Bālavaggo : Chapter 5. Immature
This chapter is intended to make you aware of your immaturity.
What is “Bāla” ?
“Bāla” means immature, fool. The original meaning is “young, childish, unable to speak” so it means immature. So, although they may be a fool now, but they have the potential to improve.
DhP.5-60
Dīghā jāgarato ratti, long to-be-awake night dīghaṃ santassa yojanaṃ; long tired yojana Dīgho bālānaṃ saṃsāro, long for-foolish samsaro saddhammaṃ avijānataṃ. true-dhamma ignorance
The night is long for one who cannot sleep.
8 miles is a long way for someone tired.
Samsara is long for one who is immature
not to know true Dhamma.
analysis
saddhamma: sat-dhamma: the true dhamma.
avijā = a(non)-vijā(wisdom, light) = non-wisdom, no-light. It is synonymous with ignorance (moha), but it means that the truth(wisdom) is not apparent. Not being able to watch the true nature of things, just as you cannot watch things without light.
explanation
yojana: Ancient Indian units of distancements. It is a one-day cattle drive, and 1 yojana = about 8 miles = about 12.8 km.
Samsara: the cycle of birth and death. More detail.
DhP.5-61
Carañce nādhigaccheyya, walking-if not-find seyyaṃ sadisamattano; better equal-myself Ekacariyaṃ daḷhaṃ kayirā, Walking-alone firmly must-do natthi bāle sahāyatā. not-do foolish friendship
If you canot find anyone
who is better than you or similar to you,
be firm and walk alone.
Stay away from immature people.
explanation
Do not fear loneliness.
DhP.5-62
Puttā matthi dhanammatthi, son my-existence property-my-existence iti bālo vihaññati; thus fool grieved Attā hi attano natthi, Self even oneself not-exsit kuto puttā kuto dhanaṃ. why son why property
My son…
My property…
The immature one worries.
I, the ego, do not even exist.
How can I have a my son or my property?
analysis
matthi: m + atthi
explanation
This Buddha said: Even I am not my own, similarly even you are not your own. If you are not your own, your child is not your own. Your property is not yours either. So it means don’t be attached. If there is no attachment, there is no trouble.
A foolish person is one who does not understand this truth. But it is not easy to understand.
So what is “I“?
“I” am body + mind.
The body is rūpa(means colour & form) composed of the classical elements: earth, water, air and fire.
The mind is composed of the 4 factors: viññāṇa(consciousness), vedanā(feeling), sañña(perception) and Saṅkhāra(formations).
“I” am 5 factors, and be a phenomenon (moving images and words) created by my own mind. This truth can be confirmed for yourself through meditation.
DhP.5-63
Yo bālo maññati bālyaṃ, who fool to-think foolishness paṇḍito vāpi tena so; clever either also because-of-it he Bālo ca paṇḍitamānī, foolish and clever-one who is proud sa ve ‘‘bālo’’ti vuccati. he truly foolish to-be-called
The immature one who considers himself
foolish is wise enough to at least be aware of it.
The immature one who prides himself
on being wise is really foolish.
explanation
We may understand in our thoughts that we are fools, but our minds do not think so. The Buddha said there are two types of fools: those who do not see their own mistakes as mistakes, and those who do not forgive mistakes made by others.
DhP.5-64
Yāvajīvampi ce bālo, life-long and fool paṇḍitaṃ payirupāsati; wise to-sit-beside Na so dhammaṃ vijānāti, not he truth understand-exactly dabbī sūparasaṃ yathā. spoon soup-taste like
The immature can serve a sage
all his life but
never understand the Dhamma.
Just as a spoon cannot taste soup.
explanation
Why is it that “the spoon cannot taste the soup”? Because the spoon has no senses.
In order to understand the taste of soup, the sense of taste is necessary. In order to be able to taste, there has to be a sensory organ that can receive the soup. It is tongue. Only when the soup comes into contact with the tongue does the sense of taste arise.
Living beings always have some kind of sensation. A foolish person is one who is only driven by the senses and does not understand them.
DhP.5-65
Muhuttamapi ce viññū, minute-even if intelligence paṇḍitaṃ payirupāsati; wise to-sit-beside Khippaṃ dhammaṃ vijānāti, quickly truth understand-exactly jivhā sūparasaṃ yathā. tongue soup-taste like
An intellectual even if he has served the sage
for only a short time.
He can understand the Dhamma immediately.
Just as the tongue tastes the soup.
explanation
What is the difference between a fool and an intellectual?
A fool is one who is unaware that he is a fool, and therefore does not need to learn.
An intellectual is one who is aware that he is a fool and is willing to learn for it.
DhP.5-66
Caranti bālā dummedhā, do foolish difficulty-intelligence amitteneva attanā; enemy-like self Karontā pāpakaṃ kammaṃ, doing wicked action yaṃ hoti kaṭukapphalaṃ. which to-exist having-severe-results
Shallow and immature one does evil actions
as if he himself was the enemy,
with severe results.
explanation
Whenever we do something, it is a cause, and it always comes to fruition(result). It is the “law of causality. It is not a terrible thing. Nature (the universe) puts us to the test. Sometimes they are calamities, and sometimes they are good fortune. When we encounter trials, how we deal with them determines the direction of the rest of our lives. This is the law of causality = the law of nature.
DhP.5-67
Na taṃ kammaṃ kataṃ sādhu, no he action did well yaṃ katvā anutappati; which done to-suffer Yassa assumukho rodaṃ, what with-a-tearful-face cried vipākaṃ paṭisevati. fruition to-receive
If you do wrong,
you will regret it later,
and you will cry
when you get what you deserve.
analysis
vipāka (vi+pac): result; fruit; fruition; effect; consequence of one’s actions.
explanation
Nature does not punish actors for doing wrong. Nature does not distinguish between good and evil, nor does it make judgements.
We experience the same thing as a result of an act we have done. It is a law of nature that when we perform an action, we experience the same action from the opposite side. This is because we learn by experiencing phenomena from both sides (yin and yang).
DhP.5-68
Tañca kammaṃ kataṃ sādhu, that then action done right yaṃ katvā nānutappati; which done not-regret Yassa patīto sumano, which pleased happy vipākaṃ paṭisevati. fruition to-receive
If you do good deeds,
you will not regret them.
When you receive your results,
you are satisfied and happy.
explanation
“Life” is a series of actions. Breathing, eating, cooking, cleaning, working, studying, playing, defecating, talking, sleeping … thinking is also an action. It is an act, although the body is not moving. Being ‘excited‘ or ‘hating‘ is also an act, even if it doesn’t show on your face. To live is to keep doing some act.
Therefore, if you do all acts with a mind free of greed, anger and ignorance, they will be good acts.
DhP.5-69
Madhuvā maññati bālo, like-sweet think fool yāva pāpaṃ na paccati; until evil not to-suffer Yadā ca paccati pāpaṃ, when and to-suffer evil bālo dukkhaṃ nigacchati. fool with difficulty to-enter
The immature thinks of it as sweet
until he receives the result of his evil deeds.
When he receives the results,
he suffers.
DhP.5-70
Māse māse kusaggena, a-month a-month blade-of-grass bālo bhuñjeyya bhojanaṃ; fool to-eat food Na so saṅkhātadhammānaṃ, not he established-dhamma kalaṃ agghati soḷasiṃ. one-of to-be-worth 16
Even if the immature fasts every month,
he is not worth one sixteenth of one
who understands the Dhamma.
explanation
In ancient India, it was believed that in order to attain liberation, one had to perform ascetic practices. The Buddha also practised all kinds of hardship according to custom until he attained liberation at the age of 35. He realised that “just as the easy life of royalty does not lead to liberation, neither does suffering lead to liberation”. He understood that practice is the development of the mind, and that pampering or paining the body does not develop the mind. What is needed is observation and training of the mind.
DhP.5-71
Na hi pāpaṃ kataṃ kammaṃ, not for evil done action sajju khīraṃva muccati; iInstantly milk as to-release Ḍahantaṃ bālamanveti, burning fool-to-follow bhasmacchannova pāvako. covered-with-ashes as fire
Doing evil does not have instant results,
like milking a cow.
The fire buried in the ashes
follows them and burns
for the immature.
explanation
Even if the fire is not visible because it is covered by ashes, it does not mean that it is not there.
DhP.5-72
Yāvadeva anatthāya, only-for no-virtue ñattaṃ bālassa jāyati; intelligence foolish to-be-born Hanti bālassa sukkaṃsaṃ, harm foolish virtue muddhamassa vipātayaṃ. confused his to-crush
The intelligence of the immature
will only create misery.
It is useless and confusing.
It will only harm the immature.
explanation
The thoughts of fools are based on greed, anger and ignorance. The thoughts are not in their own good or in the good of others.
There are three types of acts that people do: mind, speech and body. Even an evil thought in the mind can be a bad act and cause harm to oneself. Be careful!
DhP.5-73
Asantaṃ bhāvanamiccheyya, non-existing exsit-cause-wish purekkhārañca bhikkhusu; honour-and by-monks Āvāsesu ca issariyaṃ, dwelling-place and initiative pūjā parakulesu ca. offering by-other-house and
The immature desires that
respect from other monks,
power in the monastery,
offering from the householder.
explanation
We want to confirm the reason for our existence by satisfying our need for approval and affiliation.
DhP.5-74
Mameva kata maññantu, mine-only made think gihīpabbajitā ubho; householder-gone-home both Mamevātivasā assu, mine-only-powerful kiccākiccesu kismici; should-be-done-and-not-be-done who Iti bālassa saṅkappo, thus foolish thought icchā māno ca vaḍḍhati. wish pride and increase
Only I can do it !
Everyone, do whatever I will !
Thus the thoughts of immatures
increase both greed and pride.
explanation
Thinking that I am the only one who knows how to do things, expecting everyone else to follow my leadership.
“Māna” is a mental habit of being quick to compare oneself with others.
DhP.5-75
Aññā hi lābhūpanisā, other certainly benefit-cause aññā nibbānagāminī; other nirbana-attaining Evametaṃ abhiññāya, about-this well-understood bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako; monks Buddha's disciple Sakkāraṃ nābhinandeyya, honour not-glad vivekamanubrūhaye. loneliness-according-to-develope
One is the path of worldly gain.
Another one is the path leading for nirvana.
The monks, disciples of Buddha,
with this well understood,
don’t be glad to be respected,
but grow up alone.
explanation
Which path will you choose?
Bālavaggo pañcamo niṭṭhito. immature-chapter 5th finished
5. The immature chapter is ended.