THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
1612
According to the BuddhavaÑsa, in acquiring wisdom, one should first ask and learn from
the wise to develop wisdom through hearing, Sutamaya paÒÒÈ. Then, if one is not clear
about any point, one should reflect on it and think about it, and thus develop wisdom by
means of thinking, Cintamaya paÒÒÈ.
In the Discourse to the Kalamas (A~guttara NikÈya
,
Tikanipata, Dutiya Pannasaka, 2-
Mahavagga, 5-Kalama Sutta), the Buddha was told by the Kalamas that many preachers
visited their place, that all of these visiting preachers praised only their own doctrines,
denouncing and condemning others and that they had doubt and perplexity as to which
doctrine to accept and follow. The Buddha's reply to them may be summarized as ‚you
should accept the doctrine which you find after due consideration to be free of fault.‛
This Discourse shows that one should first acquire Sutamaya paÒÒÈ by listening to the
talks of preachers. and then think over which doctrine is blameless by using the Cintamaya
paÒÒÈ.
Moreover, in the Patha JÈtaka, Dasaka Nipata
,
9-Maha Dhammapala JÈtaka, when the
great teacher of TakkasÊla went in person to the village of Dhammapala to find out why the
young people of the village did not die before the end of their life span, Mahadhammapala,
(the village headman) who would be reborn as King SuddhodÈna in time to come, replied:
‚We listen to all who come and preach. After listening, we ponder upon their preaching.
We do not heed what the immoral persons teach, instead we forsake them. We accept only
the teachings of the moral ones with which we are delighted and which we follow.
Therefore, in our village, the young ones never die before the end of their life span.‛
This JÈtaka story also clearly shows that one acquires wisdom first by means of Sutamaya
©ÈÓa, and then accepts only what is confirmed to be true by Cintamaya ©ÈÓa.
Associating with The Wise
The expression ‘associating with the wise’ does not mean mere approaching a wise
person and staying with him day and night. It implies learning and acquiring some
knowledge from the person who is possessed of wisdom.
The advice ‚Do not associate with the fool‛, given as one of the Blessings in the
Ma~gala Sutta, does not necessarily present staying with a foolish person. One may
even live with him for the purpose of coaxing and persuading him to the right path.
In such a case, one is not going against the advice of the Ma~gala Sutta. An
example is the sojourn of the Buddha in the UruvelÈ Grove in the company of
ascetics of wrong view (to help them abandon their wrong path).
Thus, only when one accepts the view and follows the practices of a foolish
person, one is then said to be associating with the fool. Likewise, the advice given
in the Ma~gala Sutta exhorting one to associate with the wise is well taken, not by
merely keeping company with him but only when one acquires some form of
knowledge (from him), be it only a little.
(6) Gambhirananacariya paccavekkhana — reflecting on the nature of Dhamma which is
the resort of profound wisdom. (Herein, wisdom is like fire which burns all inflammable
things whether big or small. Depending on the size of what is burning, fire is said to be a
small fire or a big one. In the same way, wisdom knows everything there is to know; it is
called small, manifest or profound depending on what is known as small, manifest or
profound. The Dhamma which is the resort of profound wisdom comprises aggregates,
bases, etc. The wisdom, which arises from the knowledge of these profound subjects, is
what is meant by profound wisdom. Such profound wisdom is as numerous as there are
profound Dhammas. Analytical review of all these numerous profound Dhammas leads to
the development of wisdom.)
(7) Tadadhimuttata — Having the inclination towards developing wisdom. (In all four
postures of lying, sitting. standing and walking one should be only inclined to development
of wisdom. Having such a mind is one of the causes of developing wisdom.)
Resume in verse by U Budh:
(1) Asking again and again,