➥ gutta:

• for gutta:
  • safeguarded
  • guarded [by mindfulness]
• guttaṁ: guarded [by mindfulness]; safeguarded
• gutto: guarded; safeguard
• guttassa: guarded
• guttā: safeguard

Indriyesu guttadvāro: linked to mindfulness

Because indriyesu guttadvāro is linked to mindfulness, it implies that the sense faculties are not just ‘guarded,’ but guarded by mindfulness, which should therefore be parenthesized.

• Come on, friend, abide with sense portals guarded [by mindfulness]. Take mindfulness as your supervisor. Be aware and mindful, and have a mind that is supervised [by mindfulness], a mind under the supervision of mindfulness.

Etha tumhe āvuso indriyesu guttadvārā viharatha ārakkhasatino nipakkasatino sārakkhitamānasā satārakkhena cetasā samannāgatāti. (AN iii 138)

Indriyesu guttadvāro: linked to mindfulness via saṁvara

Indriyesu guttadvāro is sometimes linked to mindfulness via saṁvara, again implying that the sense faculties are not just ‘guarded,’ but guarded by mindfulness. These quotes show saṁvara’s relationship to mindfulness:

1) When a bhikkhu has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, the eye does not incline towards pleasing visible objects nor are displeasing visible objects loathsome… In this way there is restraint [of the sense faculties] [from grasping, through mindfulness].

kāyagatā sati bhāvitā bahulīkatā cakkhu nāviñjati manāpikesu rūpesu amanāpikassa rūpāni nappaṭikkūlā honti… evaṁ kho bhikkhave saṁvaro hoti. (SN iv 200)

2) What is the condition that nourishes unrestraint of the sense faculties? Lack of mindfulness and full consciousness, one should reply.

Ko cāhāro indriyāsaṁvarassa? Asatāsampajaññan tissa vacanīyaṁ. (AN v 113)

3) What is the condition that nourishes restraint of the sense faculties [from grasping, through mindfulness]? Mindfulness and full consciousness, one should reply.

Ko cāhāro indriyasaṁvarassa. Satisampajaññantissa vacanīyaṁ. (AN v 115)

‘One with sense portals unguarded [by mindfulness]’: definition

• By virtue of what attributes, Master Kaccāna, is one ‘with sense portals unguarded [by mindfulness]’?”

kittāvatā nu kho bho kaccāna aguttadvāro hotī ti?

• In this regard, brahman, in seeing a visible object via the visual sense, some person is intent upon an agreeable visible object and troubled by a disagreeable visible object.

Idha brāhmaṇa ekacco cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati appiyarūpe rūpe vyāpajjati

… He abides without having established mindfulness of the body, with an undeveloped mind, and he does not discern according to reality, with the liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment, where those unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome factors cease without remainder.

anupaṭṭhitakāyasati ca viharati parittacetaso tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā na nirujjhanti

… It is in such a way, brahman, that one has sense portals unguarded [by mindfulness]

Evaṁ kho brāhmaṇa aguttadvāro hotī ti. (SN iv 120)

‘One with sense portals guarded [by mindfulness]’: definition

And how is a bhikkhu one with sense portals guarded [by mindfulness]?

kathañca bhikkhave bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti.

In this regard, in seeing a visible object via the visual sense, a bhikkhu does not grasp its aspects and features. Since, by abiding with the faculty of sight unrestrained [from grasping, through mindfulness], greed, dejection, and unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome factors would pursue him. He applies himself to the restraint of the faculty [from grasping, through mindfulness], he supervises the faculty of sight [with mindfulness], he attains restraint of the faculty of sight [through mindfulness].

cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā na nimittaggāhī hoti nānuvyañjanaggāhī yatvādhikaraṇamenaṁ cakkhundriyaṁ asaṁvutaṁ viharantaṁ abhijjhā domanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssaveyyuṁ tassa saṁvarāya paṭipajjati rakkhati cakkhundriyaṁ cakkhundriye saṁvaraṁ āpajjati.

Suppose a chariot harnessed to thoroughbreds was standing ready on even ground at a crossroads, with a goad on hand. Then a proficient handler, a trainer of horses to be tamed, would mount it and, taking the reins in his left hand and the goad in his right, would drive away and return by any route he wants, whenever he wants.

So, too, a bhikkhu trains in

• supervising these six sense faculties [with mindfulness]

imesaṁ channaṁ indriyānaṁ ārakkhāya sikkhati

• restraining them [with mindfulness]

saṁyamāya sikkhati

• taming them [with mindfulness]

damāya sikkhati

• calming them [with mindfulness]

upasamāya sikkhati

In this way a bhikkhu has sense portals guarded [by mindfulness].

evaṁ kho bhikkhave bhikkhu indriyesu guttadvāro hoti. (SN iv 176)

Illustration: gutta, guarded [by mindfulness]

To one with sense portals guarded [by mindfulness], watching shows is a thorn.

indriyesu guttadvārassa visūkadassanaṁ kaṇṭako. (AN v 134)

Bhikkhus, this is how Nanda has sense portals guarded [by mindfulness]

Tatiradaṁ bhikkhave nandassa indriyesu guttadvāratāya hoti.

Bhikkhus, if Nanda looks at the eastern quarter, applying his whole mind to it, he looks thereat reflecting:

sace bhikkhave nandassa puratthimā disā āloketabbā hoti sabbaṁ cetasā samannāharitvā nando puratthimaṁ disaṁ āloketi

‘Thus while I look to the eastern quarter, greed, dejection, and unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome factors will not pursue me’

evaṁ me puratthimaṁ disaṁ ālokayato na abhijjhā domanassā pāpakā akusalā dhammā anvāssavissantī ti.

Thus indeed in this respect is he fully conscious

itiha tattha sampajāno hoti. (AN iv 167)

➥ guttaṁ: (main article see: gutta)

Illustration: guttaṁ, guarded [by mindfulness]

A mind that is guarded [by mindfulness] brings happiness.

cittaṁ guttaṁ sukhāvahaṁ. (Dhp 36)

Illustration: guttaṁ, safeguarded

Just as a border city is safeguarded within and without, likewise keep watch over yourself. May the [rare] opportunity [to live the religious life] not pass you by.

Nagaraṁ yathā paccantaṁ guttaṁ santarabāhiraṁ
Evaṁ gopetha attānaṁ khaṇo vo mā upaccagā. (Dhp 315)

➥ gutto: (main article see: gutta)

Illustration: gutto, guarded

The wise person, guarded by righteousness, is called righteous.

Dhammassa gutto medhāvī dhammaṭṭho ti pavuccati. (Dhp 257)

Illustration: gutto, safeguard

When a boy has grown up and has enough wisdom, then his nurse is unconcerned about him, thinking:

• The boy can now safeguard himself. He will not be negligent [in looking after himself].

attaguttodāni kumāro nālaṁ pamādāyā ti. (AN iii 6)

➥ guttassa: (main article see: gutta)

Illustration: guttassa, guarded

The strength of a fool, they say, is the strength without strength. But there is no such rejoinder for the strength of one guarded by righteousness.

Abalantaṁ balaṁ āhu yassa bālabalaṁ balaṁ
Balassa dhammaguttassa paṭivattā na vijjati. (SN i 222)

➥ guttā: (main article see: gutta)

Illustration: guttā, safeguard

An acrobat told his apprentice Medakathālikā to join him on the bamboo pole and stand on his shoulders, and said:

• ‘You protect me, dear Medakathālikā, and I’ll protect you.

tvaṁ samma medakathālike mamaṁ rakkha. Ahaṁ tvaṁ rakkhikissāmi.

‘Thus safeguarding one another, protecting one another, we’ll exhibit our skills, collect our fee, and get safely off the bamboo pole.’

Evaṁ mayaṁ aññamaññaguttā aññamaññarakkhitā

Medakathālikā replied:

• ‘That’s not the way to do it, teacher. You protect yourself, teacher, and I’ll protect myself. Thus, each safeguarding ourselves, and protecting ourselves, we’ll exhibit our skills, collect our fee, and get safely off the bamboo pole.’

na kho nāmenaṁ ācariya evaṁ bhavissati tvaṁ ācariya attānaṁ rakkha ahaṁ attānaṁ rakkhissāmi. Evaṁ mayaṁ attaguttā attarakkhitā sippāni ceva dassessāma lābhañca lacchāma sotthinā ca caṇḍālavaṁsā orohessāmā ti. (SN v 168-9)