BALA VAGGA (Fools)
 

Contents

1 The king who craved for another man’s wife - Pasenadi
2 A disobedient novice monk
3 The fate of a stingy rich man - Ananda
4 How to differentiate the fools
5 Fools cannot realise the Dhamma - Udayi
6 The wise can realise the Dhamma
7 The leper s confidence in the Triple Gem - Suppabuddha
8 How the Buddha saved an innocent farmer
9 The strong devotion of a florist - Sumana
10 The young man who molested a nun - Uppala Vanna
11 The ascetic who deceived others - Jambuka
12 A ghost with a human head and snake’s body
13 Be careful in actions
14 A lay disciple and a stubborn monk - Citta and Sudhamma
15 A novice monk who won all hearts - Tissa
 
 

V:1 LONG IS SAMSARA TO THOSE WHO KNOW NOT THE DHAMMA

Long is the night to the wakeful; long is the journey to the weary; long is samsara1 to the foolish who know not the Sublime Truth.
 

V:1 The king who craved for another man’s wife (Pasenadi)

Hurriedly taking a food packet from his wife, the young man set out on his mission. On the way, he shared his food with a traveller. He then threw some rice into the water and said loudly, ‘O guardian spirits and nagas inhabiting this river! King Pasenadi has commanded me to get some lotus flowers and red earth for him. I have today shared my food with a traveller;

I have also fed the fish in the river; I now share with you the merits of the good deeds I have done today. Please get the lotus and red earth for me.’ A supernatural being, hearing him, took the appearance of an old man and brought the lotus flower and the red earth.

That evening, King Pasenadi, fearing that the young husband might arrive back in time, had the city-gates closed early. The young man, finding the city-gates closed, placed the red earth on the city wall and stuck the flowers on the earth. Then he declared loudly, ‘O citizens! Be my witnesses! I have today accomplished my mission in time as instructed. The king without any justification, plans to kill me.’ After that, the young man left for Jetavana monastery to take shelter and find solace in the peaceful atmosphere there.

Meanwhile, the king, obsessed with his desire, could not sleep, and kept thinking about how he would get rid of the husband in the morning and take his wife. About midnight, he heard some eerie sounds. The king was frightened and did not know what to do. Queen Mallika, the chief consort, advised the king to seek the advice of the Buddha. The Buddha explained that the eerie sounds came from four men who had lived an earthly existence during the time of the previous Buddha. They were now suffering in hell due to the bad kamma that they had accumulated because of sexual misconduct.

The king came to realise the depravity of his own actions and the severity of the effect of bad kamma. He decided he would no longer crave for another man’s wife.  ‘After all, it was on account of my intense desire for another man’s wife that I was tormented and could not sleep the whole of last night,’ he reflected.  Then King Pasenadi said to the Buddha, ‘Venerable Sir, now I know how long the night is for one who cannot sleep.’ The young man who was close at hand also said, ‘Venerable Sir, because I had travelled a long distance yesterday, I, too, know how long the journey is to one who is weary.’ So both the king and his subject benefited from their experiences. Then the Buddha said, ‘Long is Samsara to the foolish who know not the Sublime Truth.’
 

Note:

1. Lit., wandering again and again. It is the ocean of life or existence.

Samsara is defined as the unbroken flow of the stream of aggregates, elements, and sense-faculties. Samsara is also explained as the 'continued flow of the stream of being from life to life, from existence to existence'.
 

V:2 AVOID COMPANIONSHIP WITH THE FOOLISH

If, as the disciple fares along, he meets no companion who is better or equal, let him firmly pursue his solitary career. There is no fellowship¹ with the foolish².
 

V:2 A disobedient novice monk

One day, he went to the house of a lay disciple of the monk, and untruthfully said that Kassapa was ill. Thus, he got some choice food from them which was meant for Kassapa; but he ate it on the way. When admonished by Kassapa for this he was extremely angry. The next day, when Kassapa was out on his alms round, the foolish young novice stayed behind, broke the pots and pans and set fire to the monastery.

When a bhikkhu from Rajagaha told the Buddha about this, the Buddha remarked that it would have been much better for Kassapa to live alone than to live with a foolish companion who caused so much distraction.
 

Notes:

1. Sahayata, According to the commentary this term connotes higher morality, insight, Paths, and Fruits of Sainthood. No such virtues are found in the foolish.

2. Out of compassion, to work for their betterment, one may associate with the foolish but not be contaminated by them.
 

V:3 ONE IS NOT ONE’S OWN

‘I have sons, I have wealth.’ The ignorant man thus thinks he is secured. Indeed, he himself is not his own. How can sons or wealth be his?
 

V:3 The fate of a stingy rich man (Ananda)

This man was reborn in a village of beggars, not far from Savatthi. From the time his mother was pregnant, the income of the beggars decreased and they thought there must be an unlucky one amongst them. By dividing themselves up into groups and by the process of elimination, they came to the conclusion that the pregnant woman must be the cause of their misfortune.

Thus, she was driven out of the village. Finally she gave birth to a son who was ugly and repulsive. If she went out begging by herself, she would get what she had obtained as before, but if she went out with her son she would get nothing. So, when the boy was big enough, his mother sent him out alone to beg. As he wandered about in Savatthi, he entered his old house in the previous life.

When the sons of Mulasiri saw him, they were frightened by his ugly looks and ordered their servants to throw him out of the house.  The Buddha who was on his alms round saw the incident and asked the Venerable Ananda to fetch Mulasiri. When he came, the Buddha revealed that the young beggar was none other than Mulasiri’s own dead father. But Mulasiri could not believe it. So, the Buddha directed the young beggar to show where he had buried his five pots of gold. Only then did Mulasiri accept the truth and from that time he became a devoted lay-disciple of the Buddha.
 

V:4 WISE IS HE WHO ACKNOWLEDGES HIS FOOLISHNESS

The fool who knows that he is a fool is for that very reason a wise man; the fool who thinks that he is wise is called a fool indeed.
 

V:4 How to differentiate the fools

After the discourse, both returned to the house of the second thief who taunted the first thief, ‘You are so wise, you have no money to buy anything to cook in your house.’ Hearing this remark, the first thief reflected, ‘He is so foolish to think that he is wise.’ Then, together with some relatives, he went to the Buddha and related the matter to him.

The Buddha explained that the fool who knows that he is a fool, can for that reason at least, be considered a wise man; but the fool who thinks that he is wise is, indeed, called a fool.
 

V:5 A FOOL CANNOT APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF THE DHAMMA

A fool, even though he is associated with a wise man all his life, does not understand the Dhamma, just as a spoon does not know the, taste of soup.
 

V:5  Fools cannot realise the Dhamma (Udayi)

To them, the Buddha explained that a fool, even though he is associated with a wise man all his life, does not understand the Dhamma, just as a spoon does not know the .taste of soup.
 

V:6 THE WISE CAN APPRECIATE THE DHAMMA

An intelligent man, even though he is associated with a wise man only for a moment, quickly understands the Dhamma, just as the tongue knows the taste of soup.
 

V:6 The wise can realise the Dhamma

When other bhikkhus commented that these monks were very quick in attaining Arahanthood, the Buddha explained that an intelligent person, even though he is associated with a wise man only for a moment, can easily comprehend the Dhamma, just as the tongue knows the taste of soup.
 

V:7 BITTER IS THE FRUIT OF EVIL

With themselves as their own enemies, fools lacking in intelligence move about doing evil deeds, which bear bitter fruits.
 

V:7 The leper’s confidence in the Triple Gem (Suppabuddha)

I can give you immense wealth if you deny the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha and say that you have no use for them.’ Suppabuddha replied, ‘I am certainly not a poor man, with no one to rely on. I am a rich man; I possess the seven attributes which noble ones possess:

I have confidence (saddha), morality (sila), sense of shame to do evil (hiri), sense of fear to do evil (ottappa), learning (suta), generosity (caga) and knowledge (panna).’

Then, Sakka went to the Buddha and related the conversation between himself and Suppabuddha. The Buddha explained to Sakka that it would not be easy even for a hundred or a thousand Sakkas to influence Suppabuddha and keep him away from the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. Soon after this, Suppabuddha arrived at the monastery and reported the same story to the Buddha. On his way back from the Jetavana monastery, Suppabuddha died due to an accident influenced by an evil spirit who had been a courtesan in a previous existence. The courtesan had been killed by Suppabuddha and she had vowed to take revenge on him.

When the news of Suppabuddha’s death reached the Jetavana monastery, the bhikkhus asked the Buddha where he had been reborn. The Buddha told them that Suppabuddha had been reborn in Tavatimsa deva realm. The Buddha also explained that he was born a leper because in one of his previous existences, he had spat upon a holy man, but after realising the Dhamma, his mental defilements had been cleared away.
 

V:8 NOT WELL DONE IS THAT DEED WHICH CAUSES REPENTANCE

That deed is not well done when, after having done it, one regrets, and when weeping, with tearful face, one reaps the fruit thereof.

V:8 How the Buddha saved an innocent farmer

Early in the morning on that day, the Buddha, on surveying the world with his supernatural power, perceived that a farmer, cultivating near that field, would realise the  Dhamma on that very day. So, the Buddha went there, accompanied by Venerable Ananda. The farmer on seeing the Buddha, paid respects to him and continued to plough the field.

The Buddha on seeing the bag of money commented, ‘Ananda, look at that very poisonous snake ‘ and Ananda replied, ‘Venerable Sir, yes, it is, indeed, a very poisonous snake!’ Then, both the Buddha and Ananda continued on their way.  The farmer on hearing the remarks, went to investigate if there really was a snake. Instead he found the bag of money. He took the bag and hid it.  Just then, the people who had been robbed came to the field in pursuit of the robbers, and tracing the footprints of the farmer, found the bag of money. They beat up the farmer and took him to the king who sentenced him to death.

They took him to the cemetery, to be killed, but the farmer kept on repeating, ‘Ananda, look at that very poisonous snake! Venerable Sir, yes, it is, indeed a very poisonous snake! When the king’s men heard the above dialogue between the Buddha and Ananda being repeated all the way, they were puzzled and took him back to the king, who guessed that the farmer was calling upon the Buddha as a witness; he was therefore taken to the presence of the Buddha.

After hearing from the Buddha everything that had happened in the morning the king remarked, ‘If he had not been able to call upon the Buddha as a witness to his innocence, this man would have been killed.’ The Buddha replied, ‘A wise man should not do anything that he would regret after doing it.
 

V:9 WELL DONE IS THAT DEED WHICH CAUSES NO REPENTANCE

That deed is well done when, after having done it, one regrets not, and when, with joy and pleasure, one reaps the fruit thereof.
 

V:9 The strong devotion of a florist (Sumana)

At once, he decided that even if the king were to drive him out of the country or to kill him, he would offer the flowers to the Buddha instead. Thus, with utmost devotion, he offered all his flowers. As the Buddha proceeded with the bhikkhus, and surrounded by the flowers, thousands of people came out to pay homage to the Buddha. As for Sumana, his entire body was suffused with delightful satisfaction (piti).

Sumana’s wife then reported to the king that she had nothing to do with her husband’s failure to deliver the flowers at the palace. In fact, the king was happy with the offering of flowers to the Enlightened One. The king also took the opportunity to offer alms food to the Buddha and his bhikkhus.  After the meal, the Buddha returned to the Jetavana monastery. Then King Bimbisara summoned Sumana to the palace. The king praised Sumana for his great devotion to the Buddha.

The king also applauded his bravery in offering the flowers and to show his appreciation gave him a big reward.  At the Jetavana monastery, when asked by Venerable Ananda what benefits Sumana would gain by his good deed done on that day, the Buddha explained that Sumana who without any consideration for his own safety in offering the flowers would not be reborn in any of the four lower forms of existence (apaya). Eventually one day he would gain release from the unsatisfactory state of existence.
 

V:10 EVIL-DOERS COME TO GRIEF

As sweet as honey is an evil deed: so thinks the fool so long as it ripens not; but when it ripens, then he comes to grief.
 

V:10 The young man who molested a nun (Uppala Vanna)

Sometime later, she moved to the forest and lived in solitude. While she was out on her alms round, Nanda, her cousin, came to her hut and hid himself underneath her couch. Nanda had fallen in love with her before she became a bhikkhuni and now his intention was to take her by force. When Uppala Vanna returned she saw Nanda and said, ‘Do not be foolish! Do not harm, do not molest.’ But he would not be stopped. After satisfying himself, he left her. For this terrible deed of molesting a holy person, he had to suffer for a long period.

When he heard of this incident, the Buddha sent for King Pasenadi of Kosala and told him about the dangers and difficulties that bhikkhunis living in forests had to face from irresponsible persons. The king then built monasteries for bhikkhunis within the city. From that time on bhikkhunis resided only within the city.
 

Note:

1. Madhu va — in most texts.
 

V:11 REALISATION IS FAR SUPERIOR TO MERE FASTING

Month after month a fool may eat only as much food as can be picked up on the tip of a kusa grass blade1, but he is not worth a sixteenth part of those who have comprehended the Truth2.
 

V:11 The ascetic who deceived others (Jambuka)

When those ascetics found out about his peculiar habits they drove him away. At night he ate human excreta and in the day time he stood still on one leg and kept his mouth open. He used to say that he kept his mouth open because he only lived on air and that he stood on one leg because he was too heavy for the earth to bear him. ‘I never sit down, I never go to sleep,’ he boasted.

Many people believed him and some would come to him with offerings.  Jambuka would refuse them and say, ‘I don’t take any food except air.’ When entreated he would take just a little bit of food with the tip of a blade of grass and say, ‘Now go, this little will give you enough merit.’ In this way, Jambuka lived for many years, naked and taking excreta in secret.  One day, however, the Buddha saw in his vision that Jambuka would be able to attain Arahanthood within a short time.

So, in the evening, he went to see Jambuka and asked for a place to spend the night. Jambuka pointed out to him a mountain-cave where he himself was staying. When the Buddha was resting there, the devas came to pay homage to him. The forest was lit up with their radiance and Jambuka saw the light. In the morning, he went to the Buddha and enquired about the brightness.

When told about the devas who had come to pay homage to the Buddha, Jambuka was very much impressed, and remarked, ‘You must indeed, be a spiritually great person for the devas to come and pay homage to you. As for me, even though I have practised austerity for fifty-five years, living only on air and standing only on one leg, none of the devas has ever come to me.’

The Buddha replied, ‘O Jambuka! You have been deceiving others, but you cannot deceive me. I know that for many years you have been eating excreta and sleeping on the ground.’ Furthermore, the Buddha explained to him how in one of his past existences during the time of Kassapa Buddha, Jambuka had prevented a monk from going to the house of a devotee where alms food was being given and how he had also thrown away the food that was sent with him for that monk.

It was because of these evil deeds that he had such peculiar habits of eating excreta and sleeping on the bare ground. Jambuka then realised his mistake and deeply regretted having deceived other people. He went down on his knees and the Buddha gave him a piece of cloth to cover himself. The Buddha then delivered a discourse. At the end of the discourse Jambuka attained Arahanthood and joined the Holy Order on the spot.

Soon after this, Jambuka’s pupils also arrived and they were surprised to see their teacher with the Buddha. Bhikkhu Jambuka then announced he had joined the Holy Order and that he was now only a disciple of the Enlightened One. The Buddha explained to them that although their teacher had practised various austerities, it was not worth even one-sixteenth* part of his present practice and achievement.
 

Notes:

1.Literally, month after month, with a kusa grass blade, a fool may eat his food.

2.Samkhatadhammanam; 'who have well weighed the Law', Max Muller and Burlingame. 'Who well have taken things into account', Mrs. Rhys Davids. 'Who have studied the Dhamma noble', Woodward. The commentarial explanation is: 'The Ariyas who have realized the four Noble Truths'.

The prolonged, so-called meritorius fasting of other ascetics who have not destroyed the passions, is not worth the sixteenth part of a solitary day's fasting of an Ariya who has realized the four Noble Truths.

 * This way of comparison to point out the validity of certain things was very common in India at that time.
 

V:12 EVIL TAKES EFFECT AT THE OPPORTUNE MOMENT

Na hi papam katam kammam - sajju khiram 'va muccati
Dahantam balam anveti - bhasmacchanno'va pavako.

An evil deed does not immediately bear fruit, just as milk does not curdle at once; but it follows the fool, burning him like live coal covered with ashes.
 

V:12 A ghost with a human head and snake’s body

People going to his monastery had to pass through a field.  The owner of the field, fearing that his field would be damaged by too many people going to and from the monastery, set fire to it. Consequently, the Paccekabuddha had to move to some other place. The supporters of the Paccekabuddha got very angry with the land owner, beat him, and as a result of the beating he died. Because of his bad kamma, he was reborn to suffer as a peta-ghost.

In conclusion, the Buddha said, ‘An evil deed does not bear fruit immediately, but it invariably follows the evil doer. There is no escape from the consequences of an evil deed.’

*When Arahants and Buddhas smile, it is not an expression of humour. Rather it is a sign to whoever is with them to question them on what prompted the smile.
 

V:13 KNOWLEDGE AND FAME TEND TO RUIN THE FOOLS

The skill of a fool can only harm him; it destroys his merit and his wisdom. (lit., it severs his head).
 

V:13 Be careful in actions*

On seeing a holy person on his alms round, this foolish man thought that this would be an ideal target, because he had no relative or guardian and was not a cow either. So he threw a stone and killed the holy man. In turn, the public became angry and killed the man. Because of this evil deed he was reborn in a miserable state for a long period of time. In his present existence, he was reborn as a peta-ghost whose head was continuously being hit with red-hot hammers.

On this occasion, the Buddha said, To a fool, his skill or knowledge is of no use; it can only harm him.’

*Buddhism teaches that there are 31 states of existence into which beings are reborn according to their Kamma. When they die rebirth takes place in one of these 31 states of existence according to their own good and bad Kamma; and among these 31 states of existence, there are 4 miserable states called the Lower Worlds of Misery. These are:

1. The Animal world (Taracchina yoni);
2. The Ghost-worlds (Peta yoni);
3. The Demon-worlds (Asuyayoni); and
4. The Hells, (Niraya), lit, ‘the Downward Path’, or the nether or infernal world, usually translated as ‘Hell’.
 

V:14 THE IGNORANT SEEK UNDUE FAME

Mam eva kata mannantu - gihi pabbajita ubho
Mam ev’ ativasa assu - kicca kiccesu kismici
Iti balassa sankappo - iccha mano ca vaddhati.

The foolish bhikkhu desires praise for qualities he does not have, precedence among bhikkhus, authority in the monasteries, and veneration from those unrelated to him.

‘Let both laymen and bhikkhus think that things are done because of me; let them obey me in all matters, great and small.’ Such being the thoughts of the fool, his greed and his pride grow.
 

V:14 A lay disciple and a stubborn monk (Citta and Sudhamma)

One day, the two Chief Disciples of the Buddha, Venerable Sariputta and Venerable Maha Moggallana, came to the monastery. After listening to the discourse given by Sariputta, Citta attained the third stage of Sainthood. Then, he invited Sariputta and Moggallana to his house for alms food the next day. He also invited Sudhamma, who refused in anger and said, ‘You invited me only after the other two.’

Citta repeated his invitation, but it was again turned down. Nevertheless, Sudhamma went to the house of Citta early on the following day. But when invited to enter the house, he refused and said that he would not sit down as he was going on his alms round. But when he saw the things that were to be offered to the monks, he envied them so much that he could not restrain his anger. He abused Citta and said, ‘I don’t want to stay in your monastery any longer,’ and left the house in anger.

Sudhamma reported everything that had happened to the Buddha, who said, ‘You have offended a lay-disciple who is endowed with faith and generosity. You must go back to him and own up your mistake.’ Sudhamma did as he was told, but Citta felt he should be made to realise his mistake and therefore did not accept his apology. Sudhamma went to see the Buddha for the second time, then the Buddha said, ‘My son, a good bhikkhu should have no attachment; a good bhikkhu should not be conceited and say, ‘This is my monastery, this is my place, these are my lay-disciples, etc., for in one with such thoughts, covetousness and pride will increase .’

At the end of the admonition, Sudhamma went to the house of Citta, and this time they were reconciled; and within a few days, Sudhamma attained Arahanthood.
 

V:15 THE PATH TO GAIN IS ONE AND TO NIBBANA IS ANOTHER

Surely, the path that leads to worldly gain is one, and the path that leads to Nibbana is another; understanding this, the bhikkhu, the disciple of the Buddha, should not rejoice in worldly favours, but cultivate detachment1.
 

V:15 A novice monk who won all hearts (Tissa)

Whenever a villager offered him anything, Tissa would just say, ‘May you be happy, may you be liberated from the ills of life,’ and would go on his own way. While he stayed at the forest monastery, he ardently and diligently practised meditation, and at the end of three months he attained Sainthood.

After the vassa retreat, Sariputta, accompanied by Moggallana and other senior disciples paid a visit to Tissa. The villagers requested Sariputta to deliver a discourse, but he declined. Instead, he directed his pupil Tissa to deliver it. The villagers, however, said that Tissa could only say, ‘May you be happy, may you be liberated from the ills of life,’ and asked Sariputta to assign another bhikkhu in his place. But Sariputta insisted that Tissa should deliver the discourse. Thus, in obedience to his teacher, Tissa went up the platform and delivered his discourse.

Dawn was approaching when he finished his exposition, and Sariputta applauded Tissa for having expounded the Dhamma so well. The villagers, too, were very much impressed. They were surprised that Tissa knew the Dhamma so well and considered themselves lucky to have Tissa amongst them.  Some, on the other hand were disappointed with him for not having preached the Dhamma to them in the past.

The Buddha, with his supernatural power, saw these two groups of villagers from the Jetavana monastery and appeared before them so that he could clear up the misunderstanding amongst the villagers. The Buddha arrived while the villagers were preparing alms food for the bhikkhus. So they had the opportunity to offer alms food to the Buddha as well. After the meal, the Buddha addressed the villagers, ‘O devotees, all of you are so lucky to have Tissa amongst you.

It is on account of his presence here that I myself, my Chief Disciples, senior disciples and many other bhikkhus now pay you a visit.’ These words made them realise how fortunate they were to have Tissa with them and they did not waste time thinking about what had happened in the past.
 

Note:

1. Viveka, separation or detachment, is threefold, namely, bodily separation from the crowd (kayaviveka), mental separation from passions (cittaviveka), and complete separation from all conditioned things which is Nibbana (upadhi-viveka).