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 harm of ingratitude, that is, not recognising or not valuing the good that others have done for us.

ขยายความบทตั้งThose who do not recognise the kindness of others tend to see the help they receive as ordinary or as their right. Having received a benefit, they forget it, or sometimes even repay it with bad actions. As a result, people lose trust in them and no longer wish to help. When the time comes that they need help or long for something, they lack supporters, and so the benefits they hoped for are lost.

ขยายความบทตั้งBuddhism praises gratitude as the mark of a good person. One of the kinds of people who are hard to find in the world is the one who recognises the kindness of others and repays it. Ingratitude is therefore not a minor flaw, but something that destroys relationships and destroys opportunities in life. Recognising kindness does not always require repaying it with valuable things; simply remembering it, expressing thanks and not harming those who have helped us is already an important foundation.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑One who keeps finding excuses to abandon work, claiming that it is too cold, too hot, or already too late, misses the benefits they should have gained, because opportunity and time wait for no one. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Dīgha Nikāya, Pāṭikavagga:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: This saying teaches that one who is always finding excuses to postpone or abandon work misses the benefits he should have gained, because opportunity and time wait for no one.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑This saying comes from the Sigālaka Sutta, which the Buddha taught to the young man Sigālaka, describing the dangers of laziness: the lazy person tends to say it is too cold, too hot, too late, too early, too hungry or too full, and so does not work. As a result, wealth that has not yet arisen does not arise, and wealth that has arisen is used up. These excuses sound reasonable, but in truth they conceal the laziness in the mind.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑The excuses of the lazy have one important characteristic: they never run out. When one escapes the cold, one meets the heat; when one escapes the heat, it is evening. If one waits until everything is ready before starting, one may never do anything at all. Nevertheless, resting when truly tired or ill is necessary. This saying warns against using excuses to avoid one's duties; it does not forbid caring for one's health.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๒When a person knows the priority of their tasks and finishes first what should be done first, on time, they will not have to regret it afterwards, unlike the careless, who must rush to fix things when it is too late. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Jātaka, Ekanipāta:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To explain: This saying teaches us to know how to set priorities and to act at the proper time, not procrastinating, because when important work is left until the last moment, one may have to rush it, make mistakes and bring trouble upon oneself.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒The commentary on the Varuṇa Jātaka tells of a group of young men who went into the forest to gather firewood. One young man saw a varuṇa tree and took it to be dry wood, so he thought he would lie down and rest first and break off firewood later. When his companions woke him, he hurriedly climbed the tree to break off branches, and a branch sprang back and injured his eye. He brought the green wood back and laid it on top of his companions' firewood. The next morning, the one cooking the rice took that green wood to use, but could not get the fire going until it was late, so the whole group could not set out on their journey as planned. This story shows that putting things off and then rushing to do them later can cause harm both to oneself and to others.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒Every task has its order and its proper time. Some tasks must be finished first before others can begin. Preparing in advance gives time to think, check and correct mistakes, but when a task is left until time is nearly up, one may only manage to get it done, with no chance to check it carefully. Some trouble therefore arises from procrastination and not preparing in time, even though the problem could have been reduced by starting sooner.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, children who were raised by their parents but neglect to care for them once grown lose the warmth of family and are criticised by society. A student whom a teacher helped to succeed, but who then speaks contemptuously of that teacher, loses credibility. An employee who was given the opportunity to develop by an organisation but then reveals its secrets will no longer be trusted by anyone.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who wish for prosperity should therefore always remember the good that others have done for them, express their thanks, and never repay goodness with harm. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

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