The Buddha teaches that whatever dangers, perils, and hazards there are all come from the foolish, not the astute, urging mendicants to shun the three qualities of a fool and undertake those of an astute person.

AN 3.1 Perils

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Yāni kānici, bhikkhave, bhayāni uppajjanti sabbāni tāni bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Ye keci upaddavā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Ye keci upasaggā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, naḷāgārā tiṇāgārā aggi mutto kūṭāgārānipi ḍahati ullittāvalittāni nivātāni phusitaggaḷāni pihitavātapānāni; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici bhayāni uppajjanti sabbāni tāni bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Ye keci upaddavā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato. Ye keci upasaggā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, sappaṭibhayo bālo, appaṭibhayo paṇḍito. Saupaddavo bālo, anupaddavo paṇḍito. Saupasaggo bālo, anupasaggo paṇḍito. Natthi, bhikkhave, paṇḍitato bhayaṁ, natthi paṇḍitato upaddavo, natthi paṇḍitato upasaggo.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘yehi tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bālo veditabbo te tayo dhamme abhinivajjetvā, yehi tīhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito veditabbo te tayo dhamme samādāya vattissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Evaṁ me sutaṁ

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:

The Buddha said this:

“Yāni kānici, bhikkhave, bhayāni uppajjanti sabbāni tāni bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato.

“Whatever dangers there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute.

Ye keci upaddavā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato.

Whatever perils there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute.

Ye keci upasaggā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato.

Whatever hazards there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, naḷāgārā tiṇāgārā aggi mutto kūṭāgārānipi ḍahati ullittāvalittāni nivātāni phusitaggaḷāni pihitavātapānāni;

It’s like a fire that spreads from a hut made of reeds or grass, and burns down even a bungalow, plastered inside and out, draft-free, with doors fastened and windows shuttered.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yāni kānici bhayāni uppajjanti sabbāni tāni bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato.

In the same way, whatever dangers there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute.

Ye keci upaddavā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato.

Whatever perils there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute.

Ye keci upasaggā uppajjanti sabbe te bālato uppajjanti, no paṇḍitato.

Whatever hazards there are, all come from the foolish, not from the astute.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, sappaṭibhayo bālo, appaṭibhayo paṇḍito.

So, the fool is dangerous, but the astute person is safe.

Saupaddavo bālo, anupaddavo paṇḍito.

The fool is perilous, but the astute person is not.

Saupasaggo bālo, anupasaggo paṇḍito.

The fool is hazardous, but the astute person is not.

Natthi, bhikkhave, paṇḍitato bhayaṁ, natthi paṇḍitato upaddavo, natthi paṇḍitato upasaggo.

There’s no danger, peril, or hazard that comes from the astute.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

So you should train like this:

‘yehi tīhi dhammehi samannāgato bālo veditabbo te tayo dhamme abhinivajjetvā, yehi tīhi dhammehi samannāgato paṇḍito veditabbo te tayo dhamme samādāya vattissāmā’ti.

‘We will shun the three things by which a fool is known, and we will undertake and follow the three things by which an astute person is known.’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

That’s how you should train.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Ill will

Ill will

A mental quality of actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, manifesting as deliberate thoughts or intentions that oppose kindness and compassion; it fuels conflict and obstructs goodwill.

Also known as: actively opposing or rejecting others in thought, thought of malevolence towards another, hostile reflections towards another
Pāli: byāpāda
View all discourses →
Immaturity

Immaturity

A childish lack of discernment that fails to see the results of actions clearly. It delights in surface pleasure and ignores consequence. Immaturity leads to poor choices and association with unwise companions.

Also known as: lacking in discernment, lacking in good sense, child-like in understanding, lack of wisdom, lack of experience, foolishness
Pāli: bāla
View all discourses →
Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
View all discourses →

Last updated on July 27, 2026