Paṇḍitavaggo : Chapter 6. The wise
This chapter is about the immature person becoming a wise person.
”What is “Paṇḍita” ?
Paṇḍita means a person who is wise, clever, skilled and circumspect.
DhP.6-76
Nidhīnaṃva pavattāraṃ, hidden treasure like points-out yaṃ passe vajjadassinaṃ; person seeing fault-finding Niggayhavādiṃ medhāviṃ, having-rebuked wise tādisaṃ paṇḍitaṃ bhaje; such a-wise approach Tādisaṃ bhajamānassa, such associating-with seyyo hoti na pāpiyo. better to-be not worse
The person who points out your faults
is like a treasure.
If you meet such a wise man,
befriend one.
Associating with such one
can be a good,
but can not be a bad.
explanation
We can easily see others’ faults, but not our own. Also, we can accept the points of view of those we like, but resist the points of view of those we don’t like.
DhP.6-77
Ovadeyyānusāseyya, gave-admonition-advice-shoud asabbhā ca nivāraye; misbehaviour and Keep-them-away Satañhi so piyo hoti, good surely person like being asataṃ hoti appiyo. not-good beign not-like
Admonish and advise others.
To keep misbehaviour away.
Then good people will like you
and bad people will hate you.
explanation
Buddha said that admonition and advice are always fine for good people, but evil people do not agree to be advised.
If you are open to the advice of others, you can consider yourself a “good“, but if you are inclined to reject it, you need to be aware that you are a “bad“.
DhP.6-78
Na bhaje pāpake mitte, not befriend bad friend na bhaje purisādhame; not befriend man-lowest Bhajetha mitte kalyāṇe, befriend friend morally-good bhajetha purisuttame. befriend man-highest
Don’t be with bad friends.
Don’t be with lousy people.
Befriend good friends.
Befriend the best of people.
explanation
A bad friend is:
Someone who lies with impunity.
Someone who refuses to help you for a reason.
Someone who only helps you when to be afraid or anxious.
Someone who is jealous of your success and speaks ill of you.
A good friend is:
Someone who cannot lie.
Someone who helps you.
Someone who is happy for your success.
Someone who does not speak ill of or slander others.
DhP.6-79
Dhammapīti sukhaṃ seti, truth-joy comfort sleeps vippasannena cetasā; purified by-mind Ariyappavedite dhamme, holy-declared truth sadā ramati paṇḍito. always delight-in Wise
One who finds inner joy
in the practice of the truth,
lives happily with a pure mind.
The wise is always content
by following the Dhamma.
explanation
amati: It is not enjoy, but “enter to be content“. “ram” means “be content“.
This does not mean expressing joy outwardly, but rather experiencing joy only in your own world, in your own mind, in a way that only you can understand.
The state of contentment cannot last forever, as the world is constantly changing. This is the truth of Dhamma. So, it is impossible for you to remain content with the outside world, but it is always possible to be content, if only within your own mind.
DhP.6-80
Udakañhi nayanti nettikā, water carrying conduits usukārā namayanti tejanaṃ; arrow-maker craft arrow Dāruṃ namayanti tacchakā, wood craft carpenter attānaṃ damayanti paṇḍitā. self taming wise-man
Plumbers control water.
Arrow-makers control arrows.
Carpenters control wood.
The wise controls the mind.
explanation
The workmen are in charge of controlling the materials, and the wise men are in charge of controlling the mind.
episode
Pandita, a seven-year-old boy (which means ‘wise man’), went out for almsgiving with his teacher, Elder Sāriputta (one of the top disciples of the Buddha). On the way, Pandita saw the work of craftsmen who drew water into the canals and arrow makers who skillfully straightened crooked branches into arrows.
Pandita thought: “They skillfully control water and trees. I wonder if my mind can be controlled in this way too.” Pandita was immediately enlightened that day attained arahant (the last stage of enlightenment) in eight and a half days after becoming a sāmaṇera.
DhP.6-81
Selo yathā ekaghano, rock like solid vātena na samīrati; by-wind not move Evaṃ nindāpasaṃsāsu, thus blame-praise na samiñjanti paṇḍitā. not bending wise-man
Like a rock unmoved
by the wind,
the wise is unmoved
by blame or praise.
explanation
Many people in the world are moved by others’ evaluations. We are depressed when blamed and soar when praised. The wise man is not influenced by emotions.
DhP.6-82
Yathāpi rahado gambhīro, like-even lake deep vippasanno anāvilo; purified clear Evaṃ dhammāni sutvāna, thus truth heared vippasīdanti paṇḍitā. purity wise-man
Like a pure and clear of deep lake,
the wise listens to the truths
and clears the mind.
explanation
However, the wise man is not emotionless. His pure, deep and clear mind mind is equanimity. And it is full of compassion, kindness and caring. It is used not for himself but for others.
DhP.6-83
Sabbattha ve sappurisā cajanti, all-here truly righteous-man giving up na kāmakāmā lapayanti santo; not pleasure-pleasure calmed Sukhena phuṭṭhā atha vā dukhena, pleasant touched when or pain na uccāvacaṃ paṇḍitā dassayanti. not high-and-low wise-man to-be-seen
The wise who is righteous and calmed,
gives up all attachments.
Not talk according to his mood.
Not soar or become depressed
when things are good or difficult.
explanation
We always want to talk. When emotions build up in our minds, we want to put them out. We talk from birth to death, as our emotions guide us. People talk with the aim of communicating something, but it is not too much to say that most of it is useless talk. It is a waste of time.
The cause of the wasteful talk is the emotion of greed, anger and ignorance. Especially due to thoughts and imaginations driven by ignorance.
When there is ignorance, the imagination grows one after another, and we talk with words in our fantasies. In that case, we are not talking about everything we have imagined. Only the conclusions of the imagination are told in words.
If you need the Buddha’s advice, the following matters have been communicated to bhikku.
Bhikku: "How should I do when I speak to others?" Buddha: Do not deviate from your chosen theme. Speaking in short sentences. Pronounce words clearly. Do not raise your voice. Choose words and phrases that can be understood by the listener. Make points that are difficult to understand easy to understand by giving examples and episodes. Use dignified language.
DhP.6-84
Na attahetu na parassa hetu, not oneself-for not other for na puttamicche na dhanaṃ na raṭṭhaṃ; not child-wishing not property not kingdom Na iccheyya adhammena samiddhimattano, not wish misconduct success-mine sa sīlavā paññavā dhammiko siyā. who moralist of-wisdom priest to-be
Even if it is for oneself or for one’s family,
no wish for children, property or power.
No wish for success in contravention of the law.
Someone with morals
will have wisdom and truth.
explanation
This verse is often misunderstood, but it does not mean that we should not wish children, property, power or our own success. It means that we do not wish children, property, power or our own success, even against the law.
DhP.6-85
Appakā te manussesu, little they in-humans ye janā pāragāmino; that people other-shore-going Athāyaṃ itarā pajā, and-then others people tīramevānudhāvati. shore-only-run-around
Few people reach
the other shore.
Many people just run around
on this shore.
explanation
The other shore = nibbāna(nirvana). This shore is the world of humans.
Only a few people are able to reach the other shore and attain nibbāna. Most people cannot reach the other shore because they are attached to this world.
DhP.6-86
Ye ca kho sammadakkhāte, they and really rightly told dhamme dhammānuvattino; truth truth-following-one Te janā pāramessanti, these people other-shore-will-go maccudheyyaṃ suduttaraṃ. realm-of-death very-difficult-to-surpass
People who practice
according to rightly preached truths
will cross the realm of death (samsara),
which is very difficult to cross,
and will go to the other shore.
explanation
When people listen to wrong views, blindness appears and they suffer. If you practice the right truth honestly, you will be free from suffering. You can reach nirvana.
DhP.6-87
Kaṇhaṃ dhammaṃ vippahāya, dark truth abandon sukkaṃ bhāvetha paṇḍito; bright develop wise-man Okā anokamāgamma, habitation non-habitation-having-come-to viveke yattha dūramaṃ. detachment where absence-enjoyment
The wise should leave the dark and evil path
and follow the bright and righteous path.
Get ordained,
where there are no worldly pleasures.
explanation
This 87th verse and the next 88th verse are the Buddha’s advice to 2 monks who visited him.
DhP.6-88
Tatrābhiratimiccheyya, there-delight-wishing hitvā kāme akiñcano; to-leave pleasure having nothing Pariyodapeyya attānaṃ, to-cleanse self cittaklesehi paṇḍito. mind-stain wise-man
Give up your desires and
rejoice that you have nothing to cling to.
If you are wise,
cleanse your mind of impurities.
Analys
Tatrābhiratimiccheyya: tatra + bhiratim + iccheyya
cittaklesehi: citta + kilesa: stain of mind
explanation
“kāma” means “desire, wish, longing“. It is the desire felt through the five sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body); the desire to see, hear, smell, taste, touch or be touched by something. It also means the five sense-object of that preference.
Why is it better to practice alone, away from worldly life?
Because there is less contact with the objects that are the source of desire. In solitude, there is nothing to ‘enjoy‘ or ‘fill your mind‘, and you are left with only yourself to focus on your practice.
Do you feel lonely being alone? When you are with others, you have the illusion of happy, but it does not change the immaturity of your own mind.
DhP.6-89
Yesaṃ sambodhiyaṅgesu, these with-factors-of-awakening sammā cittaṃ subhāvitaṃ; rightly mind well-developed Ādānapaṭinissagge, grasping-abandon anupādāya ye ratā; no-attachment it delighted-in Khīṇāsavā jutimanto, removed-taints te loke parinibbutā. they this-world completely-nirvana
The seven factors of awakening
to train the mind correctly.
Abandon griping and
enjoy the absence of obsession.
Those who have entered into perfect nirvana
in this world have lost their stains
and are shining brightly.
Analysis
Sambodhiyaṅgesa=saṃ(with)-bodhi(enlightenment)-aṅga(angle / a constituent part)
explanation
“Sambodhiyaṅga” means with “satta bojjhaṅga: the seven factors of awakening”. The Buddha said “They lead to enlightenment”. These are mindfulness, investigation of dhamma, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration and equanimity. Learn more.
Ādāna-paṭinissagge: It means releasing what you grasp on to as ‘mine‘ and losing attachment.
A person who has entered into perfect nirvana is the enlightened person Arahant. This will be the subject of the next chapter.
Paṇḍitavaggo chaṭṭho niṭṭhito. Wise-chapter 6th finished
6. The wise chapter is ended.