Bālapaṇḍitasutta The Astute and the Foolish

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati. At Sāvatthī.

“Avijjānīvaraṇassa, bhikkhave, bālassa taṇhāya sampayuttassa evamayaṁ kāyo samudāgato. “Mendicants, for a fool shrouded by ignorance and coupled to craving, this body has been produced. Iti ayañceva kāyo bahiddhā ca nāmarūpaṁ, itthetaṁ dvayaṁ, dvayaṁ paṭicca phasso saḷevāyatanāni, yehi phuṭṭho bālo sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati etesaṁ vā aññatarena. So there is this duality: this body and external name and form. Contact depends on this duality. When contacted through one or other of the six sense fields, the fool experiences pleasure and pain.

Avijjānīvaraṇassa, bhikkhave, paṇḍitassa taṇhāya sampayuttassa evamayaṁ kāyo samudāgato. For an astute person shrouded by ignorance and coupled to craving, this body has been produced. Iti ayañceva kāyo bahiddhā ca nāmarūpaṁ, itthetaṁ dvayaṁ, dvayaṁ paṭicca phasso saḷevāyatanāni, yehi phuṭṭho paṇḍito sukhadukkhaṁ paṭisaṁvedayati etesaṁ vā aññatarena. So there is this duality: this body and external name and form. Contact depends on this duality. When contacted through one or other of the six sense fields, the astute person experiences pleasure and pain.

Tatra, bhikkhave, ko viseso ko adhippayāso kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ paṇḍitassa bālenā”ti? What, then, is the difference between the foolish and the astute?”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā, bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti. “Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

“Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Well then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. “Yes, sir,” they replied. Bhagavā etadavoca: The Buddha said this:

“Yāya ca, bhikkhave, avijjāya nivutassa bālassa yāya ca taṇhāya sampayuttassa ayaṁ kāyo samudāgato, sā ceva avijjā bālassa appahīnā sā ca taṇhā aparikkhīṇā. “For a fool shrouded by ignorance and coupled to craving, this body has been produced. But the fool has not given up that ignorance or finished that craving. Taṁ kissa hetu? Why is that? Na, bhikkhave, bālo acari brahmacariyaṁ sammā dukkhakkhayāya. The fool has not completed the spiritual journey for the complete ending of suffering. Tasmā bālo kāyassa bhedā kāyūpago hoti, Therefore, when their body breaks up, the fool is reborn in another body. so kāyūpago samāno na parimuccati jātiyā jarāmaraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. When they have passed on to another body, they’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. ‘Na parimuccati dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

Yāya ca, bhikkhave, avijjāya nivutassa paṇḍitassa yāya ca taṇhāya sampayuttassa ayaṁ kāyo samudāgato, sā ceva avijjā paṇḍitassa pahīnā, sā ca taṇhā parikkhīṇā. For an astute person shrouded by ignorance and coupled to craving, this body has been produced. But the astute person has given up that ignorance and finished that craving. Taṁ kissa hetu? Why is that? Acari, bhikkhave, paṇḍito brahmacariyaṁ sammā dukkhakkhayāya. The astute person has completed the spiritual journey for the complete ending of suffering. Tasmā paṇḍito kāyassa bhedā na kāyūpago hoti. Therefore, when their body breaks up, the astute person is not reborn in another body. So akāyūpago samāno parimuccati jātiyā jarāmaraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. Not passing on to another body, they’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. ‘Parimuccati dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi. They’re freed from suffering, I say. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso, ayaṁ adhippayāso, idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ paṇḍitassa bālena yadidaṁ brahmacariyavāso”ti. This is the difference here between the foolish and the astute, that is, leading the spiritual life.”

Navamaṁ.