Dhammapada · Chapter 5 of 26 · verses 60 to 75
A fool who knows his folly is wise to that extent.
Bālavagga
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In this chapter the Buddha describes the 'fool', meaning not a person of low intelligence but one who does not understand the Dhamma and acts without wisdom. The fool frets over 'my sons, my wealth', though not even the self is truly one's own, and may spend a lifetime near the wise without tasting the teaching, like a spoon in soup. Wrong deeds are said to seem sweet until they ripen, and to follow the doer like fire hidden under ash. The chapter ends by contrasting the road to worldly gain with the road to nibbana, liberation and the end of suffering.
WisdomEthicsFriendshipCraving
The commentary tells that King Pasenadi of Kosala, desiring another man's wife, sent her husband on a long and difficult errand.
That night the king heard frightening cries and could not sleep. His advisers urged a great animal sacrifice to avert disaster.
Queen Mallika sent him instead to the Buddha, who explained the cries as those of beings suffering for past wrongdoing.
The king gave up his plan and the sacrifice. The Buddha spoke verse 60: long is the night for the sleepless.
Dīghā jāgarato ratti,dīghaṁ santassa yojanaṁ;Dīgho bālāna saṁsāro,saddhammaṁ avijānataṁ.
दीघा जागरतो रत्ति,दीघं सन्तस्स योजनं ।दीघो बालान संसारो,सद्धम्मं अविजानतं ॥
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.
चरञ्चे नाधिगच्छेय्य,सेय्यं सदिसमत्तनो ।एकचरियं दळ्हं कयिरा,नत्थि बाले सहायता ॥
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.
पुत्ता मत्थि धनं मत्थि,इति बालो विहञ्ञति ।अत्ता हि अत्तनो नत्थि,कुतो पुत्ता कुतो धनं ॥
“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.
यो बालो मञ्ञति बाल्यं,पण्डितो वापि तेन सो ।बालो च पण्डितमानी,स वे “बालो”ति वुच्चति ॥
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.
यावजीवम्पि चे बालो,पण्डितं पयिरुपासति ।न सो धम्मं विजानाति,दब्बी सूपरसं यथा ॥
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.
मुहुत्तमपि चे विञ्ञू,पण्डितं पयिरुपासति ।खिप्पं धम्मं विजानाति,जिव्हा सूपरसं यथा ॥
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.
चरन्ति बाला दुम्मेधा,अमित्तेनेव अत्तना ।करोन्ता पापकं कम्मं,यं होति कटुकप्फलं ॥
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.
न तं कम्मं कतं साधु,यं कत्वा अनुतप्पति ।यस्स अस्सुमुखो रोदं,विपाकं पटिसेवति ॥
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.
तञ्च कम्मं कतं साधु,यं कत्वा नानुतप्पति ।यस्स पतीतो सुमनो,विपाकं पटिसेवति ॥
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.
मधुंवा मञ्ञति बालो,याव पापं न पच्चति ।यदा च पच्चति पापं,अथ दुक्खं निगच्छति ॥
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.
मासे मासे कुसग्गेन,बालो भुञ्जेय्य भोजनं ।न सो सङ्खातधम्मानं,कलं अग्घति सोळसिं ॥
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.
न हि पापं कतं कम्मं,सज्जुखीरंव मुच्चति ।डहन्तं बालमन्वेति,भस्मच्छन्नोव पावको ॥
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.
यावदेव अनत्थाय,ञत्तं बालस्स जायति ।हन्ति बालस्स सुक्कंसं,मुद्धमस्स विपातयं ॥
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.
असन्तं भावनमिच्छेय्य,पुरेक्खारञ्च भिक्खुसु ।आवासेसु च इस्सरियं,पूजं परकुलेसु च ॥
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.
ममेव कत मञ्ञन्तु,गिही पब्बजिता उभो ।ममेवातिवसा अस्सु,किच्चाकिच्चेसु किस्मिचि ।इति बालस्स सङ्कप्पो,इच्छा मानो च वड्ढति ॥
“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.
अञ्ञा हि लाभूपनिसा,अञ्ञा निब्बानगामिनी ।एवमेतं अभिञ्ञाय,भिक्खु बुद्धस्स सावको ।सक्कारं नाभिनन्देय्य,विवेकमनुब्रूहये ॥बालवग्गो पञ्चमो ॥
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.
In verse 60, what is long for the fool who does not know the true Dhamma?
Verse 62 says the fool frets over which thought?
According to verse 63, who is the true fool?
In verse 65, a perceptive person quickly understands the Dhamma like what tastes soup?
Verse 71 says a wrong deed follows the fool like what?
What two paths does verse 75 say are different?
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Pali (Mahāsaṅgīti edition) and English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0) from SuttaCentral. Hindi and Marathi meanings, summaries and stories: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by a Buddhist scholar.
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