The Buddha describes the three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of a fool.

AN 3.3 Thinking

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, bālassa bālalakkhaṇāni bālanimittāni bālāpadānāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Idha, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca hoti dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca. No cedaṁ, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca abhavissa dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca, kena naṁ paṇḍitā jāneyyuṁ: ‘bālo ayaṁ bhavaṁ asappuriso’ti? Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca hoti dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca tasmā naṁ paṇḍitā jānanti: ‘bālo ayaṁ bhavaṁ asappuriso’ti. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi bālassa bālalakkhaṇāni bālanimittāni bālāpadānāni.

Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, paṇḍitassa paṇḍitalakkhaṇāni paṇḍitanimittāni paṇḍitāpadānāni. Katamāni tīṇi? Idha, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca hoti subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca. No cedaṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca abhavissa subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca, kena naṁ paṇḍitā jāneyyuṁ: ‘paṇḍito ayaṁ bhavaṁ sappuriso’ti? Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca hoti subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca tasmā naṁ paṇḍitā jānanti: ‘paṇḍito ayaṁ bhavaṁ sappuriso’ti. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi paṇḍitassa paṇḍitalakkhaṇāni paṇḍitanimittāni paṇḍitāpadānāni. Tasmātiha …pe….

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, bālassa bālalakkhaṇāni bālanimittāni bālāpadānāni.

“There are these three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of a fool.

Katamāni tīṇi?

What three?

Idha, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca hoti dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca.

A fool thinks poorly, speaks poorly, and acts poorly.

No cedaṁ, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca abhavissa dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca, kena naṁ paṇḍitā jāneyyuṁ:

If a fool didn’t think poorly, speak poorly, and act poorly, then how would the astute know of them:

‘bālo ayaṁ bhavaṁ asappuriso’ti?

‘This worthy one is a fool, an untrue person’?

Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, bālo duccintitacintī ca hoti dubbhāsitabhāsī ca dukkaṭakammakārī ca tasmā naṁ paṇḍitā jānanti:

But since a fool does think poorly, speak poorly, and act poorly, then the astute do know of them:

‘bālo ayaṁ bhavaṁ asappuriso’ti.

‘This worthy one is a fool, an untrue person’.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi bālassa bālalakkhaṇāni bālanimittāni bālāpadānāni.

These are the three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of a fool.

Tīṇimāni, bhikkhave, paṇḍitassa paṇḍitalakkhaṇāni paṇḍitanimittāni paṇḍitāpadānāni.

There are these three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of an astute person.

Katamāni tīṇi?

What three?

Idha, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca hoti subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca.

An astute person thinks well, speaks well, and acts well.

No cedaṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca abhavissa subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca, kena naṁ paṇḍitā jāneyyuṁ:

If an astute person didn’t think well, speak well, and act well, then how would the astute know of them:

‘paṇḍito ayaṁ bhavaṁ sappuriso’ti?

‘This worthy one is astute, a true person’?

Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, paṇḍito sucintitacintī ca hoti subhāsitabhāsī ca sukatakammakārī ca tasmā naṁ paṇḍitā jānanti:

But since an astute person does think well, speak well, and act well, then the astute do know of them:

‘paṇḍito ayaṁ bhavaṁ sappuriso’ti.

‘This worthy one is astute, a true person’.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, tīṇi paṇḍitassa paṇḍitalakkhaṇāni paṇḍitanimittāni paṇḍitāpadānāni.

These are the three characteristics, signs, and manifestations of an astute person.

Tasmātiha …pe….

So you should train …”

Tatiyaṁ.

Qualities:

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