Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.19 2.

The Fool and the Wise Person Discourse

Āhāravagga Bālapaṇḍitasutta Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

He was staying at Sāvatthī.

“Avijjānīvaraṇassa, bhikkhave, bālassa taṇhāya sampayuttassa evamayaṁ kāyo samudāgato.

Disciples, for a fool hindered by ignorance and attached to craving, this body has arisen.

Iti ayañceva kāyo bahiddhā ca nāmarūpaṁ, itthetaṁ dvayaṁ, dvayaṁ paṭicca phasso saḷevāyatanāni, yehi phuṭṭho bālo sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati etesaṁ vā aññatarena.

Thus, this body and external name-and-form, these two, depend on contact, the six sense bases, by which the fool experiences pleasure and pain through one or another of these.

Avijjānīvaraṇassa, bhikkhave, paṇḍitassa taṇhāya sampayuttassa evamayaṁ kāyo samudāgato.

For a wise person hindered by ignorance and attached to craving, this body has arisen.

Iti ayañceva kāyo bahiddhā ca nāmarūpaṁ, itthetaṁ dvayaṁ, dvayaṁ paṭicca phasso saḷevāyatanāni, yehi phuṭṭho paṇḍito sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati etesaṁ vā aññatarena.

Thus, this body and external name-and-form, these two, depend on contact, the six sense bases, by which the wise person experiences pleasure and pain through one or another of these.

Tatra, bhikkhave, ko viseso ko adhippayāso kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ paṇḍitassa bālenā”ti?

Disciples, what is the distinction, the specific quality, the difference between the wise person and the fool?

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā, bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā.

Venerable sir, the teachings have the Blessed One as their root, their guide, and their refuge.

Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho.

It would be good if the Blessed One himself would explain the meaning of this statement.

Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

Having heard it from the Blessed One, the disciples will remember it.

“Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

Then listen pay close attention, I will speak.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

Yes, venerable sir, the disciples replied to the Blessed One.

Bhagavā etadavoca: “Yāya ca, bhikkhave, avijjāya nivutassa bālassa yāya ca taṇhāya sampayuttassa ayaṁ kāyo samudāgato, sā ceva avijjā bālassa appahīnā sā ca taṇhā aparikkhīṇā.

The Blessed One said this: Disciples, the ignorance by which the fool is hindered and the craving with which he is attached, this body has arisen, and that ignorance of the fool is not abandoned, and that craving is not exhausted.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

What is the reason for this?

Na, bhikkhave, bālo acari brahmacariyaṁ sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

Disciples, the fool has not lived the holy life for the complete ending of suffering.

Tasmā bālo kāyassa bhedā kāyūpago hoti, so kāyūpago samāno na parimuccati jātiyā jarāmaraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi.

Therefore, the fool, upon the breakup of the body, is reborn in a body. Being reborn in a body, he is not freed from birth, aging, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.

Na parimuccati dukkhasmāti vadāmi.

I say he is not freed from suffering.

Yāya ca, bhikkhave, avijjāya nivutassa paṇḍitassa yāya ca taṇhāya sampayuttassa ayaṁ kāyo samudāgato, sā ceva avijjā paṇḍitassa pahīnā, sā ca taṇhā parikkhīṇā.

Disciples, the ignorance by which the wise person is hindered and the craving with which he is attached, this body has arisen, and that ignorance of the wise person is abandoned, and that craving is exhausted.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

What is the reason for this?

Acari, bhikkhave, paṇḍito brahmacariyaṁ sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

Disciples, the wise person has lived the holy life for the complete ending of suffering.

Tasmā paṇḍito kāyassa bhedā na kāyūpago hoti.

Therefore, the wise person, upon the breakup of the body, is not reborn in a body.

So akāyūpago samāno parimuccati jātiyā jarāmaraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi.

Not being reborn in a body, he is freed from birth, aging, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair.

Parimuccati dukkhasmāti vadāmi.

I say he is freed from suffering.

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso, ayaṁ adhippayāso, idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ paṇḍitassa bālena yadidaṁ brahmacariyavāso”ti. Navamaṁ.

This is the distinction, the specific quality, the difference between the wise person and the fool, namely, the living of the holy life.