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 teaches that one who is mindful gains happiness. The words "gains happiness" in Pali mean that happiness grows and flourishes; that is, one is not happy only for a moment, but that happiness increases more and more. One who is mindful is happy because mindfulness helps to shut out the suffering that comes from heedlessness and opens the way for right happiness to enter one's life.

ขยายความบทตั้งMuch human suffering arises from a lack of mindfulness, such as speaking without thinking until one quarrels with others, spending without restraint until one falls into debt, working carelessly until damage is done, or letting the mind go round and round over things that make it gloomy. One who is mindful sees his own thoughts and moods clearly: when anger arises he knows it, when worry arises he knows it, and he does not let those moods overwhelm him. His mind is therefore calm, and that calm is itself true happiness. Moreover, one who is mindful knows how to live in the present, fully enjoying the happiness of what is in front of him, without sinking into the past or worrying too much about the future.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑The mindful person knows how to review themselves, see their shortcomings, and correct them, and so becomes excellent and better every day than the day before. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Saṃyutta Nikāya, Sagāthāvagga:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: It teaches that mindfulness is an important quality that helps us live well each day, because it reminds us not to be careless, not to forget our duties and not to let emotions lead us into wrongdoing. The word "better" here refers to one who is good in the way he lives. When mindfulness is trained together with wisdom and effort, it helps us learn to correct our shortcomings and improve ourselves.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑A careless person may repeat mistakes because he does not review what he has done. One who trains in mindfulness regularly recalls what he has thought, said and done today, and then considers what is good and should be kept, and what is not good and should be avoided or corrected. Reviewing oneself in this way is one method that helps us learn from our mistakes and gradually improve our conduct. This does not mean that a mindful person never makes mistakes, but that when he does, he is ready to learn and improve.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑In the Maṇibhadda Sutta, from which this saying comes, the Buddha showed that mindfulness supports progress and happiness, but mindfulness alone is not enough to be free from enmity. He therefore went on to speak of loving-kindness and delight in harmlessness. This teaching reminds us to train mindfulness together with goodwill towards others, not to use words or actions to cause trouble, and not to hold grudges or seek revenge when conflict arises.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn real life, a mindful person knows moderation when eating and does not eat so much that he becomes ill, so he is healthy. A mindful person who hears criticism considers it with an impartial mind to see what should be improved, and does not take it to heart until he cannot sleep. A student who is mindful in using his time, knowing how to divide it between study and play, studies well and is happy in his student life.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who wish for happiness therefore need not search for it far away. Simply by training mindfulness to be always self-aware, happiness will arise and flourish in the mind by itself. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

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