This sutta acts as a counterbalance to the many places where the Buddha encourages living secluded in the forest. The purpose of the life of solitude is to develop meditation and find freedom. But life is complicated and people are complicated, and sometimes what we think will support us becomes a hindrance. So regardless of how secluded and inspiring a place may be, it is crucial to always reflect on one’s actual progress in developing the wholesome.

Here I translate upanissaya as “close by”.

This gives a brief summary of the path of meditation. First one “establishes mindfulness”, i.e. undertakes meditation based on the four satipaṭṭhānas. This leads to samādhi as the mind becomes immersed in the four jhānas. Then, seeing reality with the unclouded clarity of a purified mind, defilements are abandoned and one is freed from transmigration.

In this case they should leave after reflection, not necessarily “that very day”, since at least they can live comfortably and healthily, which is no small thing.

Even if life is hard, meditation progress is more important.

In the remaining cases I translate upanissaya as “supported by”.

The mendicant’s supporters have not fulfilled their duty to provide adequate requisites, so the mendicant is not obliged to take leave from them.

The idiom “even if driven away” (api panujjamānena) occurs a few times in this sense (MN 122:19.2, AN 7.37:1.1, AN 9.6:6.4).