Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling near |Kusinārā::Kushinagar, a present-day town in Uttar Pradesh, India, revered as the place where the Buddha attained Final Nibbāna. [kusinārā]| in the Sal Grove of the |Mallas::name of the people of Malla, Mallans; lit. wrestlers [mallā]|. Now at that time, a number of bhikkhus were dwelling in a forest hut not far from the Blessed One. They were |restless::agitated, unbalanced, confused about what is right and wrong [uddhata]|, |arrogant::conceited, haughty [unnaḷa]|, |unsteady::wavering, fickle, inconsistent [capala]|, |talkative::big-mouthed [mukhara]|, |chatty::with scattered speech [vikiṇṇavāca]|, |muddle-minded::forgetful, not mindful [muṭṭhassatī]|, |lacking clear awareness::inattentive [asampajāna]|, |distracted::with scattered attention, not collected, not well-composed [asamāhita]|, |with a wandering mind::with runaway thoughts, mentally out of control [vibbhantacitta]|, and |with unrestrained faculties::with uncontrolled senses bases, having a vulgar mind [pākatindriya]|.
The Blessed One saw those bhikkhus, restless, arrogant, unsteady, talkative, chatty, muddle-minded, lacking clear awareness, distracted, with a wandering mind, and with unrestrained faculties, dwelling in a forest hut not far from him.
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“With an unguarded body,
and afflicted by |wrong view::distorted perceptions, untrue views, false beliefs [micchādiṭṭhi]|;
Overcome by |dullness and drowsiness::lack of mental clarity or alertness, mental sluggishness, lethargy, sleepiness lit. stiffness (of mind/body due to tiredness) [thinamiddha]|,
he falls under the sway of Māra.
Therefore, with a guarded mind,
being in the domain of |right intention::with correct intention, having right volition, with correct notion [sammāsaṅkappa]|;
Led by |right view::view that is in line with the Dhamma - teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [sammādiṭṭhi]|,
Having known |arising and passing away::appearance and disappearance, formation and dissolution [udayabbaya]|;
The bhikkhu who masters dullness and drowsiness,
abandons all bad destinations.”