Bālapaṇḍitasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 129

The Foolish and the Astute · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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againPuna and furthercaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, of the kingrañño wheel-turningcakkavattissa the householder-treasuregahapatiratanaṁ appearspātubhavati.
to himTassa born of result of deedskammavipākajaṁ divine eyedibbacakkhu appearspātubhavati, by whichyena treasure trovenidhiṁ he seespassati even ownedsassāmikampi even ownerlessassāmikampi.
heSo the kingrājānaṁ wheel-turningcakkavattiṁ having approachedupasaṅkamitvā said thusevamāha:
free from worry‘appossukko youtvaṁ, your majestydeva, behohi. IAhaṁ for youte with wealthdhanena what is to be done with wealthdhanakaraṇīyaṁ I will dokarissāmī’ti.
once it happenedBhūtapubbaṁ, monksbhikkhave, the kingrājā wheel-turningcakkavattī that very sametameva householder-treasuregahapatiratanaṁ testingvīmaṁsamāno boatnāvaṁ having boardedabhiruhitvā in the middlemajjhe of the Gangesgaṅgāya of the rivernadiyā currentsotaṁ having enteredogāhitvā the householder-treasuregahapatiratanaṁ said thisetadavoca:
need‘attho for meme, householdergahapati, with gold coined and uncoinedhiraññasuvaṇṇenā’ti.
then‘Tena indeedhi, great kingmahārāja, oneekaṁ shoretīraṁ boatnāvā let it draw nearupetū’ti.
right here‘Idheva for meme, householdergahapati, needattho with gold coined and uncoinedhiraññasuvaṇṇenā’ti.
thenAtha indeedkho thattaṁ, monksbhikkhave, householder-treasuregahapatiratanaṁ with bothubhohi with handshatthehi in the waterudake having immersedomasitvā fullpūraṁ of gold coined and uncoinedhiraññasuvaṇṇassa potkumbhiṁ having pulled upuddharitvā the kingrājānaṁ wheel-turningcakkavattiṁ said thisetadavoca:
is this sufficient‘alamettāvatā, great kingmahārāja. is enough doneKatamettāvatā, great kingmahārāja. is enough offeredPūjitamettāvatā, great kingmahārājā’ti.
the kingRājā wheel-turningcakkavattī said thusevamāha:
that is sufficient‘alamettāvatā, householdergahapati. enough doneKatamettāvatā, householdergahapati. enough offeredPūjitamettāvatā, householdergahapatī’ti.
of the kingRañño, monksbhikkhave, wheel-turningcakkavattissa suchevarūpaṁ householder-treasuregahapatiratanaṁ appearspātubhavati.

Next, the householder-treasure appears to the wheel-turning monarch. The power of clairvoyance manifests in him as a result of past deeds, by which he sees treasure troves, both owned and ownerless. He approaches the wheel-turning monarch and says, ‘Relax, Your Majesty. I will take care of the treasury.’ Once it so happened that the wheel-turning monarch, testing that same householder-treasure, boarded a boat and sailed to the middle of the Ganges River. Then he said to the householder-treasure, ‘Householder, I need gold, both coined and uncoined.’ ‘Well then, Great King, draw the boat up to one shore.’ ‘It’s right here, householder, that I need gold, both coined and uncoined.’ Then that householder-treasure, immersing both hands in the water, pulled up a pot full of gold, both coined and uncoined, and said to the king, ‘Is this sufficient, Great King? Has enough been done, Great King, enough offered?’ The wheel-turning monarch said, ‘That is sufficient, householder. Enough has been done, enough offered.’ Such is the householder-treasure that appears to the wheel-turning monarch.

againPuna furthermorecaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, to the kingrañño wheel-turningcakkavattissa commander-treasurepariṇāyakaratanaṁ appearspātubhavati—
astutepaṇḍito competentbyatto intelligentmedhāvī capablepaṭibalo the kingrājānaṁ wheel-turningcakkavattiṁ should be ushered inupayāpetabbaṁ to usher inupayāpetuṁ should be ushered outapayāpetabbaṁ to usher outapayāpetuṁ should be keptṭhapetabbaṁ to keepṭhapetuṁ.
heSo the kingrājānaṁ wheel-turningcakkavattiṁ having approachedupasaṅkamitvā spoke thusevamāha:
free from worry‘appossukko youtvaṁ, Your Majestydeva, behohi. I shall issue instructionsAhamanusāsissāmī’ti.
to the kingRañño, monksbhikkhave, wheel-turningcakkavattissa suchevarūpaṁ commander-treasurepariṇāyakaratanaṁ appearspātubhavati.
kingRājā, monksbhikkhave, wheel-turningcakkavattī with theseimehi sevensattahi treasuresratanehi endowedsamannāgato ishoti.

Next, the commander-treasure appears to the wheel-turning monarch. He is astute, competent, intelligent, and capable regarding who should be ushered in to the king’s presence, who should be ushered out, and who should be kept by his side. He approaches the wheel-turning monarch and says, ‘Relax, Your Majesty. I shall issue instructions.’ Such is the commander-treasure that appears to the wheel-turning monarch. These are the seven treasures possessed by a wheel-turning monarch.

with whatKatamāhi fourcatūhi blessings?iddhīhi?
hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, a kingrājā wheel-turningcakkavattī attractiveabhirūpo ishoti good-lookingdassanīyo lovelypāsādiko of surpassingparamāya beautyvaṇṇapokkharatāya endowedsamannāgato exceedinglyativiya than otheraññehi humans.manussehi.
A kingRājā, monksbhikkhave, wheel-turningcakkavattī with thisimāya firstpaṭhamāya blessingiddhiyā endowedsamannāgato is.hoti.

And what are the four blessings? A wheel-turning monarch is attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty, more so than other humans. This is the first blessing.

furthermorePuna and moreovercaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, a kingrājā a wheel-turningcakkavattī long-liveddīghāyuko ishoti long-lastingciraṭṭhitiko exceedinglyativiya than otheraññehi humansmanussehi.
a kingRājā, monksbhikkhave, a wheel-turningcakkavattī with thisimāya seconddutiyāya blessingiddhiyā endowedsamannāgato ishoti.

Furthermore, he is long-lived, more so than other humans. This is the second blessing.

furthermorePuna and moreovercaparaṁ, monksbhikkhave, kingrājā wheel-turningcakkavattī seldom illappābādho ishoti seldom unwellappātaṅko even-digestingsamavepākiniyā stomachgahaṇiyā endowedsamannāgato neither too coldnātisītāya nor too hotnāccuṇhāya more thanativiya otheraññehi humansmanussehi.
kingRājā, monksbhikkhave, wheel-turningcakkavattī with thisimāya thirdtatiyāya blessingiddhiyā endowedsamannāgato ishoti.

Furthermore, he is rarely ill or unwell, and his stomach digests well, being neither too hot nor too cold, more so than other humans. This is the third blessing.

Furthermore, a wheel-turning monarch is as dear and beloved to the brahmins and householders as a father is to his children. And the brahmins and householders are as dear to the wheel-turning monarch as children are to their father. Once it so happened that a wheel-turning monarch went with his army of four divisions to visit a park. Then the brahmins and householders went up to him and said, ‘Slow down, Your Majesty, so we may see you longer!’ And the king addressed his charioteer, ‘Drive slowly, charioteer, so I can see the brahmins and householders longer!’ This is the fourth blessing.

a kingRājā, monksbhikkhave, a wheel-turning monarchcakkavattī with theseimāhi fourcatūhi blessingsiddhīhi possessedsamannāgato ishoti.

These are the four blessings possessed by a wheel-turning monarch.

thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññatha, mendicantsbhikkhave,
evenapi thennu indeedkho kingrājā wheel-turning monarchcakkavattī theseimehi sevensattahi treasuresratanehi possessedsamannāgato theseimāhi fourcatūhi andca blessingsiddhīhi because of thattatonidānaṁ pleasuresukhaṁ happinesssomanassaṁ would experiencepaṭisaṁvediyethā”ti?
even a single one“Ekamekenapi, sirbhante, treasureratanena possessedsamannāgato kingrājā wheel-turning monarchcakkavattī because of thattatonidānaṁ pleasuresukhaṁ happinesssomanassaṁ would experiencepaṭisaṁvediyetha, whatko thenpana speechvādo sevensattahi treasuresratanehi fourcatūhi andca blessingsiddhīhī”ti?

What do you think, mendicants? Would a wheel-turning monarch who possessed these seven treasures and these four blessings experience pleasure and happiness because of them?” “Sir, a wheel-turning monarch who possessed even a single one of these treasures would experience pleasure and happiness because of that, let alone all seven treasures and four blessings!”

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā smallparittaṁ palm-sizedpāṇimattaṁ stonepāsāṇaṁ having takengahetvā the mendicantsbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
that“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññatha, mendicantsbhikkhave,
whichkatamo thennu indeedkho bigger—whichmahantataro—yo and thiscāyaṁ by memayā smallparitto palm-sizedpāṇimatto stonepāsāṇo takengahito whichyo andca Himalayahimavā king of mountains?pabbatarājā”ti?
tiny“Appamattako thisayaṁ, sirbhante, by the Blessed Onebhagavatā smallparitto palm-sizedpāṇimatto stonepāsāṇo taken;gahito; Himalayahimavantaṁ king of mountainspabbatarājānaṁ compared toupanidhāya even a reckoningsaṅkhampi notna reaches;upeti; even a fractionkalabhāgampi notna reaches;upeti; even a comparisonupanidhampi notna reaches."upetī”ti.
In the same way“Evameva indeed,kho, mendicants,bhikkhave, whichyaṁ kingrājā wheel-turningcakkavattī with sevensattahi treasuresratanehi endowedsamannāgato with fourcatūhi andca blessingsiddhīhi due to thattatonidānaṁ pleasuresukhaṁ happinesssomanassaṁ experiencespaṭisaṁvedeti thattaṁ divinedibbassa happinesssukhassa compared toupanidhāya even a reckoningsaṅkhampi notna reaches;upeti; even a fractionkalabhāgampi notna reaches;upeti; even a comparisonupanidhampi notna reaches.upeti.

Then the Buddha, picking up a stone the size of his palm, addressed the mendicants, “What do you think, mendicants? Which is bigger: the stone the size of my palm that I’ve picked up, or the Himalayas, the king of mountains?” “Sir, the stone you’ve picked up is tiny. Compared to the Himalayas, it doesn’t count, it’s not worth a fraction, there’s no comparison.” “In the same way, compared to the happiness of heaven, the pleasure and happiness experienced by a wheel-turning monarch due to those seven treasures and those four blessings doesn’t even count, it’s not even a fraction, there’s no comparison.

thatSa indeedkho heso, monksbhikkhave, astute personpaṇḍito ifsace sometimekadāci occasionallykarahaci longdīghassa of timeaddhuno after the passingaccayena human statemanussattaṁ comes toāgacchati, whateveryāni thosetāni high familiesuccākulāni—
aristocrat wealthy familykhattiyamahāsālakulaṁ orvā brahmin wealthy familybrāhmaṇamahāsālakulaṁ orvā householder wealthy familygahapatimahāsālakulaṁ orvā suchtathārūpe in familykule is rebornpaccājāyati richaḍḍhe affluentmahaddhane wealthymahābhoge with lots of gold and silverpahūtajātarūparajate with lots of property and assetspahūtavittūpakaraṇe with lots of money and grainpahūtadhanadhaññe.
heSo andca ishoti attractiveabhirūpo good-lookingdassanīyo lovelypāsādiko with surpassingparamāya beautyvaṇṇapokkharatāya endowedsamannāgato, acquirerlābhī of foodannassa of drinkpānassa of clothesvatthassa of vehiclesyānassa of garlands, fragrances, and cosmeticsmālāgandhavilepanassa of bed, house, and lightingseyyāvasathapadīpeyyassa.
heSo by bodykāyena good conductsucaritaṁ practicescarati, by speechvācāya good conductsucaritaṁ practicescarati, by mindmanasā good conductsucaritaṁ practicescarati.
heSo by bodykāyena good conductsucaritaṁ having practicedcaritvā, by speechvācāya good conductsucaritaṁ having practicedcaritvā, by mindmanasā good conductsucaritaṁ having practicedcaritvā, of bodykāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ from deathmaraṇā to good destinationsugatiṁ heavenlysaggaṁ worldlokaṁ is rebornupapajjati.

And suppose that astute person, after a very long time, returned to the human realm. They’d be reborn in a well-to-do family of aristocrats, brahmins, or householders—rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, and lots of money and grain. And they’d be attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. They’d get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and a bed, house, and lighting. And they do good things by way of body, speech, and mind. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.

supposeSeyyathāpi, monksbhikkhave, gamblerakkhadhutto with firstpaṭhameneva handkaṭaggahena bigmahantaṁ pile of moneybhogakkhandhaṁ would winadhigaccheyya;
trivialappamattako suchso, monksbhikkhave, winning handkaṭaggaho whichyaṁ thatso gamblerakkhadhutto with firstpaṭhameneva handkaṭaggahena bigmahantaṁ pile of moneybhogakkhandhaṁ would winadhigaccheyya.
thenAtha indeedkho this veryayameva than thattato greatermahantataro winning handkaṭaggaho wherebyyaṁ anso astute personpaṇḍito by bodykāyena good conductsucaritaṁ having practicedcaritvā, by speechvācāya good conductsucaritaṁ having practicedcaritvā, by mindmanasā good conductsucaritaṁ having practicedcaritvā of bodykāyassa breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā good placesugatiṁ heavenlysaggaṁ realmlokaṁ is rebornupapajjati.
thisAyaṁ, monksbhikkhave, totalkevalā fulfillmentparipūrā astute person's levelpaṇḍitabhūmī”ti.
this saidIdamavoca the Blessed Onebhagavā.
satisfiedAttamanā thosete mendicantsbhikkhū of the Blessed Onebhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ approvedabhinandunti.
Discourse on the Foolish and the AstuteBālapaṇḍitasuttaṁ finishedniṭṭhitaṁ ninthnavamaṁ.

Suppose a gambler was to win a big pile of money with the first winning hand. Such a winning hand is trivial compared to the winning hand whereby an astute person, when their body breaks up, after death, is reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. This is the total fulfillment of the astute person’s level.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

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