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

อธิบายบทตั้งTo 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.

ขยายความบทตั้งHonour 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.

ขยายความบทตั้งThis 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 ๑Wisdom is the most excellent of all qualities, like the moon that outshines all the stars. Virtue, glory, and the qualities of the good always follow the one who has wisdom. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Jātaka, Cattālīsanipāta:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: This saying praises wisdom as the light that guides life, helping us know what should be done, what should be avoided, and what, though pleasing today, may bring trouble in days to come.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑Just as at night the moon shines brightly and stands out among the stars, wisdom likewise lights the way of life. When we have wisdom, we do not look only at what we want to get, but also consider whether it is gained rightly; we do not look only at whether our words will give us satisfaction, but also think about whether they will hurt anyone. Wisdom therefore helps us choose the good path, even if at times that path requires patience and sacrifice.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑Saying that virtue, glory and the Dhamma of the good follow the one who is wise means that when one knows how to consider causes and reasons, one sees the value of good conduct. The wise see that harming others brings trouble, and so they resolve to keep the precepts; they see the value of honesty, kindness and gratitude, and so they take up the Dhamma of good people and put it into practice. As for glory, that is, dignity or prosperity, it is supported by knowing how to live one's life appropriately. Wisdom thus helps all the virtues bear fruit in real life.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑The wisdom this saying praises is not cleverness in deceiving or taking advantage of others. Someone who can devise subtle ways to cheat may be quick-witted, but still lacks awareness of the harm of such actions. The wise must therefore know how to weigh both benefit and rightness, must not trade honesty for merely temporary gain, and must not use their abilities to cause anyone suffering.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๒When a person builds their own happiness on the suffering of others by using force or violence to harm them, the happiness gained does not last, and they find no happiness after leaving this world. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Dhammapada:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To explain: "All beings" includes both humans and other animals, "the rod" here means a stick or weapon used to cause harm, and "after death" means after one has passed away. This saying warns that seeking happiness for oneself by harming other lives is evil kamma and does not lead to happiness in the next world.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒The commentary on the Dhammapada tells that the Buddha saw a group of boys beating a snake with sticks. When he asked why they were doing so, the boys replied that it was because they were afraid the snake would bite them. The Buddha then taught that one who desires happiness for oneself should not harm other beings, and spoke this verse. This story invites us to reflect that just as we love life and do not want to be hurt, other lives likewise want happiness and do not want to be harmed.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒One who harms others may gain momentary satisfaction or benefit, but that satisfaction arises from the suffering of the other party, and it may also give rise to fear, conflict and enmity. Harming until it becomes a habit may also make it easier to overlook the pain of others. We should therefore cultivate loving-kindness and consider whether what we are doing for our own happiness is causing trouble for anyone.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๓One 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 ๓To 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 ๓This 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 ๓The 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.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, someone who becomes a supervisor and uses power to bully subordinates damages the working atmosphere and is eventually opposed. Someone famous online who uses that fame to promote deceptive products harms followers and loses credibility. A student who becomes class monitor and lords it over classmates does not receive their cooperation. But those who use their positions with humility and fairness earn genuine respect.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who receive honour or position should therefore let wisdom guide the use of power, remember duties more than rights, and use that honour for the benefit of all. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

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