Immaturity ☁️ dark

19 discourses
Synonyms: lacking in discernment, lacking in good sense, child-like in understanding, lack of wisdom, lack of experience, foolishness, Supported by:{ignorance}, Leads to:{bad friendship} Pāli term: bāla

In The Path of Dhamma (Dhammapada)

DhammaPada verses 60-75 describe the traits and consequences for an immature person. They suffer from delusion, cling to false views of self and possessions, perform harmful actions, seek status without wisdom, and long for recognition. In contrast, the wise avoid their company and pursue seclusion and true understanding of the Dhamma.

Dhammapada verses 116-128 share the importance of hastening to do good, restraining the mind from harm, the consequences of harm and good, the accumulation of evil and good, the importance of avoiding harmful actions, the consequences of harming a blameless person, the results of evil and good, and the inevitability of death.

Dhammapada verses 157-166 emphasize self-discipline, personal responsibility, and inner mastery. A wise person must first establish themselves properly before guiding others, as self-mastery is difficult but essential. Purity and impurity are personal matters, and one should prioritize their own spiritual welfare over external concerns, for no one can purify another.

Dhammapada verses 273–289 emphasize the eightfold path as the foremost way to liberation, seeing the impermanent, unsatisfactory, and not-self nature of all things. Further, the verses mention the relation of meditation and wisdom, They mention restraint, how wisdom through meditation, on cutting off the forest as well as the undergrowth, and making swift effort to purify by the way of practice leading to Nibbāna.

Dhammapada verses 320–333 highlight self-discipline, wisdom, and perseverance through the imagery of elephants. They highlight inner mastery over strength, the value of solitude over company of immature persons, and the importance of taming one’s mind. Honoring parents, cultivating virtue, and letting go of suffering lead to true ease.

Dhammapada verses 360–382 depict the ideal bhikkhu as one who restrains the senses, body, speech, and mind, leading to freedom from suffering. Emphasis is placed on mindfulness, inner joy, collectedness, and self-reliance. Through discipline and reflection, the bhikkhu advances towards the peace of Nibbāna, shining like the moon freed from clouds.

In As It Was Said (Itivuttaka)

The Buddha describes the sentient beings who lack in wisdom as truly deprived, dwelling in suffering, annoyance, hardship, and distress.

The Buddha teaches that a wise person aspiring for the three kinds of happiness - of 1) praise, 2) wealth, and 3) good rebirth - should safeguard their virtue.

When one knows and sees the four noble truths, there is the wearing away of the taints.

In Middle Length Discourses (Majjhima Nikāya)

A series of questions and answers between Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika that clarify subtle yet important aspects of the teachings. Topics covered include wisdom, consciousness, felt experience, perception, purified mind-consciousness, right view, existence, first jhāna, the five faculties, vital formations, and the release of the mind.

The Buddha explains how even small attachments can be strong fetters if not relinquished, using similes of a quail and an elephant, and contrasts between the poor and wealthy. He describes four types of practitioners based on their response to attachment and mindfulness. The discourse also presents gradual refinement of meditative attainments from the first jhāna to the cessation of perception and feeling.

In The Buddha's Ancient Discourses (Sutta Nipāta)

The Buddha describes that disputes arise not from many truths, but from people clinging to their own views out of conceit. By labeling others "fools" to affirm their own skill, they create conflict. The path to peace lies not in proving one's view, but in abandoning all judgments.

In Linked Discourses (Saṃyutta Nikāya)

A deity asks the Buddha how the complexion of those dwelling in the wilderness and living the spiritual life becomes serene.

The Buddha uses the simile of a monkey caught in a sticky trap to illustrate the dangers of wandering in unsuitable places and the importance of mindfulness.

In Numerical Discourses (Aṅguttara Nikāya)

The Buddha contrasts the immature and wise persons, shares on who misrepresents the Buddha, virtuous and unprincipled behavior, wrong and right view, why he dwells in forests and remote lodgings, and the importance of tranquility and insight.

The Buddha explains the difference between immature and wise persons, and how mental defilements increase or decrease based on how one perceives.

The Buddha explains the characteristics of an immature and wise person.

Singing, dancing, and excessive laughter are all considered inappropriate expressions for the Noble Ones. The appropriate expression of joy for one who delights in the Dhamma is simply a gentle smile, reflecting dignified restraint.

In Inspired Utterances (Udāna)

The Buddha sits silently among the Saṅgha of bhikkhus on an Uposatha night when the assembly wasn’t pure. Afterwards, the Buddha explains the eight wonderful and marvelous qualities of the Dhamma and Vinaya, likening them to similarly wonderful qualities of the great ocean.

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