3: The Book of the Threes
29. Blind
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, there are these three kinds of persons found existing in the world. What three? The blind person, the one-eyed person, and the two-eyed person.
(1) "And what, bhikkhus, is the blind person? Here, some person lacks the kind of eye with which one can acquire wealth not yet acquired and increase wealth already acquired, and he also lacks the kind of eye with which one can know wholesome and unwholesome qualities, blameworthy and blameless qualities, inferior and superior qualities, dark and bright qualities with their counterparts. This is called the blind person.
2(2) "And what is the one-eyed person? Here, some person has the kind of eye with which one can acquire wealth not yet acquired and increase wealth already acquired, but he lacks the kind of eye with which one can know wholesome and unwholesome qualities, blameworthy and blameless qualities, inferior and superior qualities, dark and bright qualities with their counterparts. This is called the one-eyed person.
3(3) "And what is the two-eyed person? Here, some person has the kind of eye with which one can acquire wealth not yet acquired and increase wealth already acquired, and he also has the kind of eye with which one can know wholesome and unwholesome qualities, blameworthy and blameless qualities, inferior and superior qualities, dark and bright qualities with their counterparts. This is called the two-eyed person.
"These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of persons found existing in the world."
4He does not possess such wealth,
nor does he do deeds of merit;
the blind man destitute of eyes
casts an unlucky throw in both respects.
5The person described as one-eyed
is a hypocrite who seeks wealth,
sometimes righteously
and sometimes unrighteously.
6Both by thievish cheatful acts
and by means of false speech
the man indulging in sensual pleasures
is skilled in amassing wealth.
Having gone from here to hell,
the one-eyed person is tormented.
7One with two eyes is said to be
the best kind of person.
His wealth
[n.365] Reading here dhanaṁ with Ce and B. Ee dhammaṁ is clearly wrong.
is acquired by his own exertion,
with goods righteously gained.
8With best intentions he then gives,
this person with an undivided mind.
He goes to rebirth in an excellent state
where, having gone, one does not sorrow.
9One should avoid from afar
the blind one and the one-eyed person,
but should befriend the one with two eyes,
the best kind of person.
1"Tayome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame tayo? Andho, ekacakkhu, dvicakkhu.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo andho? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tathārūpaṁ cakkhu na hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigaccheyya adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kareyya; tathārūpampissa cakkhu na hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā kusalākusale dhamme jāneyya, sāvajjānavajje dhamme jāneyya, hīnappaṇīte dhamme jāneyya, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāge dhamme jāneyya. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo andho.
2Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo ekacakkhu? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tathārūpaṁ cakkhu hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigaccheyya adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kareyya; tathārūpaṁ panassa cakkhu na hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā kusalākusale dhamme jāneyya, sāvajjānavajje dhamme jāneyya, hīnappaṇīte dhamme jāneyya, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāge dhamme jāneyya. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo ekacakkhu.
3Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo dvicakkhu? Idha, bhikkhave, ekaccassa puggalassa tathārūpaṁ cakkhu hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā anadhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ adhigaccheyya, adhigataṁ vā bhogaṁ phātiṁ kareyya; tathārūpampissa cakkhu hoti yathārūpena cakkhunā kusalākusale dhamme jāneyya; sāvajjānavajje dhamme jāneyya, hīnappaṇīte dhamme jāneyya, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāge dhamme jāneyya. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo dvicakkhu.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, tayo puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasminti.
4Na ceva bhogā tathārūpā,
na ca puññāni kubbati;
Ubhayattha kaliggāho,
andhassa hatacakkhuno.
5Athāparāyaṁ akkhāto,
Ekacakkhu ca puggalo;
Dhammādhammena saṭhoso,
Bhogāni pariyesati.
6Theyyena kūṭakammena,
musāvādena cūbhayaṁ;
Kusalo hoti saṅghātuṁ,
kāmabhogī ca mānavo;
Ito so nirayaṁ gantvā,
ekacakkhu vihaññati.
7Dvicakkhu pana akkhāto,
seṭṭho purisapuggalo;
Dhammaladdhehi bhogehi,
uṭṭhānādhigataṁ dhanaṁ.
8Dadāti seṭṭhasaṅkappo,
abyaggamānaso naro;
Upeti bhaddakaṁ ṭhānaṁ,
yattha gantvā na socati.
9Andhañca ekacakkhuñca,
ārakā parivajjaye;
Dvicakkhuṁ pana sevetha,
seṭṭhaṁ purisapuggalan"ti.
Navamaṁ.
