, writing and figuring, engraving and printing, and the other crafts and occupations, in order to gain food not yet gained or to amass food; just as these occupations are undertaken directly for food, so too are all the undertakings that serve as conditions for food to be understood; and when, toiling bitterly thus in the seeking, the enterprise he undertakes does not go smoothly, he thereby grieves and worries, is scorched with distress, beats his breast and laments, weeps and is stupefied 〔laments〕, "How is it that this labor of mine has been squandered without fruit?" This is called the peril made by hoarding in eating.

"The peril made by guarding in eating" — it is that when the enterprise undertaken has gone smoothly, again, for the sake of protecting it, one gives rise to great anxiety: fearing only that my wealth and treasure will be seized and plundered by kings or thieves, or burned by fire, or swept away by water, or that past-life evil karma will cause it to be ruined, or that present unprincipled undertakings will cause it to be scattered and lost, or that it will be seized by the unloved, or by those with whom one shares wealth from a former life, or that fire will break out in the house, thereby causing the wealth and treasure to be diminished. This is called the peril made by guarding in eating.

"The peril made by ruining what is dear in eating" — it is that in the world, for the sake of food, there frequently arise quarrels and disputes: fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, brothers, and friends still revile one another for food and drink; how much more would those who are not kin fail to turn upon one another in dispute for food? Namely, the great clans of brahmins, kṣatriyas, elders, and householders, for the sake of food, again and again raise up strife, and with hands and feet, clods of earth, blades and staves harm one another. This is called the peril made by ruining what is dear in eating.

"The peril made by insatiability in eating" — it is that the kings of kṣatriya kind, having ascended to the rank of consecration, still, toward their own realm's royal capitals and settlements, do not abide content, and together lead their troops and weapons to attack one another: they blow conch-horns, strike bells and drums, brandish blades and lances, shoot arrows and hurl spears; chariots, horses, elephants, and foot-soldiers dash across and rush about in confusion; the various blades and staves harm their bodies, bringing about either death or sufferings equal to death. There are still further injuries of the same kind arising from warfare. All these are called the peril made by insatiability in eating.

"The peril, on account of food, of not gaining mastery" — it is like this: a certain class of person, employed by a king to attack a firm citadel, meets with various things — exceedingly hot lard and oil, hot cow-dung juice, and molten copper and iron poured and sprinkled upon him, or is wounded in body by blade and staff, bringing about either death or sufferings equal to death. There are still further coercions and injuries of the same kind. All these are called the peril, on account of food, of not gaining mastery.

"The peril, on account of food, of giving rise to evil conduct" — it is like this: there is a certain one who, for the sake of food, commits and amasses the evil actions of the body (evil actions of speech and mind likewise); and when his life is about to end, oppressed by the sufferings of grave illness, by the strengthening force of the various evil actions of body, speech, and mind formerly committed, in the latter part of the day he sees mountains, or the shadows of mountain peaks hanging down and covering him, drawing near to cover, extremely covering, and he then thinks: "The deeds I have done from of old in dependence on body, speech, and mind are all sin and not merit; if there is a destiny into which those who do evil are to be reborn, I now shall surely go there." Having thus regretted, he then relinquishes his life; and having relinquished his life, according to the difference of his karma he is reborn in the evil destinies — namely, the naraka 〔the hells〕, the animal realm, and the hungry ghosts. This is called the peril made by evil conduct on account of food.

In sum, material food has the foregoing perils already while it is being sought, has perils after it is gained and enjoyed, and still has perils while it is digested and transformed within the body.

The Slight Benefit of Material Food · The Thought "As of the Flesh of One's Child"

Again, this material food has a slight portion of benefit. How so? It is that this body abides through food and stands in dependence on food, and does not [survive] without food. How is this called "having a slight benefit"? It is that this body which abides in dependence on food, at the very utmost, abides long, or passes a hundred years; if well nourished, [it lasts] a little beyond, or, before that is fulfilled, it dies young. If one cultivates only the practice of "this body's temporary abiding," it is no excellent practice; if one gives rise to contentment merely with "the body's abiding for a time," it is no excellent contentment, nor is it the receiving of the complete, faultless meritorious benefit that food and drink accomplish. If one does not cultivate only the practice of the body's temporary abiding, nor give rise to contentment merely with the body's temporary abiding, but, in dependence upon this temporarily-abiding body, cultivates and gathers the holy life so as to bring it to completion — this alone is excellent practice, excellent contentment, and is furthermore the receiving of the complete, faultless meritorious benefit that food and drink accomplish.

He should reflect thus of himself: "If I were of one lot with fools and cultivated the practice that is of one lot with fools, it would not befit me; if, toward this inferior material food's slight portion of benefit, I were to abide content, it would also not befit me." If, toward the peril of material food in every kind whatsoever, he has thus fully known it, then, rightly discerning and deeply seeing the peril, he seeks deliverance. In order to seek this deliverance from food, he then eats material food "with the thought as of the flesh of one's child" 〔as one eats the flesh of a beloved child, only to continue life, with not the least craving for its taste〕. He should think: "Those donors, with exceedingly great hardship, amass wealth and treasure, and undergo the various perils of vast seeking; and out of compassion, and to seek an excellent fruit, as though cutting their own skin and flesh and drawing their own blood, they bestow it upon me; having gained this food, I ought to enjoy it in such a skillful way — dwelling in accord with the Dharma, enjoying without error, requiting the donors' kindness, so as to cause them to gain the most excellent great fruit, great benefit, great glory, great flourishing." One should go to the donor's house in accord with "the simile of the moon" 〔as the moon, cool and refreshing, benefits people, and entering the donor's house makes them cool and benefited〕, washing clean body and mind, and abiding in conscience and shame.

Keeping far from pride and arrogance, not exalting oneself, not disdaining others; as one delights in mind at gaining gain and support for oneself, so too one delights in mind at others' gaining gain and support. And one should thus hold one's mind in going to the donor's house: How should there be a renunciant who goes to another's dwelling "requiring that he give and not fail to give, requiring that he revere and not fail to revere, requiring much and not little, requiring the fine and not the coarse, requiring the swift and not the slow"? One should go to the donor's house with a mind like this: even if he does not give, still one never gives rise, toward him, to a mind of harm or a mind of anger and resents him — fearing only that, by the strengthening condition of this angry mind, after the body's breaking up I should be reborn in the evil destinies and undergo much distress; Likewise, even if the donor does not show reverence, gives little rather than much, gives coarse rather than fine food, or gives slowly rather than swiftly, one never gives rise toward him to a mind of harm or anger and does not resent him; otherwise, through the strengthening condition of harm and anger, after the body's breakup one would still be born in an evil destiny and undergo much distress. And I ought, in dependence on the material food I eat, to give rise to such right practice, and, as to its measure, to understand truly as it is: "My life-faculty is by this not extinguished; and toward this food I do not bitterly crave, and so I am able to conform to and take up the holy life." Thus I now abide in the nature of a recluse, abide in the nature of one gone forth, enjoying food and drink in accord with the Dharma, pure, keeping far from the many sins. By these marks, by rightly discerning, one eats what is to be eaten.

The Four Foods · Material Food · The Synonyms of Food

What is "what is to be eaten"? It is the four kinds of food: first, material food; second, food of contact; third, food of mental volition; fourth, food of consciousness. In the present sense, what is spoken of is material food. And what is this again? It is cakes, parched grain, boiled rice, broth, meat-broth 〔a broth of flesh〕, gruel, congee, ghee-oil, sugar, honey, fish, meat, pickled vegetables and pickled fish 〔salted greens and salted fish〕, milk, curd, fresh butter, ginger, salt, vinegar, and the like — various kinds mixed together into a ball, and swallowed piece by piece; hence it is called material food. What is spoken of as "eating" is the differing names of feeding, gorging, chewing, swallowing, tasting, sipping, drinking, and so on.

Not for Wanton Play · Intoxicated Indulgence · Adornment · Beautification

What is called "not for wanton play"? It is like this: there is a certain one delighting in the enjoyment of desires, who for the sake of enjoying the desires eats what is to be eaten, thinking thus: "I eat what is to be eaten so as to make the body full and to make the body glad; and when the day grows late and passes into the night watches, I shall together with fair, finely-adorned women sport and play, take pleasure and delight, wantonly frolic and give myself to license." What is called "wanton play" is, in this noble Dharma and Vinaya, said to be all the evil, unwholesome cogitations, drawn on by the greed for desires and drawn on by lascivious license, of one who enjoys desires; through this, when he feeds and gorges, all the faculties are made agitated, the mind is made restless, the mind is made unquiet, the mind is made unstill. If one eats for the sake of this matter, it is called eating what is to be eaten for wanton play. All the many learned noble disciples, by the power of discernment deeply seeing the peril, and well knowing deliverance, eat what is to be eaten, and are not like the enjoyer of desires spoken of above; therefore it is called "not for wanton play."

What is called "not for intoxicated indulgence, not for adornment, not for beautification"? It is like this: there is a certain one delighting in the enjoyment of desires, who for the sake of enjoying the desires eats, thinking thus: "I ought now to eat much and eat to the full, and, as far as my strength and ability allow, to feed on fatty, rich food that increases the chamber-work and supplements and benefits, food fine in color, smell, and taste alike; so that when this night passes and the next day comes, in the 'contests of martial skill' 〔athletic competitions〕 I shall have the strength and ability." Namely, massaging, ball-batting, stone-lifting, leaping, kicking, baring the arm, gripping the wrist, brandishing the halberd, striking with the sword, drawing the crossbow, pulling the bowstring, throwing the discus, and hurling the lasso; in dependence on these contests of martial skill I shall become brave and hale, my skin and body solid and full, through the long night free of illness, for a long time young and vigorous, not swiftly aging, my lifespan long and far-reaching, able to feed on much, and after feeding able to digest well, and free from the various maladies — thus, it is for the sake of "the intoxicated indulgence of the healthy, the intoxicated indulgence of the young and vigorous, the intoxicated indulgence of the long-lived" that he eats.

Having finished the contest of martial skill, he again thinks thus: "I ought to bathe." And so with the various kinds of pure fragrant water he bathes his body; having bathed, he combs and dresses his hair; having combed his hair, he anoints his body with various fine perfumes; having anointed his body, he further, with various superb garments, flower-garlands, and ornaments, adorns his body. Herein, the bathing, hair-dressing, and anointing with perfume are called "adornment"; and having adorned himself, further adorning his body with superb garments, flower-garlands, and ornaments is called "beautification." Thus, taken together, it is called eating what is to be eaten for adornment and for beautification. Having thus indulged himself intoxicatedly, adorned, and beautified, when at midday or in the latter part of the day he is about to eat, hunger and thirst arrive together, and toward all food and drink he gives rise to exceeding craving, exceeding delight, exceeding pleasure, not seeing the peril, not knowing deliverance, eating whatever he gets as he gets it; and again and again he wantonly plays, intoxicatedly indulges, adorns, and beautifies himself, eating much and drinking much to make the body glad. All the many learned noble disciples, by the power of discernment deeply seeing the peril, and well knowing deliverance, eat what is to be eaten, and are not like the enjoyer of desires spoken of above; they think only thus: "I now draw near to and practice a food I ought not to practice, that ought to be cut off — and this is in order forever to cut off such food."

For the Body's Abiding · For Temporary Sustenance (the Two Kinds of Maintaining)

What is called "for the body's abiding, eating what is to be eaten"? It is that having eaten and drunk, the lifespan is preserved, and not that without eating and drinking the lifespan is preserved — this is called the body's abiding; "I now receive this food and drink, and the lifespan is preserved, and I shall not die young, and thereby the body gains its abiding, is able to cultivate right practice, and forever cuts off the various foods."

What is called "for temporary sustenance, eating what is to be eaten"? It is that, stated briefly, there are two kinds of maintaining: first, maintaining with hardship; second, maintaining without hardship. "Maintaining with hardship" is that one receives such food and drink as repeatedly increases hunger and emaciation, distress and grave illness; or one seeks food and drink by what is not the Dharma and not by the right Dharma, and having gained it, enjoys it with defiled craving, addiction, gluttony, stupefaction, obstinate clinging, and wallowing; or, having eaten, the body is made heavy, incapable of anything, unfit to cultivate cutting-off; or, having eaten, the mind is made dull and does not swiftly gain concentration; or, having eaten, the in-breath and out-breath are made to come and go with hardship; or, having eaten, the mind is repeatedly beset and disturbed by the enwrapment of dullness and drowsiness. This is called maintaining with hardship. "Maintaining without hardship" is that one receives such food and drink as makes one free of hunger and emaciation, free of distress and grave illness; or one seeks food and drink by the right Dharma and not by what is not the Dharma, and having gained it, enjoys it undefiled and uncraving, without addiction, gluttony, stupefaction, obstinate clinging, and wallowing; and enjoying it thus, the body is without heaviness, has some capacity, is fit to cultivate cutting-off, makes the mind swiftly gain concentration (samādhi), makes the in-breath and out-breath free of hardship, makes the mind not beset by the enwrapment of dullness and drowsiness. This is called maintaining without hardship. If, by maintaining with hardship, the lifespan is preserved and the body gains its abiding, this is called having sin and having defilement; if, by maintaining without hardship, the lifespan is preserved and the body gains its abiding, this is called without sin and without defilement. All the many learned noble disciples keep far from the maintaining that has sin and defilement, and draw near to and practice the maintaining that is without sin and without defilement; therefore it is said "for temporary sustenance."

The Six "For the Sake Of" · Dwelling Faultlessly and at Ease

Question: How does one draw near to and practice the maintaining without sin and without defilement, spoken of above, so as to keep oneself alive? Answer: If, in receiving food and drink, it is "for the sake of dispelling hunger and thirst, for the sake of taking up the holy life, for the sake of cutting off the old feeling, for the sake of causing that a new feeling shall not arise afresh, for the sake of nourishing strength and ease to come, and dwelling faultlessly and at ease" — thus one draws near to and practices the maintaining without sin and without defilement so as to keep oneself alive.

"For the sake of dispelling hunger and thirst" one receives all food and drink — it is that when it comes to eating-time, much hunger and thirst arise, one's vital strength is emaciated and weak, and one hopes for food and drink; in order to still this oppression by the enwrapment of hunger and thirst, one eats measure-wise; having thus eaten, at a time that is not the proper eating-time one is no longer oppressed by the enwrapment of hunger and emaciation — namely, late in the day, during the night, and down to the next day before eating-time. This is called receiving food and drink for the sake of dispelling hunger and thirst.

"For the sake of taking up the holy life" one receives all food and drink — it is that eating measure-wise, thereby one who cultivates the wholesome factors, in the present life, on this day after food and drink, has the body without heaviness, has some capacity, is fit to cultivate cutting-off, makes the mind swiftly gain concentration (samādhi), makes the in-breath and out-breath free of hardship, makes the mind not beset by the enwrapment of dullness and drowsiness, and thereby swiftly has the strength and ability to gain what has not yet been gained, contact what has not yet been contacted, and realize what has not yet been realized. This is called receiving food and drink for the sake of taking up the holy life.

"For the sake of cutting off the old feeling" one receives all food and drink — it is like this: there is a certain one who, through eating without measure in a past time, eating what was unfit, and eating without digesting, thereby gave rise within the body to various illnesses (scabies, leprosy, blisters, cough, and the rest as expounded at length above), and through this there arose within the body exceedingly grave, fierce, blazing, distressful, disagreeable feelings; in order to still and dispel this illness and the suffering-feelings it gives rise to, he draws near to and practices the medicines and the pleasing food and drink, beneficial and fitting, spoken of by a good physician, and thereby is able to cut off illnesses already arisen together with the suffering-feelings produced by those illnesses and their conditions. This is called receiving food and drink for the sake of cutting off the old feeling.

"For the sake of causing that a new feeling shall not arise afresh" one receives all food and drink — it is like this: there is a certain one who, being in the present time at ease and free of illness, with vital strength complete, does not eat beyond measure, does not eat the unfit, does not eat over-heavily, and thereby avoids the contrary: if one ate beyond measure, ate what was unfit, or ate again before the former food was digested, future food would lodge within the body and become an illness of indigestion, or some bodily illness — scabies, leprosy, blisters, cough, and the rest — would arise, and through it the various suffering-feelings described above would arise. Therefore one eats measure-wise now so that these new feelings will not arise again in the future. This is called receiving food and drink for the sake of causing that a new feeling shall not arise afresh.

"For the sake of nourishing strength and ease to come, and dwelling faultlessly and at ease" one receives all food and drink — having eaten and drunk, the lifespan is preserved: this is called "nourishing"; if hunger and emaciation are dispelled, this is called "strength"; if the old feeling is cut off and a new feeling does not arise, this is called "ease"; if one seeks food and drink by the right Dharma, undefiled and uncraving down to enjoying it [thus], this is called "faultless"; if, having received the food, the body is without heaviness, has some capacity, is fit to cultivate cutting-off, this is called "dwelling at ease."

Therefore it is said, "by rightly discerning, one eats what is to be eaten, not for wanton play, not for intoxicated indulgence, not for adornment, not for beautification, and so on at length." This is called the extensive exposition of moderation in eating.

The Condensed Meaning of Moderation in Eating (Three Rounds)

How is the condensed meaning here to be known? It is that the condensed meaning is gathered under two questions: "What food is received?" and "In what manner is it eaten?" "What food is received?" The various material foods (cakes, parched grain, boiled rice, broth, meat-broth, gruel, congee, as expounded at length before). "In what manner is it eaten?" By rightly discerning one eats what is to be eaten, not for wanton play, intoxicated indulgence, adornment, or beautification, and so on at length.

Again, the condensed meaning should be known: for the sake of taking up the counteragent, for the sake of keeping far from the extreme of the practice of desire-pleasure, for the sake of keeping far from the extreme of the practice of self-mortification, and for the sake of taking up the holy life, one receives food and drink. How does one receive food for the sake of taking up the counteragent? As stated, by rightly discerning one eats what is to be eaten. How does one receive food for the sake of keeping far from the extreme of desire-pleasure? One does not eat for wanton play, intoxicated indulgence, adornment, or beautification. How does one receive food for the sake of keeping far from the extreme of self-mortification? One eats for the sake of dispelling hunger and thirst, cutting off the old feeling, causing that a new feeling shall not arise afresh, and obtaining future nourishment, strength, and ease. How does one receive food for the sake of taking up the holy life? One eats for the sake of taking up the holy life and attaining a faultless dwelling at ease.

Again, the condensed meaning should be known to be of two kinds: first, having nothing to eat; second, having something to eat. "Having nothing to eat" = in every kind whatsoever having nothing to eat, and because of having nothing to eat one then dies young. "Having something to eat" is of two: first, balanced eating; second, unbalanced eating. "Balanced eating" = eating that is not too little, not too much, not unfit, not undigested, not defiled; "unbalanced eating" = eating that is either too little, or too much, or unfit, or undigested, or defiled. Herein: by balanced eating that is not-too-little eating, the body's hunger and emaciation, not yet arisen, is made not to arise, and, already arisen, is cut off; by not-too-much eating, the body is without heaviness, has some capacity, is fit to cultivate cutting-off; by not-unfit, not-undigested eating, one is able to cut off the old feeling and not give rise to a new feeling, and thereby shall gain nourishing of strength and of ease; by not-defiled eating, one shall gain a faultless dwelling at ease. Whereas by too-little eating, although the lifespan is preserved, yet there is hunger and emaciation and a scant keeping-alive; by too-much eating, like an exceedingly heavy burden it presses down the body, and one is not able in time to digest and transform it; by undigested eating, either it becomes an undigested illness, or gives rise to the body's sickness and suffering (unfit eating likewise, and moreover it gathers within the body the various perils, and one contacts exceedingly grave illness and suffering); by defiled eating, one seeks by what is not the Dharma, and enjoys it with defilement, craving, addiction, and gluttony. By enjoying balanced food and keeping far from unbalanced eating, therefore it is said "acting in balance toward food."

This "acting in balance toward food" is again, by the several phrases, extensively displayed and disclosed — namely, "by rightly discerning one eats what is to be eaten, not for wanton play, intoxicated indulgence, adornment, or beautification" (as expounded at length before): therein "by rightly discerning one eats what is to be eaten, not for wanton play, intoxicated indulgence, adornment, or beautification, but for the body's abiding and for temporary sustenance," by this one wards off "having nothing at all to eat"; "for the sake of dispelling hunger and thirst, for taking up the holy life, down to a faultless dwelling at ease," by this one wards off "unbalanced eating." How does one ward off unbalanced eating? If it says "for the sake of dispelling hunger and thirst," this wards off eating too little; if it says "for the sake of taking up the holy life," this wards off eating too much; "for the sake of cutting off the old feeling, for causing that a new feeling shall not arise afresh" wards off eating without digesting and eating what is unfit; "for the sake of nourishing strength and for gaining strength to come" displays eating that is not-too-little, not-too-much; "for the sake of gaining ease to come" displays eating after digesting and eating what is fit; "for the sake of a faultless dwelling at ease to come" displays undefiled eating. Why so? If one seeks food and drink by what is not the Dharma, and having gained it enjoys it with defiled craving, it is called defiled eating, and is also called having sin; and if one who diligently cultivates the wholesome factors, while dwelling in emptiness and seclusion, in yogic attention, and in taking up, reciting, and reflecting on the meaning, is made by the various evil, unwholesome cogitations to have the mind leak and flow, to have the continuum of mind conform to, tend toward, and enter upon [defilement] and so turn, thereby one does not dwell at ease. This "dwelling at ease" is again of two kinds: first, keeping far from eating too much, whereby the body is without heaviness and is fit to cultivate cutting-off; second, not giving rise to relish and attachment toward food, whereby one keeps far from the unease of the disturbance of the various evil cogitations.

Therefore all these several phrases are for displaying and disclosing "acting in balance toward food." Thus is it called the exposition, extensive and condensed, of moderation in eating.

Teaching-arc: the restraint of discipline guards body and speech; what this item guards is the "faculty-gates" and "food and drink" — the two places where a practitioner most daily, most easily, leaks. Its eye is the one incisive stroke of the treatise's "two kinds of restraint of the faculties": guarding the faculties is one thing, but "being able to press down the present activity" (the power of discernment, subduing enwrapment) and "being able to uproot the seed" (the power of cultivation, brushing away the latent proclivity) are two different matters — the former is only the subduing of the path of provisions, the latter the cutting-off of the stage of freedom from desire. Even in eating, the treatise would have you hold "the thought as of the flesh of one's child," eating a single meal as the medicine for continuing life and cultivating the path, and not as an appetite of the belly and mouth.

Discipline Guards Body and Speech; What This Item Guards Is That Single Thought at "the Eye's First Glance, the Ear's First Hearing"

What the restraint of discipline manages is the non-transgression of body and speech; but the gate through which affliction truly enters is the six faculties. And so what comes next is "restraint of the faculties" — the guarding of the faculty-gates.

The treatise says the point of entry for the restraint of the faculties is "not grasping at its mark, not grasping at the accompanying features". Take care: this is not to tell a person to shut his eyes and stop his ears and look at nothing — it is that, having looked, having listened, he does not, upon that "mark," give rise to greed and anger. The treatise divides it very finely: "grasping the mark" is eye-consciousness, when it takes form as object, grasping and holding that general mark; "grasping the accompanying features" is the "discriminating mental consciousness" that arises immediately after eye-consciousness, upon that mark giving rise to greed, to anger, to delusion. What truly goes wrong is that latter discriminating mental consciousness.

And so the treatise sets the crucial point at "guarding the mind with mindfulness." Dunlun expounds it most vividly: eye-consciousness has only just "spontaneously" (abruptly) met with an agreeable or disagreeable form, and forthwith the discriminating mental consciousness arises to "investigate and decide"; if one does not, here, guard this discriminating mental consciousness, the next step is to "enter the position of the defiled-or-pure mind and give rise to the various afflictions" — which is why it is said to be "about to arise" 〔Dunlun〕. — The pivot of guarding the faculties lies precisely in this single instant of "about to arise, not yet arisen": with right mindfulness one blocks at the gate that mind about to give rise to greed and anger, causing it to "course in the position of equanimity" (to abide in wholesome equanimity or indeterminate equanimity; Master Bei glosses: "when it is associated with wholesome or indeterminate equanimity, and there is mindful guarding, this is called the position of equanimity"). If one can guard this single thought, then form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and phenomena can be subdued.

The Blade of the Whole Passage: Being Able to Press Down Is Not the Same as Being Able to Uproot

When the restraint of the faculties comes to its condensed meaning, the treatise suddenly opens out a division — and this is the doctrinal summit of the whole item — the "two kinds of restraint of the faculties": first, that subsumed under the power of discernment; second, that subsumed under the power of cultivation.

Both "deeply see the peril in the object-field"; the difference lies in the latter half of the sentence: the power of discernment "is not able, toward all this peril, to dispel it and cut it off and annihilate it," the power of cultivation "is also able, toward all this peril, to dispel it and cut it off and annihilate it." The treatise puts it more penetratingly: the power of discernment can cause the "enwrapment" of affliction (the present activity) to arise and be present no more, but toward the "latent proclivity clinging to and adhering to its basis" (the seed lying dormant) it is not able to cut it off, not able to uproot it forever; the power of cultivation, on the other hand, is able even toward "all the latent proclivities clinging to and adhering to their basis to cut them off, to uproot them forever." Dunlun pins it in a single phrase: the mindfulness-and-wisdom associated with the wisdom-of-reflection is the "path of subduing," the mindfulness-and-wisdom associated with the wisdom-of-cultivation is the "path of cutting-off" — "the power of discernment subdues the enwrapment but does not stir up the latent proclivity; the power of cultivation subdues the present activity and further brushes away the latent proclivity". And the treatise judges their standing: the restraint of the faculties subsumed under the power of discernment "is subsumed under the path of provisions," the restraint of the faculties subsumed under the power of cultivation "falls within, and is subsumed under, the stage of freedom from desire."

This one stroke is cut most crucially: many people suppose that guarding the faculties until the "present activity does not arise" is already arriving home, but the treatise insists on reminding you — that is only "subduing"; the seed (the latent proclivity) is still there, and, meeting conditions, will surge up again. The true restraint of the faculties must walk on to the "stage of freedom from desire" and brush the latent proclivity out by the root — that alone is "cutting-off." The work of guarding the faculties, from the subduing of the path of provisions, must be cultivated all the way to the cutting-off of the stage of freedom from desire — and this lays a buried thread for the concentration (the Stage of Meditative Equipoise) and the wisdom (the supramundane path) that follow: what concentration and wisdom cut off is precisely this "latent proclivity."

Even Eating Is to Be Cultivated: Eating a Meal into Medicine, Not into Desire

Having finished guarding the faculty-gates, the treatise expounds the sixth item, "moderation in eating" — a practitioner must even eat "by rightly discerning". Why is a single meal treated so gravely? Because food and drink are most of all the entrance-point of the greed for desires.

The treatise first teaches you to "contemplate the three perils of material food," to break open, by illumination, the greed for food: the peril of enjoyment — however fine the food and drink, once in the mouth and chewed, once enwrapped in saliva, it "is like vomit"; rightly bearing in mind this filthy mark, one cannot even eat the still-unaltered delicacies; the peril of transformation — food enters the body and turns into blood, flesh, and feces, and moreover gives rise to the various illnesses (the treatise lists a long string of disease-names); the peril of seeking — for the sake of food, hoarding and toil, guarding and anxiety, quarrel among kin, kingly campaigns, being pressed into a king's service, down to committing evil and falling into the evil destinies — the treatise lists six kinds of suffering. Illuminated on these three sides, the "fine" mark of food and drink is broken.

Having broken the greed, the treatise gives the heart-method of rightly enjoying food, and two similes are the warmest. First is "eating material food with the thought as of the flesh of one's child" — this "thought of a child's flesh" is originally the Buddha's own simile for material food: a husband and wife, taking their only child, would cross a wilderness of steep and perilous ways; their provisions exhausted and starving to the utmost, holding back their grief and dripping tears they forced themselves to eat the flesh of their child, only in order to "gain the crossing of the wilderness," in no way craving the taste of that flesh 〔Saṃyukta-āgama 373〕; one is to eat material food just so — with not the least craving for its taste, only to continue life and pass the peril. One should think: this single mouthful is "in order to requite the donors' kindness" (the donors bestow it as though cutting their skin and drawing their blood), in order, in dependence on this temporarily-abiding body, to complete the holy life. Second is "one should go to the donor's house in accord with the simile of the moon" — Master Tai and Kuiji alike say that "the moon is able, cool and refreshing, to benefit people, and entering the donor's house makes them cool and benefited"; and Dunlun further cites the Nirvāṇa-sūtra: "as the moon in the sky, from the first day to the fifteenth, gradually waxes, so too is the good friend, who summons his students gradually to keep far from evil states and to increase wholesome states". A renunciant entering the donor's house should be like the clear moon, benefiting others and gradually increasing wholesome states — not going to beg for alms, to beg for reverence, to beg for much, for the fine, for the swift; the treatise breaks open even this petty, greedy calculation of the mind.

Thus the "for the sake of" and the "not for the sake of" of eating are divided cleanly: not for wanton play (the greed for desires and lascivious license), not for intoxicated indulgence (relying on freedom from illness, youthful vigor, and long life to go and contend in martial contests), not for adornment and beautification (bathing, anointing with perfume, adorning oneself); but rather the "six for-the-sake-ofs" — for the sake of dispelling hunger and thirst, for taking up the holy life, for cutting off the old feeling, for causing that a new feeling shall not arise afresh, for nourishing strength and ease to come, faultlessly and at ease. In a phrase: food is the medicine of cultivating the path (taking up the holy life), not the desire of belly and mouth. The treatise closes with "balanced eating / unbalanced eating": eating that is not-too-little, not-too-much, not-unfit, not-undigested, not-defiled — this alone is balanced eating; too little brings hunger and emaciation, too much brings heaviness, undigested becomes illness, defiled has sin; only the "balanced" is able to "dwell faultlessly and at ease" 〔Dunlun, judging by keeping-far-from-fault and taking-up-of-virtue〕.

Carrying Forward

What this item establishes is the provisions of "inner guarding": beyond the restraint of discipline that guards body and speech, the restraint of the faculties guards the six faculty-gates, and moderation in eating regulates enjoyment; the three together are the preliminaries of the path of freedom from desire. Its doctrinal eye, the "two kinds of restraint of the faculties" — the power of discernment subduing enwrapment (the path of provisions), the power of cultivation brushing away the latent proclivity (the stage of freedom from desire) — has already pointed out the direction for the cutting-off of delusion by the later concentration and wisdom: subduing the present activity is not the ultimate; only uprooting the latent proclivity forever is cutting-off. Moderation in eating takes "for the sake of taking up the holy life" as its aim, transmuting the desire of belly and mouth into the medicine for continuing life. The guarding of the faculties and the moderating of food being established, the items of the yoga of wakefulness (not craving sleep) and dwelling with right knowing (clearly aware in walking, standing, sitting, and lying) (13-01-05) go on to complete the provisions, down to the concentration of the Stage of Meditative Equipoise, the wisdom of the supramundane path, and the latent proclivities that are cut off.