Aṇguttara-Nikāya
III. Tika Nipāta
I. Bāla Vagga
Namo tassa Bhagavato arahato Sammā Sambuddhassa
Fools[1]
Suttas 1-10
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
Sutta 1
Fear
[1][pts][bodh][upal] I hear tell:
Once upon a time, The Lucky man, Sāvatthi-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anathapiṇḍika's Sporting Grounds.
There then The Lucky Man addressed the beggars, saying:
"Beggars!"
And the beggars responding "Bhante!"
The Lucky Man said this to them:
"Whatever fears are born, beggars,
all such are born in the fool,
not in one who is wise.
Whatever attacks are born,
all such are born in the fool,
not in one who is wise.
Whatever troubles are born,
all such are born in the fool,
not in one who is wise.
In the same way, beggars,
as a fire originating in
a house thatched with
naḷa reeds, or
tiṇa reeds
burns even a well protected house
plastered top to bottom,
sheltered from the wind,
shuttered against heat,
even so, beggars,
whatever fears are born,
all such are born in the fool,
not in one who is wise
whatever attacks are born,
all such are born in the fool,
not in one who is wise
whatever troubles are born,
all such are born in the fool,
not in one who is wise.
So it is then, beggars,
the fool brings fear
the one who is wise
brings no fear.
The fool brings attacks
the one who is wise
brings no attacks.
The fool brings troubles
the one who is wise
brings no troubles.
There is no fear, beggars,
from the one who is wise,
there are no attacks
from the one who is wise,
there are no troubles,
from the one who is wise.
■
Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
Sutta 2
Signs
[2][pts][than][bodh][upal] "Acts are signs of the fool
acts are signs of the one who is wise,
wisdom is distinguish by its clarity.
■
Having three things, beggars,
the fool is to be known.
What three?
Unpleasant conduct of body,
unpleasant conduct of speech,
unpleasant conduct of mind.
These then, beggars,
are the three things
by which a fool is to be known.
■
Having three things, beggars,
the one who is wise is to be known.
What three?
Pleasant conduct of body,
pleasant conduct of speech,
pleasant conduct of mind.
These then, beggars,
are the three things
by which one who is wise is to be known.
■
Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
Sutta 3
Intent
[3][pts][bodh][upal] "These three, beggars, are
the foolish one's signs
the foolish one's tracks
the foolish one's distinguishing marks
of a fool.
What three?
Here, beggars, the fool has
unpleasant intentional intents
unpleasant spoken speech
unpleasant done deeds.
If, beggars, the fool had not[2]
unpleasant intentional intents
unpleasant spoken speech
unpleasant done deeds,
how then would the wise know:
'This fellow is a fool,
not a wise person'?
It is because, beggars,
the fool has
unpleasant intentional intents
unpleasant spoken speech
unpleasant done deeds,
that the wise know:
'This fellow is a fool,
not a wise person'.
These three then, beggars, are
the foolish one's signs
the foolish one's tracks
the foolish one's distinguishing marks
of a fool.
■
These three, beggars, are
the wise one's signs
the wise one's tracks
the wise one's distinguishing marks
of a wise one.
What three?
Here, beggars, the one who is wise has
pleasant intentional intents
pleasant spoken speech
pleasant done deeds.
If, beggars, the one who is wise had not
pleasant intentional intents
pleasant spoken speech
pleasant done deeds,
how then would the wise know:
'This fellow is one who is wise,
not a fool'?
It is because, beggars,
the one who is wise has
pleasant intentional intents
pleasant spoken speech
pleasant done deeds,
that the wise know:
'This fellow is one who is wise,
not a fool'.
These three then, beggars, are
the wise one's signs
the wise one's tracks
the wise one's distinguishing marks
of one who is wise."
■
Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
Sutta 4
Lapse
[4][pts][bodh][upal] "Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
What three?
A lapse is not seen as a lapse;
when a lapse is seen as a lapse
whatever it is
he does not make amends;
then, when some other person confesses a lapse
whatever it is
he does not acknowledge it.
These then, beggars,
are the three things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
■
Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the one who is wise is to be known.
What three?
A lapse is seen as a lapse;
when a lapse is seen as a lapse
whatever it is
he makes amends;
then, when some other person confesses a lapse
whatever it is
he acknowledges it.
These then, beggars,
are the three things
possessing which the one who is wise is known.
■
Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
Sutta 5
Baseless
[5][pts][bodh][upal][than] "Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
What three?
He is a maker of baseless inquiries;
he answers questions baselessly;
then, when another,
answers a qustion thoughtfully,
adhering faithfully to encompassing word and letter,[3]
he shows no happiness or respect.
These then, are the three things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
■
Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the one who is wise is to be known.
What three?
He is a maker of thoughtful inquiries;
he answers questions thoughtfully;
then, when another,
answers a qustion thoughtfully,
adhering faithfully to encompassing word and letter,
he shows happiness and respect.
These then, are the three things
possessing which one who is wise is to be known.
■
Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
Sutta 6
Unskillful
[6][pts][bodh][upal] "Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
What three?
Bodily unskillful acts,
vocal unskillful acts,
mental unskillful acts.
These then, are the three things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
■
Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the one who is wise is to be known.
What three?
Bodily skillful acts,
vocal skillful acts,
mental skillful acts.
These then, are the three things
possessing which one who is wise is to be known.
■
Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
Sutta 7
Faulty
[7][pts][bodh][upal] "Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
What three?
Bodily faulty acts,
vocal faulty acts,
mental faulty acts.
These then, are the three things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
■
Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the one who is wise is to be known.
What three?
Bodily faultless acts,
vocal faultless acts,
mental faultless acts.
These then, are the three things
possessing which one who is wise is to be known.
■
Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
Sutta 8
That which Accompanies the Faulty
[8][pts][bodh][upal] "Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
What three?
Doing that which accompanies the bodily faulty,
doing that which accompanies the verbally faulty,
doing that which accompanies the mentally faulty.
These then, are the three things
possessing which the fool is to be known.
■
Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the one who is wise is to be known.
What three?
Not doing that which accompanies the bodily faulty,
not doing that which accompanies the verbally faulty,
not doing that which accompanies the mentally faulty.
These then, are the three things
possessing which one who is wise is to be known.
■
Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
Sutta 9
Uprooted
[9][pts][bodh][upal] "Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the,
inexperienced,
unpersonable,
vulnerable,
fool,
injures himself,
grasps hold of, and
generates
much faulty consciousness.
What three?
Unpleasant bodily conduct,
unpleasant verbal conduct,
unpleasant mental conduct.
These then, are the three things
possessing which the,
inexperienced,
unpersonable,
vulnerable,
fool,
injures himself,
grasps hold of, and
generates
much faulty consciousness.
■
"Three, beggars, are the things
possessing which the,
experienced,
personable,
invulnerable,
wise person,
avoids injury to himself, and
generates
much faultless re-knowing-knowing-knowledge.
What three?
Pleasant bodily conduct,
pleasant verbal conduct,
pleasant mental conduct.
These then, are the three things
possessing which the,
experienced,
personable,
invulnerable,
wise person,
avoids injury to himself, and
generates
much faultless re-knowing-knowing-knowledge.
These then, are the three things
possessing which one who is wise is to be known.
■
Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
Sutta 10
Filth
[10][pts][bodh][upal][than] "Three, beggars, things possessed, and
the three filthy things,
not letting go of which,
one is cast into Hell
as one deserves.
Which three?
Having unpleasant ethical standards, and
having not let go of the filth of unpleasant ethical standards;
being envious, and
having not let go of the filth of envy,
being stingy, and
having not let go of the filth of stingyness.
These then, beggars,
are the things possessed, and
the three filthy things,
not letting go of which,
one is cast into Hell
as one deserves.
■
"Three, beggars, things possessed, and
the three filthy things,
letting go of which,
one is placed gently into Heaven
as one deserves.
Which three?
Having ethical standards, and
having let go of the filth of unpleasant ethical standards;
not being envious, and
having let go of the filth of envy,
not being stingy, and
having let go of the filth of stingyness.
These then, beggars,
are the three things possessed, and
the three filthy things,
letting go of which,
one is placed gently into Heaven
as one deserves.
■
[4]Threfore, beggars,
thus should you train yourselves:
'We, the three things
by which the fool is known,
will, those three things avoid.
We, the three things
by which the one who is wise is known,
with those three things as our basis,
will arouse ourselves.'
It is in this way, beggars,
that you should you train yourselves."
[1] If the reader finds it difficult to believe that the Buddha would address foolish individuals as "foolish" or "fools", he should look to the origin of this term in Pāḷi where the word is actually "childish" or "young" with the meaning of the lack of understanding of the child or youth.
[2] Abhavissa. Literally "had not brought to life," "made become."
[3] Parimaṇḍalehi pada-vyañjanehi, Thoroughly encircled word and letter. Woodward: "well-rounded periods"; Bhikkhu Bodhi: "well-rounded and coherent words and phrases". The literal meaning is closer to Woodward's translation, but is incomprehensible. His "periods" here implies either "comprehensiveness" or (the same thing) "the termination of a complete thought".
[4]Not found in the PTS text or apparently in the text being used by Bhikkhu Bodhi. Maybe deliberately missing.
