อารัมภบทI shall now explain and expand upon the meaning of the Dhamma theme written above, as a guide for study and practice.

อธิบายบทตั้งTo explain: This saying compares the value of wisdom with that of wealth and shows that wisdom is more secure, because it is the tool for acquiring wealth, preserving it and living well in every situation.

ขยายความบทตั้งThe wise can live even when their wealth is gone because they know how to find a way out, how to adapt, how to start again and how to use their knowledge and ability to generate income anew. Those without wisdom, however much wealth they have, may spend it without understanding its value, be easily deceived, or invest wrongly until their wealth is gone, and once it is gone they do not know how to go on living. "Cannot live" here means cannot live securely and with quality.

ขยายความบทตั้งThis saying does not teach that wealth is unimportant. Wealth is a condition that makes life more comfortable and enables one to do more good. But wealth is external and can be lost for many reasons, whereas wisdom is internal and stays with us. Those who invest in developing their wisdom are like people building a secure guarantee for their lives.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑The worth of a life does not lie in its length. A single day in the life of one who is wise and contemplates the Dhamma is better than a hundred years of one with poor wisdom. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Dhammapada:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: This saying teaches that the value of life is not measured by its length but by its quality, that is, by having wisdom and a steady mind.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑"Unconcentrated" means a mind that is scattered, shaken by emotions and without concentration, while "meditative" means using a calm, steady mind to contemplate things as they really are. One who lives a hundred years without wisdom and with a scattered mind may spend his whole life in delusion and suffering without understanding life, while a wise person who has seen the truth of life, even for a single day, has gained something more valuable.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑This statement is a comparison to emphasise the value of wisdom and concentration; it does not mean that a long life has no value, nor does it encourage wishing for a short life. On the contrary, one who understands this saying sees every day of life as a precious opportunity to develop wisdom and train the mind, and so should not let it pass in vain.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๒When power and fame fall into the hands of one without wisdom, honour does not bring progress but instead becomes like a weapon that wounds both the one who holds it and those around them. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Jātaka, Ekanipāta:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To explain: "Honour" (yasa) here means position, power, fame and followers. This saying warns that honour in the hands of one without wisdom becomes a means of destroying both himself and others.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒Honour and power are like a very powerful tool. In the hands of the wise, they are used to create benefit for the public; in the hands of the foolish, they are used to satisfy their own desires, such as using power to oppress others, seeking improper gain, or becoming so conceited that they ignore all warnings. Such actions harm others directly and in the end turn back to harm oneself, leading to the loss of respect, to punishment and to the loss of that very honour.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒This saying teaches that gaining honour is not simply something to rejoice over, but a responsibility that requires wisdom and virtue to maintain. Those who will receive important positions should prepare themselves, and those responsible for selecting people for positions should consider their wisdom and conduct rather than merely their ability or closeness.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, people who lose their property in natural disasters but have professional knowledge and know how to plan often re-establish themselves before long. But someone who inherits a large fortune without knowing how to manage it may use it all up within a few years. A student who studies diligently, even if his family is not wealthy, has the chance to build a good future through his own knowledge and ability.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who wish for a secure life should therefore invest more in developing wisdom than in accumulating wealth alone, and use that wisdom to acquire and preserve wealth rightly. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

ปิดท้ายThus has the meaning been explained, as set forth above.