The Simile of the ChariotRathopamasutta

“Mendicants, when a mendicant has three qualities they’re full of joy and happiness in this very life, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements.“Tīhi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu diṭṭheva dhamme sukhasomanassabahulo viharati, yoni cassa āraddhā hoti āsavānaṁ khayāya. What three?Katamehi tīhi?

They guard the sense doors, eat in moderation, and are committed to wakefulness.Indriyesu guttadvāro hoti, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto.

And how does a mendicant guard the sense doors?Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti?

When a mendicant sees a sight with their eyes, they don’t get caught up in the features and details.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na nimittaggāhī hoti, nānubyañjanaggāhī; If the faculty of sight were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of sight, and achieving its restraint.yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ. Tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati; rakkhati cakkhundriyaṁ; cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.

When they hear a sound with their ears …Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …

When they smell an odor with their nose …ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …

When they taste a flavor with their tongue …jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …

When they feel a touch with their body …kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …

When they know an idea with their mind, they don’t get caught up in the features and details.manasā dhammaṁ viññāya na nimittaggāhī hoti nānubyañjanaggāhī; If the faculty of mind were left unrestrained, bad unskillful qualities of covetousness and displeasure would become overwhelming. For this reason, they practice restraint, protecting the faculty of mind, and achieving its restraint.yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ manindriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ, tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati; rakkhati manindriyaṁ; manindriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.

Suppose a chariot stood harnessed to thoroughbreds at a level crossroads, with a goad ready. 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.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.

In the same way, a mendicant trains to protect, control, tame, and pacify these six senses.Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imesaṁ channaṁ indriyānaṁ ārakkhāya sikkhati, saṁyamāya sikkhati, damāya sikkhati, upasamāya sikkhati.

That’s how a mendicant guards the sense doors.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti.

And how does a mendicant eat in moderation?Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu bhojane mattaññū hoti?

It’s when a mendicant reflects rationally on the food that they eat:Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti: ‘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 have the means to keep going, blamelessness, and a comfortable abiding.’‘neva davāya, na madāya, na maṇḍanāya, na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā, yāpanāya, vihiṁsūparatiyā, brahmacariyānuggahāya, iti purāṇañca vedanaṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanaṁ na uppādessāmi, yātrā ca me bhavissati, anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti.

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

In the same way, a mendicant reflects rationally on the food that they eat:evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti: ‘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 have the means to keep going, blamelessness, and a comfortable abiding.’‘neva davāya, na madāya, na maṇḍanāya, na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā, yāpanāya, vihiṁsūparatiyā, brahmacariyānuggahāya, iti purāṇañca vedanaṁ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanaṁ na uppādessāmi, yātrā ca me bhavissati, anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti.

That’s how a mendicant eats in moderation.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu bhojane mattaññū hoti.

And how is a mendicant committed to wakefulness?Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti?

It’s when a mendicant practices walking and sitting meditation by day, purifying their mind from obstacles.Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu divasaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti. In the first watch of the night, they continue to practice walking and sitting meditation.Rattiyā paṭhamaṁ yāmaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti. In the middle watch, 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.Rattiyā majjhimaṁ yāmaṁ dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappeti pāde pādaṁ accādhāya sato sampajāno uṭṭhānasaññaṁ manasi karitvā. In the last watch, they get up and continue to practice walking and sitting meditation, purifying their mind from obstacles.Rattiyā pacchimaṁ yāmaṁ paccuṭṭhāya caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti.

This is how a mendicant is committed to wakefulness.Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu jāgariyaṁ anuyutto hoti.

When a mendicant possesses these three qualities they’re full of joy and happiness in this very life, and they have laid the groundwork for ending the defilements.”Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu diṭṭheva dhamme sukhasomanassabahulo viharati, yoni cassa āraddhā hoti āsavānaṁ khayāyā”ti.