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Khuddakanikāya
Minor Collection
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Dhammapada
Sayings of the Dhamma 60–75
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Bālavagga
5. The Fool
1
Dīghā jāgarato ratti,
Long is the night for the wakeful;
2
dīghaṁ santassa yojanaṁ;
long is the league for the weary;
3
Dīgho bālāna saṁsāro,
long transmigrate the fools
4
saddhammaṁ avijānataṁ.
who don’t understand the true teaching.
0
Mahākassapasaddhivihārikavatthu
1
Carañce nādhigaccheyya,
If while wandering you find no partner
2
Seyyaṁ sadisamattano;
equal or better than yourself,
3
Ekacariyaṁ daḷhaṁ kayirā,
then firmly resolve to wander alone—
4
Natthi bāle sahāyatā.
there’s no fellowship with fools.
1
Puttā matthi dhanaṁ matthi,
“Sons are mine, wealth is mine”—
2
iti bālo vihaññati;
thus the fool frets.
3
Attā hi attano natthi,
For even your self is not your own,
4
kuto puttā kuto dhanaṁ.
let alone your sons or wealth.
0
Gaṇṭhibhedakacoravatthu
1
Yo bālo maññati bālyaṁ,
The fool who thinks they’re a fool
2
paṇḍito vāpi tena so;
is wise at least to that extent.
3
Bālo ca paṇḍitamānī,
But the true fool is said to be one
4
sa ve “bālo”ti vuccati.
who imagines that they are wise.
1
Yāvajīvampi ce bālo,
Though a fool attends to the wise
2
paṇḍitaṁ payirupāsati;
even for the rest of their life,
3
Na so dhammaṁ vijānāti,
they still don’t understand the teaching,
4
dabbī sūparasaṁ yathā.
like a spoon the taste of the soup.
0
Tiṁsapāveyyakabhikkhuvatthu
1
Muhuttamapi ce viññū,
If a clever person attends to the wise
2
paṇḍitaṁ payirupāsati;
even just for an hour or so,
3
Khippaṁ dhammaṁ vijānāti,
they swiftly understand the teaching,
4
jivhā sūparasaṁ yathā.
like a tongue the taste of the soup.
0
Suppabuddhakuṭṭhivatthu
1
Caranti bālā dummedhā,
Fools and simpletons behave
2
amitteneva attanā;
like their own worst enemies,
3
Karontā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
doing wicked deeds
4
yaṁ hoti kaṭukapphalaṁ.
that ripen as bitter fruit.
1
Na taṁ kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu,
It’s not good to do a deed
2
yaṁ katvā anutappati;
that plagues you later on,
3
Yassa assumukho rodaṁ,
for which you weep and wail,
4
vipākaṁ paṭisevati.
as its effect stays with you.
1
Tañca kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu,
It is good to do a deed
2
yaṁ katvā nānutappati;
that doesn’t plague you later on,
3
Yassa patīto sumano,
that gladdens and cheers,
4
vipākaṁ paṭisevati.
as its effect stays with you.
0
Uppalavaṇṇattherīvatthu
1
Madhuṁvā maññati bālo,
The fool imagines that evil is sweet,
2
yāva pāpaṁ na paccati;
so long as it has not yet ripened.
3
Yadā ca paccati pāpaṁ,
But as soon as that evil ripens,
4
atha dukkhaṁ nigacchati.
they fall into suffering.
1
Māse māse kusaggena,
Month after month a fool may eat
2
bālo bhuñjeyya bhojanaṁ;
food from a grass-blade’s tip;
3
Na so saṅkhātadhammānaṁ,
but they’ll never be worth a sixteenth part
4
kalaṁ agghati soḷasiṁ.
of one who has appraised the teaching.
1
Na hi pāpaṁ kataṁ kammaṁ,
For a wicked deed that has been done
2
Sajjukhīraṁva muccati;
does not curdle quickly like milk.
3
Ḍahantaṁ bālamanveti,
Smoldering, it follows the fool,
4
Bhasmacchannova pāvako.
like a fire smothered over with ash.
1
Yāvadeva anatthāya,
Whatever fame a fool may get,
2
ñattaṁ bālassa jāyati;
it only gives rise to harm.
3
Hanti bālassa sukkaṁsaṁ,
Whatever good features they have it ruins,
4
muddhamassa vipātayaṁ.
and blows their head into bits.
1
Asantaṁ bhāvanamiccheyya,
They’d seek the esteem that they lack,
2
Purekkhārañca bhikkhusu;
and status among the mendicants;
3
Āvāsesu ca issariyaṁ,
authority over monasteries,
4
Pūjaṁ parakulesu ca.
and honor among other families.
1
Mameva kata maññantu,
“Let both layfolk and renunciants think
2
gihī pabbajitā ubho;
the work was done by me alone.
3
Mamevātivasā assu,
In anything at all that’s to be done,
4
kiccākiccesu kismici;
let them fall under my sway alone.”
5
Iti bālassa saṅkappo,
So thinks the fool,
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icchā māno ca vaḍḍhati.
their greed and pride only growing.
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Vanavāsitissasāmaṇeravatthu
1
Aññā hi lābhūpanisā,
For the means to profit and the path to quenching
2
aññā nibbānagāminī;
are two quite different things.
3
Evametaṁ abhiññāya,
A mendicant disciple of the Buddha,
4
bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako;
understanding what this really means,
5
Sakkāraṁ nābhinandeyya,
would never delight in honors,
6
vivekamanubrūhaye.
but rather would foster seclusion.
Tripiṭaka