ตัวอย่างเรียงความแก้กระทู้ธรรม

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

อธิบายบทตั้งTo explain: "Neglect" here means letting something go to waste or abandoning it, while "one's own benefit" means the true benefit of life: developing oneself in knowledge, goodness and freedom from suffering. This saying teaches us to set priorities and not to abandon our main duty for other matters until we ourselves are harmed.

ขยายความบทตั้งIn the Dhammapada, this saying concerns the Elder Attadattha. When the Buddha announced that he would pass into final Nibbāna, many monks gathered around him, but the Elder resolved to hasten his practice so as to attain the fruit first. The Buddha praised him, saying that practising according to the Dhamma is the true way of honouring the Teacher. This story shows that the "benefit of oneself" mentioned in the saying does not mean material gain or selfishness, but fulfilling one's own important duty.

ขยายความบทตั้งNevertheless, this saying does not teach us to neglect helping others. Buddhism teaches both one's own benefit and the benefit of others, but a person who has not yet developed himself can help others only to a limited extent, just as someone who cannot swim will find it hard to rescue a drowning person. Developing oneself is therefore the foundation for helping others effectively and sustainably.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๑Even when wealth is gone, the wise can still live, because wisdom is the means to earn wealth and solve life's problems, whereas one without wisdom, even with great wealth, cannot live securely. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Theragāthā:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑To explain: This saying compares the value of wisdom with that of wealth and shows that wisdom is more secure, because it is the tool for acquiring wealth, preserving it and living well in every situation.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑The wise can live even when their wealth is gone because they know how to find a way out, how to adapt, how to start again and how to use their knowledge and ability to generate income anew. Those without wisdom, however much wealth they have, may spend it without understanding its value, be easily deceived, or invest wrongly until their wealth is gone, and once it is gone they do not know how to go on living. "Cannot live" here means cannot live securely and with quality.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๑This saying does not teach that wealth is unimportant. Wealth is a condition that makes life more comfortable and enables one to do more good. But wealth is external and can be lost for many reasons, whereas wisdom is internal and stays with us. Those who invest in developing their wisdom are like people building a secure guarantee for their lives.

ประโยคสะพาน + ที่มา ๒When a person lives without wisdom and a steady mind, however long their life may be, it brings no benefit, unlike the wise, for whom every day of life is precious. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Dhammapada:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To 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 ๒"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 ๒This 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.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, a student who promises to help every friend with their work until he has no time to review his own lessons and fails his exams has neglected his own benefit. Someone who works for society while neglecting his own health or the care of his family may be unable to keep doing good for long. But one who studies diligently, performs his own duties well and then sets aside time to help others appropriately gains both his own benefit and that of others.

สรุปTo conclude: Those who wish for a meaningful life should therefore know what their true duty and benefit are, work to accomplish it, and help others without abandoning their own principles. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

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

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 ๑When a person lives without wisdom and a steady mind, however long their life may be, it brings no benefit, unlike the wise, for whom every day of life is precious. 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 ๒One who knows how to set priorities does not neglect their own good, namely developing knowledge, goodness, and freedom from suffering, merely because they are so taken up with other matters that they harm themselves. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Dhammapada:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To explain: "Neglect" here means letting something go to waste or abandoning it, while "one's own benefit" means the true benefit of life: developing oneself in knowledge, goodness and freedom from suffering. This saying teaches us to set priorities and not to abandon our main duty for other matters until we ourselves are harmed.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒In the Dhammapada, this saying concerns the Elder Attadattha. When the Buddha announced that he would pass into final Nibbāna, many monks gathered around him, but the Elder resolved to hasten his practice so as to attain the fruit first. The Buddha praised him, saying that practising according to the Dhamma is the true way of honouring the Teacher. This story shows that the "benefit of oneself" mentioned in the saying does not mean material gain or selfishness, but fulfilling one's own important duty.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒Nevertheless, this saying does not teach us to neglect helping others. Buddhism teaches both one's own benefit and the benefit of others, but a person who has not yet developed himself can help others only to a limited extent, just as someone who cannot swim will find it hard to rescue a drowning person. Developing oneself is therefore the foundation for helping others effectively and sustainably.

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.

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

อธิบายบทตั้งTo explain: "What is proper" means conduct and virtues suited to one's position and to what one is going to teach, while "not tarnished" means not being blamed, not losing one's reputation and not being troubled at heart. This saying teaches the right order: improve oneself first, then teach others.

ขยายความบทตั้งIn the Dhammapada, this saying concerns Upananda, who could preach beautifully on having few wishes and contentment, yet was himself greedy for requisites. When the truth came to light, he was criticised. The Buddha then taught that the wise should first establish themselves in what is proper. This story shows that skill in speaking or teaching, if not supported by conduct, brings tarnish upon the teacher himself.

ขยายความบทตั้งThis saying is close to the one that teaches "As one instructs others, so should one act oneself," but it emphasises the result for the teacher: the tarnish or the clear conscience of oneself. One who first establishes himself in goodness can speak with confidence when teaching others, without fearing that listeners will question his own conduct, and his teaching carries weight and credibility.

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 has only wealth but lacks wisdom, that wealth can easily be used up, but with wisdom, even if they lose their wealth, they can still get back on their feet and carry on with life. This accords with the Buddha's saying found in Khuddaka Nikāya, Theragāthā:

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒To explain: This saying compares the value of wisdom with that of wealth and shows that wisdom is more secure, because it is the tool for acquiring wealth, preserving it and living well in every situation.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒The wise can live even when their wealth is gone because they know how to find a way out, how to adapt, how to start again and how to use their knowledge and ability to generate income anew. Those without wisdom, however much wealth they have, may spend it without understanding its value, be easily deceived, or invest wrongly until their wealth is gone, and once it is gone they do not know how to go on living. "Cannot live" here means cannot live securely and with quality.

อธิบายบทเชื่อม ๒This saying does not teach that wealth is unimportant. Wealth is a condition that makes life more comfortable and enables one to do more good. But wealth is external and can be lost for many reasons, whereas wisdom is internal and stays with us. Those who invest in developing their wisdom are like people building a secure guarantee for their lives.

ตัวอย่างในชีวิตIn daily life, someone campaigning for others to reduce their use of plastic should first reduce his own. Someone who teaches thrift should not let others see him spending extravagantly. A student who is class monitor and must see that classmates keep the room clean should begin by picking up the rubbish around his own desk. When one can do this, one's admonitions to others will be accepted.

สรุปTo conclude: Those whose duty is to guide or instruct others should therefore always examine themselves and first establish themselves in the goodness they teach. This accords with the Dhamma saying set forth as the theme at the beginning:

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