THE STORY OF THE TWO PICK-POCKETS - Dhammapada Verse 63

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.

In today's session, we look at Dhammapada Verse 63 - THE STORY OF TWO PICK-POCKETS and how one was able to enter the stream while the other continued to steal (even at the monastery where the Buddha was giving a teaching).

This story and saying of the Buddha links back to our examination of wealth. Important to recognise that the fruit or result of taking what is not given or stealing is loss of wealth (both in the mundane and supramundane sense) or a bad destination. We also touch on right livelihood (mundane and supramundane path)

The Buddha's words:

Yo bālo maññati bālyaṁ,
paṇḍito vāpi tena so;
Bālo ca paṇḍitamānī,
sa ve “bālo”ti vuccati.”

“A fool who considers himself foolish is,
in this, like a sage;
But a fool who is proud of his cleverness
is truly called fool.”

Other suttas that are mentioned directly or indirectly in this talk:

• – Kammanidāna Sutta (AN 10.174)
• – Adinnādāna Sutta (SN 56.72)
• – Pañcaverabhaya Sutta (SN 12.41)
• – Parikkamana Sutta (AN 10.175)
• – Kammapathapeyyāla (AN 3.163–182)
• – Sallekha Sutta (MN 8)
• – Anumāna Sutta (MN 15)
• – Vatthūpama Sutta (MN 7)
• – Duccaritavipāka Sutta (AN 8.40)
• – Rukkha Sutta (SN 45.152)

To read the full chapter Bāla Vagga (Dhp 60–75) of the Dhammapada - https://suttacentral.net/dhp60-75/en/feldmeier

The video of this talk has been published to the Sutta Meditation YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8dufBd7LDM AND on Spotify as a video podcast

Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai