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 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.

ขยายความบทตั้ง"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.

ขยายความบทตั้งIn 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.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑One of poor wisdom, having gained honour, rank, power, and followers, tends to use them in unbeneficial ways, until they become a means of harming both themselves and others. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Jātaka, Ekanipāta:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To 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 ๑Honour 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 ๑This 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.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๒When a person combines knowledge, skill in their work, and a sense of the right time and place, they can serve their country fittingly and do well in royal service. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Jātaka, Mahānipāta:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To 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.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒This 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.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒Knowing 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.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, someone with computer knowledge who uses it to hack into systems and steal others' data causes damage and must face punishment. Someone with legal knowledge who uses it to find loopholes to cheat others loses both reputation and career. A student who is clever but uses his cleverness to look down on classmates finds no one wants to be his friend. But those who use their knowledge to help others receive respect and happiness.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who gain any knowledge or ability should therefore develop virtue alongside it and use that knowledge for benefit, not to harm others. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

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