Breaking Free from Drowsiness (佛說離睡經) — Alertness, Discipline & the Path in 6 Minutes

About this text

The Sutra on Abandoning Sleepiness (佛說離睡經) is a strikingly practical teaching on how to overcome drowsiness, lethargy, and mental dullness in practice. Spoken while the Buddha was staying at the Deer Park, the discourse begins when the Buddha notices that Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana (大目乾連), walking alone in a quiet place, has become overcome by sleep. Through meditative power, the Buddha appears instantly before him and offers precise, graduated instructions.

Rather than scolding, the Buddha asks gently: “Moggallāna, why are you sleepy?” He then prescribes a progressive sequence of remedies, beginning with subtle mental adjustments and moving gradually to physical action:

• First, do not follow sleepy thoughts or indulge in discursive thinking.
• If sleep remains, recite and review the teachings exactly as heard and memorized.
• If it still persists, teach the Dharma to others, allowing clarity to arise through explanation.
• If drowsiness continues, reflect carefully on the meaning of the teachings while walking.
• If still not dispelled, wash the eyes and limbs with cool water.
• If necessary, pull the ears and massage the body.
• If sleep remains, step outside, look in all directions, and observe the stars.
• If still unresolved, walk mindfully in the open, guarding the senses and recollecting wholesome qualities.
• Only as a final resort should one lie down mindfully, maintaining the intention to rise promptly, without indulging in comfort or attachment to sleep.

Through this sequence, the Buddha makes clear that sleepiness is not a moral failure, but a condition to be skillfully addressed through wisdom, effort, and adaptability.

The discourse then widens into a deeper teaching. The Buddha warns Mahāmaudgalyāyana not to delight in beds, reclining, sleep, or worldly honor, explaining that attachment to comfort undermines concentration. He draws a sharp distinction between wholesome proximity and unwholesome proximity. True proximity, he teaches, is dwelling in quiet places, living simply, and cultivating contemplation. Unwholesome proximity is excessive closeness with householders when it leads to idle talk, flattery, pride, jealousy, and restlessness — all of which drive the mind far from samādhi.

The Buddha further instructs on right conduct during alms-rounds and teaching:
one should not seek gain, reputation, or victory in debate. Teaching should be offered for benefit alone, spoken clearly and decisively, without disparaging others, “like a lion’s roar” grounded in truth rather than rivalry.

In response, Mahāmaudgalyāyana asks what leads a monk to complete purity and final completion of the holy life. The Buddha answers with a concise insight practice: observing all sensations — pleasant, painful, or neutral — as impermanent, decaying, fading, and ceasing. Through this contemplation, attachment to the world falls away, fear dissolves, and liberation is realized.

The 佛說離睡經 thus stands as both a manual for alertness and a map of disciplined living. It teaches that wakefulness is not merely physical, but ethical and contemplative — arising from restraint, clarity of intention, and careful choice of what and whom we draw close to.

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Credits

Dedication:
With gratitude to Robin Chan,
towards your path to clarity, compassion, and liberation.

Narration, Script & Research: Created entirely through NotebookLM and supporting AI tools
Source: CBETA Taishō Canon T0047 — 佛說離睡經
Produced by: The Dharma × Tech Foundation