Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Dhammapada V (Bālavagga / The Fool)

dīghā jāgarato ratti, ~ dīghaṁ santassa yojanaṁ,
dīgho bālānaṁ saṁsāro ~ saddhammaṁ avijānataṁ.

Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law.

carañ-ce nādhigaccheyya ~ seyyaṁ sadisam-attano,
ekacariyaṁ daḷhaṁ kayirā, ~ natthi bāle sahāyatā.

If a traveller does not meet with one who is his better, or his equal, let him firmly keep to his solitary journey; there is no companionship with a fool.

“puttā matthi dhanam-matthi” ~ iti bālo vihaññati,
attā hi attano natthi ~ kuto puttā, kuto dhanaṁ?

"These sons belong to me, and this wealth belongs to me," with such thoughts a fool is tormented. He himself does not belong to himself; how much less sons and wealth?

yo bālo maññati bālyaṁ, ~ paṇḍito vā pi tena so,
bālo ca paṇḍitamānī ~ sa ve bālo ti vuccati.

The fool who knows his foolishness, is wise at least so far. But a fool who thinks himself wise, he is called a fool indeed.

yāvajīvam-pi ce bālo ~ paṇḍitaṁ payirupāsati
na so dhammaṁ vijānāti, ~ dabbī sūparasaṁ yathā.  

If a fool be associated with a wise man even all his life, he will perceive the truth as little as a spoon perceives the taste of soup.

muhuttam-api ce viññū ~ paṇḍitaṁ payirupāsati
khippaṁ dhammaṁ vijānāti, ~ jivhā sūparasaṁ yathā.

If an intelligent man be associated for one minute only with a wise man, he will soon perceive the truth, as the tongue perceives the taste of soup.

caranti bālā dummedhā ~ amitteneva attanā,
karontā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ ~ yaṁ hoti kaṭukapphalaṁ.

Fools of little understanding have themselves for their greatest enemies, for they do evil deeds which must bear bitter fruits.

na taṁ kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu ~ yaṁ katvā anutappati,
yassa assumukho rodaṁ ~ vipākaṁ paṭisevati.
 
That deed is not well done of which a man must repent, and the reward of which he receives crying and with a tearful face.

tañ-ca kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu ~ yaṁ katvā nānutappati,
yassa patīto sumano ~ vipākaṁ paṭisevati.

No, that deed is well done of which a man does not repent, and the reward of which he receives gladly and cheerfully.

madhuvā maññati bālo, ~ yāva pāpaṁ na paccati,
yadā ca paccati pāpaṁ, ~ atha bālo dukkhaṁ nigacchati.

As long as the evil deed done does not bear fruit, the fool thinks it is like honey; but when it ripens, then the fool suffers grief.

māse māse kusaggena ~ bālo bhuñjetha bhojanaṁ,
na so saṅkhātadhammānaṁ ~ kalaṁ agghati soḷasiṁ.

Let a fool month after month eat his food (like an ascetic) with the tip of a blade of Kusa grass, yet he is not worth the sixteenth particle of those who have well weighed the law.

na hi pāpaṁ kataṁ kammaṁ ~ sajju khīraṁ va muccati,
ḍahantaṁ bālam-anveti ~ bhasmacchanno va pāvako.

An evil deed, like newly-drawn milk, does not turn (suddenly); smouldering, like fire covered by ashes, it follows the fool.

yāvad-eva anatthāya ~ ñattaṁ bālassa jāyati,
hanti bālassa sukkaṁsaṁ ~ muddham-assa vipātayaṁ.

And when the evil deed, after it has become known, brings sorrow to the fool, then it destroys his bright lot, nay, it cleaves his head.

asataṁ bhāvanam-iccheyya, ~ purekkhārañ-ca bhikkhusu,
āvāsesu ca issariyaṁ, ~ pūjā parakulesu ca.

Let the fool wish for a false reputation, for precedence among the Bhikshus, for lordship in the convents, for worship among other people!

“mameva kata' maññantu ~ gihī pabbajitā ubho,
mameva ativasā assu ~ kiccākiccesu kismici”,
iti bālassa saṅkappo ~ icchā māno ca vaḍḍhati.

"May both the layman and he who has left the world think that this is done by me; may they be subject to me in everything which is to be done or is not to be done," thus is the mind of the fool, and his desire and pride increase.

aññā hi lābhūpanisā, ~ aññā nibbānagāminī,
evam-etaṁ abhiññāya ~ bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako
sakkāraṁ nābhinandeyya, ~ vivekam-anubrūhaye. 

"One is the road that leads to wealth, another the road that leads to Nirvana;" if the Bhikshu, the disciple of Buddha, has learnt this, he will not yearn for honour, he will strive after separation from the world.

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