"Bhikkhus, (1) one speaking rightly would say of Nanda that he is a clansman, (2) that he is strong, (3) that he is graceful, and (4) that he is strongly prone to lust. [n.1630] Nanda, the Buddha’s half-brother, apparently had strong sensual desires. After he became a monk he constantly thought of his fiancée and later hoped to be reborn among the celestial nymphs. His story is told at Ud 3.2, ¶12. How else could Nanda lead the complete and pure spiritual life unless (5) he guarded the doors of the sense faculties, (6) observed moderation in eating, (7) was intent on wakefulness, and (8) possessed mindfulness and clear comprehension?

"Bhikkhus, this is how Nanda guards the doors of the sense faculties: If he needs to look to the east, he does so after he has fully considered the matter and clearly comprehends it thus: ‘When I look to the east, bad unwholesome states of longing and dejection will not flow in upon me.’

2If he needs to look to the west … to the north … to the south … to look up … to look down … to survey the intermediate directions, he does so after he has fully considered the matter and clearly comprehends it thus: ‘When I look to the intermediate directions, bad unwholesome states of longing and dejection will not flow in upon me.’ That is how Nanda guards the doors of the sense faculties.

3"This is how Nanda observes moderation in eating: Here, reflecting carefully, Nanda consumes food neither for amusement nor for intoxication nor for the sake of physical beauty and attractiveness, but only for the support and maintenance of this body, for avoiding harm, and for assisting the spiritual life, considering: ‘Thus I shall terminate the old feeling and not arouse a new feeling, and I shall be healthy and blameless and dwell at ease.’ That is how Nanda observes moderation in eating.

4"This is how Nanda is intent on wakefulness: During the day, while walking back and forth and sitting, Nanda purifies his mind of obstructive qualities. In the first watch of the night, while walking back and forth and sitting, he purifies his mind of obstructive qualities. In the middle watch of the night he lies down on the right side in the lion's posture, with one foot overlapping the other, mindful and clearly comprehending, after noting in his mind the idea of rising. After rising, in the last watch of the night, while walking back and forth and sitting, he purifies his mind of obstructive qualities. That is how Nanda is intent on wakefulness.

5"This is Nanda's mindfulness and clear comprehension: Nanda knows feelings as they arise, as they remain present, as they disappear; he knows perceptions as they arise, as they remain present, as they disappear; he knows thoughts as they arise, as they remain present, as they disappear. [n.1631] At AN4.41, this is called the development of concentration that leads to mindfulness and clear comprehension. That is Nanda's mindfulness and clear comprehension.

6"How else, bhikkhus, could Nanda lead the complete and pure spiritual life unless he guarded the doors of the sense faculties, observed moderation in eating, was intent on wakefulness, and possessed mindfulness and clear comprehension?"

1"‘Kulaputto’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya. ‘Balavā’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya. ‘Pāsādiko’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya. ‘Tibbarāgo’ti, bhikkhave, nandaṁ sammā vadamāno vadeyya. Kimaññatra, bhikkhave, nando indriyesu guttadvāro, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto, satisampajaññena samannāgato, yehi nando sakkoti paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ.

Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa indriyesu guttadvāratāya hoti. Sace, bhikkhave, nandassa puratthimā disā āloketabbā hoti, sabbaṁ cetasā samannāharitvā nando puratthimaṁ disaṁ āloketi: ‘evaṁ me puratthimaṁ disaṁ ālokayato nābhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssavissantī’ti. Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti.

2Sace, bhikkhave, nandassa pacchimā disā āloketabbā hoti … pe … uttarā disā āloketabbā hoti … dakkhiṇā disā āloketabbā hoti … uddhaṁ ulloketabbā hoti … adho oloketabbā hoti … anudisā anuviloketabbā hoti, sabbaṁ cetasā samannāharitvā nando anudisaṁ anuviloketi: ‘evaṁ me anudisaṁ anuvilokayato nābhijjhādomanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssavissantī’ti. Itiha tattha sampajāno hoti. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa indriyesu guttadvāratāya hoti.

3Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa bhojane mattaññutāya hoti. Idha, bhikkhave, nando paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṁ āhāreti: ‘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. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa bhojane mattaññutāya hoti.

4Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa jāgariyānuyogasmiṁ hoti. Idha, bhikkhave, nando divasaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti; rattiyā paṭhamaṁ yāmaṁ caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti; rattiyā majjhimaṁ yāmaṁ dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappeti pāde pādaṁ accādhāya sato sampajāno uṭṭhānasaññaṁ manasi karitvā; rattiyā pacchimaṁ yāmaṁ paccuṭṭhāya caṅkamena nisajjāya āvaraṇīyehi dhammehi cittaṁ parisodheti. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa jāgariyānuyogasmiṁ hoti.

5Tatridaṁ, bhikkhave, nandassa satisampajaññasmiṁ hoti. Idha, bhikkhave, nandassa viditā vedanā uppajjanti, viditā upaṭṭhahanti, viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti; viditā saññā … pe … viditā vitakkā … pe … abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, nandassa satisampajaññasmiṁ hoti.

6Kimaññatra, bhikkhave, nando indriyesu guttadvāro, bhojane mattaññū, jāgariyaṁ anuyutto, satisampajaññena samannāgato, yehi nando sakkoti paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caritun"ti.

Navamaṁ.