DHAMMA PADETHA – 25. REVERE THOSE WHO SEE BOTH SIDES

DHAMMA PADETHA – REVERE THOSE WHO SEE BOTH SIDES

    All those who are wise and have foresight do not err in carrying out their tasks. Hence they are happy in this life and in future existences. They also make people living together happy.

      That is why we place people who are wise and have foresight in the position of leaders. We associate with them. We revere those people who are wise and have foresight.

      Concerning people who are wise and have foresight, Lord Buddha spoke of three kinds of people.

      (1) Andha — one who is blind to both sides

      (2) Ekacakkhu — one who sees only one side

      (3) Dvicakkhu — one who sees both sides (Am 1/126)

      (1) Andha — one who is blind to both sides

      A certain person does not have any knowledge or foresight to acquire wealth. Neither does he have any knowledge or foresight to increase the property he has acquired.

      He does not have any knowledge or foresight to abstain from taking life, to abstain from taking other people’s property which is not given i.e. stealing and such akusala is not beneficial in this life nor in samsara. That which is beneficial at present and in samsara, dana, sila and in such merit he has no knowledge and foresight. This kind of person does not see both sides and is known as andha.

      This type of person is not happy with himself. Neither can he make those living together, children, wife, workers and relatives happy because he has no property. Because he can not make any meritorious deeds which will be the cause of happiness in future lives, he loses both those benefits in this life and in future lives, samsara.

      (2) Ekacakkhu — one who sees one side only

      A certain person has knowledge and foresight to acquire property. He also has knowledge and foresight to increase the property he has acquired. He does not have the knowledge of demerits such as killing and stealing and so on which are unbeneficial in this life and in samsara, and which should be abstained. But he has no knowledge of doing merits such as dana, sila which will be beneficial in the present life and samsara. This kind of person is known as Ekacakkhu — one who sees only one side.

      This kind of person does not know merits or demerits and hence, he acquires wealth by all kinds of unlawful means. He would steal by selling things with incorrect scales and measurement, and by lying the cost of things and selling them. He would acquire wealth and enjoy himself with all kinds of sensual and worldly pleasures. This kind of person will surely go to hell or apaya and suffer all kinds of miseries.

      (3) Dvicakkhu — one who sees both sides

      A certain person has knowledge and foresight to acquire wealth. He also has knowledge and foresight to increase the property he has acquired.

      He has knowledge to abstain from killing, stealing and such like akusala which is unbeneficial in the present life and in samsara. He also has knowledge of doing merits such as dana, sila, meditation (bhavana) which will be beneficial both in the present life and in samsara. This kind of person is known as Dvicakkhu — one who sees both sides.

      This person who sees both sides acquires wealth by lawful means, do merits such as dana, sila and has no worry when he dies. He will be reborn in the realm of devas where it is complete with happiness. By practising satipatthana vipassana meditation he will achieve noble dhamma till he reaches nibbana according to his parami.

      That is why the Lord Buddha discoursed that we must avoid one who does not see both sides and who sees only one side. We must revere and associate with one who sees both sides so that it will be beneficial till we reach nibbana.