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 speaks of the qualities of one who can serve in government or work in the service of the public well: he must have wisdom, knowledge, skill in managing work and a sense of proper time and place.

ขยายความบทตั้งThis saying comes from the Vidhura Jātaka, in the section setting out the conduct for those in royal service. It mentions several qualities. First, wisdom: knowing how to reflect on reasons. Second, being endowed with knowledge: knowing the work one is responsible for. Third, skill in managing affairs: knowing how each task should be done and in what order. Fourth, knowing the time and occasion: knowing when to speak, when to act and when to wait.

ขยายความบทตั้งKnowing the right time and occasion is a quality that is often overlooked, yet it is very important, because something right, if done or said at the wrong time, may bring no result or may even cause problems. Someone with great knowledge but no sense of time and place may find it hard to work with others, while one who knows how to choose the right time and method works smoothly and earns trust. Although the saying speaks of royal service, this principle applies to work in every kind of organisation.

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 knowledge and ability are not guided by virtue, the one who has them tends to misuse them. Knowledge then does more harm than good and wears away whatever goodness remains in their own heart. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Dhammapada:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To explain: This saying warns that knowledge or skill arising in a fool, that is, in someone without virtue who lacks the wisdom to use it, becomes a source of harm rather than benefit.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒"The bright portion" means the goodness, virtue and fine qualities still present in that person, while "splits his head" means that it twists his thinking and leads him astray. For when a fool has knowledge or special abilities, he tends to use them wrongly, such as to harm others or to seek improper gain. As he does so again and again, the goodness he once had gradually disappears, and the evil brings trouble upon himself.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒In the Dhammapada, this saying concerns someone who trained in a skill until he was expert, but used that skill to harm others and so suffered bad consequences. This story shows that knowledge is only a tool; whether it brings benefit or harm depends on the user. This saying therefore does not teach that knowledge is bad, but that education must go together with training in virtue, and those who gain knowledge must take care to use it rightly.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, a civil servant who knows his duties, how to set priorities and when to offer his opinion to superiors works effectively and is trusted. A company employee who has knowledge but knows how to listen and chooses the right time to propose new ideas is well accepted. A student on the student council who knows how to plan and choose the right time for activities gains the cooperation of friends and teachers.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who wish to serve the public well should therefore develop wisdom, knowledge, management skills and a sense of time and place together. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

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