‹ Library

Dhammapada 60–75

Bālavagga

5. Fools · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

Glosses: Fluent · Literal · Off
Translation: Hide · Show

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

longDīghā for the wakefuljāgarato nightratti,
longdīghaṁ for the wearysantassa leagueyojanaṁ;
longDīgho of foolsbālāna transmigrationsaṁsāro,
true teachingsaddhammaṁ not·understandavijānataṁ.

Long is the night for the wakeful; long is the league for the weary; long transmigrate the fools who don’t understand the true teaching.

wander + ifCarañce not·should findnādhigaccheyya,
betterSeyyaṁ equal + oneselfsadisamattano;
alone·wanderingEkacariyaṁ firmdaḷhaṁ should makekayirā,
not·there isNatthi with foolsbāle fellowshipsahāyatā.

If while wandering you find no partner equal or better than yourself, then firmly resolve to wander alone— there’s no fellowship with fools.

sonsPuttā are minematthi wealthdhanaṁ is minematthi,
thusiti foolbālo fretsvihaññati;
selfAttā indeedhi of oneselfattano is notnatthi,
from wherekuto sonsputtā from wherekuto wealthdhanaṁ.

“Sons are mine, wealth is mine”— thus the fool frets. For even your self is not your own, let alone your sons or wealth.

whoYo a foolbālo thinksmaññati fool·nessbālyaṁ,
a wise onepaṇḍito or·evenvāpi to that extenttena heso;
a foolBālo butca wise·imaginingpaṇḍitamānī,
hesa indeedve "a fool"“bālo”ti is calledvuccati.

The fool who thinks they’re a fool is wise at least to that extent. But the true fool is said to be one who imagines that they are wise.

as long as·live·evenYāvajīvampi ifce a foolbālo,
the wise onepaṇḍitaṁ attends topayirupāsati;
notNa heso the teachingdhammaṁ apart·knowvijānāti,
a spoondabbī soup·tastesūparasaṁ likeyathā.

Though a fool attends to the wise even for the rest of their life, they still don’t understand the teaching, like a spoon the taste of the soup.

hour + evenMuhuttamapi ifce clever personviññū,
the wisepaṇḍitaṁ attends topayirupāsati;
swiftlyKhippaṁ the teachingdhammaṁ dis-·knowvijānāti,
a tonguejivhā soup·tastesūparasaṁ likeyathā.

If a clever person attends to the wise even just for an hour or so, they swiftly understand the teaching, like a tongue the taste of the soup.

they wanderCaranti foolsbālā bad·wisdomdummedhā,
just like an enemyamitteneva with themselvesattanā;
doingKarontā wickedpāpakaṁ deedkammaṁ,
whichyaṁ becomeshoti bitter·fruitkaṭukapphalaṁ.

Fools and simpletons behave like their own worst enemies, doing wicked deeds that ripen as bitter fruit.

notNa thattaṁ deedkammaṁ donekataṁ good,sādhu,
whichyaṁ having donekatvā one is tormented;anutappati;
whoseYassa with tearful faceassumukho weeping,rodaṁ,
effectvipākaṁ experiences.paṭisevati.

It’s not good to do a deed that plagues you later on, for which you weep and wail, as its effect stays with you.

that + andTañca deedkammaṁ donekataṁ goodsādhu,
whichyaṁ having donekatvā does not regretnānutappati;
whoseYassa delightedpatīto glad-mindedsumano,
apart·ripeningvipākaṁ experiencespaṭisevati.

It is good to do a deed that doesn’t plague you later on, that gladdens and cheers, as its effect stays with you.

honey + likeMadhuṁvā imaginesmaññati the foolbālo,
as long asyāva evilpāpaṁ notna ripenspaccati;
whenYadā andca ripenspaccati evilpāpaṁ,
thenatha sufferingdukkhaṁ down·gonigacchati.

The fool imagines that evil is sweet, so long as it has not yet ripened. But as soon as that evil ripens, they fall into suffering.

month after monthMāse month after monthmāse with a blade of kusa grasskusaggena,
a foolbālo might eatbhuñjeyya foodbhojanaṁ;
notNa heso of those who have appraised the teachingsaṅkhātadhammānaṁ,
a partkalaṁ is worthagghati a sixteenthsoḷasiṁ.

Month after month a fool may eat food from a grass-blade’s tip; but they’ll never be worth a sixteenth part of one who has appraised the teaching.

notNa indeedhi wickedpāpaṁ donekataṁ deedkammaṁ,
quickly·milk·likeSajjukhīraṁva curdlesmuccati;
smolderingḌahantaṁ fool + followbālamanveti,
ash + covered·likeBhasmacchannova firepāvako.

For a wicked deed that has been done does not curdle quickly like milk. Smoldering, it follows the fool, like a fire smothered over with ash.

as far as indeedYāvadeva not·benefitanatthāya,
fameñattaṁ of a foolbālassa is bornjāyati;
it strikesHanti of a foolbālassa good·featuressukkaṁsaṁ,
and its headmuddhamassa blowing apartvipātayaṁ.

Whatever fame a fool may get, it only gives rise to harm. Whatever good features they have it ruins, and blows their head into bits.

not·esteemAsantaṁ they would seekbhāvanamiccheyya,
status + andPurekkhārañca among the mendicantsbhikkhusu;
authority over monasteriesĀvāsesu andca authorityissariyaṁ,
honorPūjaṁ among other familiesparakulesu andca.

They’d seek the esteem that they lack, and status among the mendicants; authority over monasteries, and honor among other families.

me·aloneMameva donekata let them thinkmaññantu,
layfolkgihī renunciantspabbajitā bothubho;
under my sway aloneMamevātivasā let them beassu,
to-be-done·not-to-be-donekiccākiccesu in anything at allkismici;
soIti of the foolbālassa thoughtsaṅkappo,
greedicchā pridemāno andca growsvaḍḍhati.

“Let both layfolk and renunciants think the work was done by me alone. In anything at all that’s to be done, let them fall under my sway alone.” So thinks the fool, their greed and pride only growing.

one thingAññā indeedhi profit·meanslābhūpanisā,
anotheraññā quenching·goingnibbānagāminī;
thus + thisEvametaṁ fully·knowabhiññāya,
a mendicantbhikkhu of the Buddhabuddhassa disciplesāvako;
honorsSakkāraṁ not·delight innābhinandeyya,
seclusion·fostervivekamanubrūhaye.
fool·chapterBālavaggo fifthpañcamo.

For the means to profit and the path to quenching are two quite different things. A mendicant disciple of the Buddha, understanding what this really means, would never delight in honors, but rather would foster seclusion.

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version