Toh 341The Sūtra of the Wise and Foolish
Pāli / Sanskrit:(damamūka)
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THE SŪTRA ON THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH
Background
The Sūtra on the Wise and the Foolish (Damamūka-sūtra) is an important scripture in the Northern Tibetan Mahāyāna tradition, preserved in the Kangyur — the collection of Buddha Dharma scriptures translated into Tibetan from Sanskrit source materials. This sūtra belongs to the genre of exemplary tales (avadāna), a form of Dharma teaching often used to transmit the Buddha Dharma through highly instructive stories.
The teaching context of the sūtra is the time when Buddha Śākyamuni taught the Dharma in various places according to the conditions of beings. Such exemplary narrative sūtras are intended to illustrate the results of karma, the difference between the path of a clear and wise mind and the path of imperfection, as well as the power of the Buddha Dharma in teaching and transforming beings.
Main Content
This sūtra reveals the distinction between those who possess wisdom (medhāvin) and those who lack wisdom through concrete examples of conduct, karmic consequences, and the path of cultivation. Through stories about bodhisattvas, intelligent disciples, and those gone astray, the sūtra shows that the fundamental difference lies in each person’s mental intention and manner of action.
The wise are described as those who clearly understand cause and effect (karma-phala), honor the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), and practice the pāramitās, especially the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā). They contemplate thoroughly the ultimate goal — awakening and liberation from saṃsāra, or, in the Mahāyāna, attaining buddhahood in order to liberate beings.
By contrast, the foolish (bāla) are those blinded by anger, delusion, and confusion, by greed, jealousy, and eagerness for impermanent desires. They act carelessly, without considering the consequences, following only immediate wishes, thereby creating unwholesome karma that leads to painful results in future lives.
The sūtra carefully presents parables illustrating how the wise avoid the traps of anger, delusion, and confusion, preserve ethical discipline, cultivate meditative concentration (samādhi), and develop wisdom.
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