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Dhammapada 60–75

Bālavagga

5. Fools · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Dīghā jāgarato ratti,
dīghaṁ santassa yojanaṁ;
Dīgho bālāna saṁsāro,
saddhammaṁ avijānataṁ.

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.

Carañce nādhigaccheyya,
Seyyaṁ sadisamattano;
Ekacariyaṁ daḷhaṁ kayirā,
Natthi bāle sahāyatā.

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

Puttā matthi dhanaṁ matthi,
iti bālo vihaññati;
Attā hi attano natthi,
kuto puttā kuto dhanaṁ.

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

Yo bālo maññati bālyaṁ,
paṇḍito vāpi tena so;
Bālo ca paṇḍitamānī,
sa ve “bālo”ti vuccati.

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.

Yāvajīvampi ce bālo,
paṇḍitaṁ payirupāsati;
Na so dhammaṁ vijānāti,
dabbī sūparasaṁ yathā.

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.

Muhuttamapi ce viññū,
paṇḍitaṁ payirupāsati;
Khippaṁ dhammaṁ vijānāti,
jivhā sūparasaṁ yathā.

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.

Caranti bālā dummedhā,
amitteneva attanā;
Karontā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
yaṁ hoti kaṭukapphalaṁ.

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

Na taṁ kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu,
yaṁ katvā anutappati;
Yassa assumukho rodaṁ,
vipākaṁ 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.

Tañca kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu,
yaṁ katvā nānutappati;
Yassa patīto sumano,
vipākaṁ paṭisevati.

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

Madhuṁvā maññati bālo,
yāva pāpaṁ na paccati;
Yadā ca paccati pāpaṁ,
atha dukkhaṁ nigacchati.

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.

Māse māse kusaggena,
bālo bhuñjeyya bhojanaṁ;
Na so saṅkhātadhammānaṁ,
kalaṁ agghati soḷasiṁ.

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.

Na hi pāpaṁ kataṁ kammaṁ,
Sajjukhīraṁva muccati;
Ḍahantaṁ bālamanveti,
Bhasmacchannova pāvako.

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.

Yāvadeva anatthāya,
ñattaṁ bālassa jāyati;
Hanti bālassa sukkaṁsaṁ,
muddhamassa vipātayaṁ.

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.

Asantaṁ bhāvanamiccheyya,
Purekkhārañca bhikkhusu;
Āvāsesu ca issariyaṁ,
Pūjaṁ parakulesu ca.

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

Mameva kata maññantu,
gihī pabbajitā ubho;
Mamevātivasā assu,
kiccākiccesu kismici;
Iti bālassa saṅkappo,
icchā māno ca vaḍḍhati.

“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.

Aññā hi lābhūpanisā,
aññā nibbānagāminī;
Evametaṁ abhiññāya,
bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako;
Sakkāraṁ nābhinandeyya,
vivekamanubrūhaye.
Bālavaggo pañcamo.

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.

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