2.4 The Story about the Fool’s Festival
Bālanakkhattaghuṭṭhavatthu

“Foolish, stupid people,” {1.256} this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to the Fools’ Festival.

For on a certain date there was a festival celebrated in Sāvatthī called Fools’ Festival, and on the occasion of this festival foolish, unintelligent folk used to smear their bodies with ashes and cow-dung and for a period of seven days go about uttering all manner of coarse talk. At this time people showed no respect for kinsfolk or friends or bhikkhus when they met them, but stood in the doorways and insulted them with coarse talk. Those who could not endure the coarse talk would pay the holiday-makers a half or a quarter or a penny, according to their means, and the holiday-makers would take the money and depart from their houses.

Now at this time there were in Sāvatthī fifty million of noble disciples, and they sent word to the Teacher: “Venerable Sir, let the Fortunate One refrain for a period of seven days from entering the city with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus; let him instead remain at the monastery.” And for a period of seven days the noble disciples caused food to be prepared for the Saṅgha of bhikkhus at the monastery and sent it to them, but did not themselves leave their houses.

On the eighth day, however, when the festival was at an end, they invited the Saṅgha of bhikkhus to be their guests, escorted them into the city, and gave abundant offerings. And having seated themselves [28.311] respectfully on one side, they said to the Teacher: “Venerable Sir, we have spent the past seven days most unpleasantly. Our ears had like to burst from hearing the coarse talk of foolish folk. {1.257} No one showed any respect for anybody else, and for this reason we did not permit you to enter the city. We ourselves did not go out of the house.”

The Teacher listened to what they said, and then replied: “After this manner do foolish, stupid men conduct themselves. But they that are intelligent preserve heedfulness as their greatest treasure, and by so doing at last attain the Deathless, Great Nibbāna.” So saying, he pronounced the following verses:

26. Pamādam-anuyuñjanti bālā dummedhino janā,
appamādañ-ca medhāvī dhanaṁ seṭṭhaṁ va rakkhati.

Foolish, stupid people
cultivate heedlessness,
the sage guards heedfulness
just as his greatest wealth.

27. Mā pamādam-anuyuñjetha mā kāmaratisanthavaṁ,
appamatto hi jhāyanto pappoti vipulaṁ sukhaṁ.

Do not cultivate heedlessness,
do not take delight in pleasure,
the heedful one, meditating,
surely attains great happiness.

At the conclusion of the verse many became Stream-enterers and so on, and benefit arose to many people from the Dhamma teaching.

last updated: August 2024