Buddhist Perspective on the Development of Social Welfare
by Ashin Indacara | 2011 | 61,386 words
This page relates 鈥楾he Eight Roots of Laziness and obstacle to Viriya (Attha-kusita-vatthu)鈥� of the study on the Buddhist perspective on the development of Social Welfare, employing primarily the concepts of Utthana-sampada (persistent effort) and Arakkha-sampada (watchfulness). Based on the teachings of the Buddha in the Dighajanu Sutta and other canonical texts, this essay emphasizes the importance of effort, knowledge, and good karma in achieving social welfare.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
6. The Eight Roots of Laziness and obstacle to V墨riya (A峁弓ha-办耻蝉墨迟补-vatthu)
In the same way, there are eight causes of laziness according to the teaching of the Buddha in Digha 狈颈办腻测补 just as eight causes of making an effort, but laziness is the opposite of making an effort. It is true that laziness or not being enthusiastic is the opposite to the exertion of well-being.
The causes of laziness can be found as follows:
(1) "Idh膩vuso bhikkhun膩 办补尘尘补峁� 办腻迟补产产补峁� hoti, tassa 别惫补峁� hoti, 鈥淜amma峁� kho me 办腻迟补产产补峁� bhavissati, 办补尘尘补峁� kho pana me karontassa k膩yo kilamissati, hand膩ha峁� nipjj膩mi鈥漷i, So nipajjati na 惫墨谤颈测补峁� 腻谤补产丑补迟颈 appattassa pattiy膩 anadhigatass adhigam膩ya asacchikatassa sacchikariy膩ya, 颈诲补峁� 辫补迟丑补尘补峁� 办耻蝉墨迟补-vatthu."
鈥淢onk thinks of himself that 鈥淚 will have to do my task. During doing work, my body will be tired. So, I will now sleep. He has fallen in a sleep.鈥� Because of sleeping, it does not make an effort to reach what has not yet reached, attain what has not yet attained and realize what has not yet realized.鈥�[1]
This is the first root of laziness.
(2) 鈥�础丑补峁� kho 办补尘尘补峁� 补办补蝉颈峁�, 办补尘尘补峁� kho pana me karontassa k膩yo kilanto, hand膩ha峁� nipajj膩m墨' ti, So nipajjati na 惫墨谤颈测补峁� 腻谤补产丑补迟颈鈥�-颈诲补峁� 诲耻迟颈测补峁� 办耻蝉墨迟补-vatthu.鈥�
鈥淢onk thinks of himself that 鈥業 have already done my task. During doing the work, my body has been tired for working. So I will now sleep鈥� and he has fallen in a sleep. Such a sleeping does not make an effort to reach what has not yet reached, attain what has not yet attained and realize what has not yet realized.鈥�[2]
This is the second root of laziness.
(3) 鈥�Maggo kho me gantabbo bhavissati, 尘补驳驳补峁� kho pana me gacchantassa kayo kikamissati, handaha峁� nipajj膩mi' ti. So nipajjati na 惫墨谤颈测补峁� 腻谤补产丑补迟颈, 颈诲补峁� 迟补迟颈测补峁� 办耻蝉墨迟补vatthu.鈥�
鈥�Bhikkhu should pay attention to himself that 鈥業 will have to travel and at that time, my body will be tired. So I will now sleep.鈥� This mind of laziness does not make an effort to reach鈥斺��-what has not yet realized.鈥�[3]
This is the third root of laziness.
(4) 鈥�础丑补峁� kho 尘补驳驳补峁� agam膩si峁�, 尘补驳驳补峁� kho pana me gacchatassa k膩yo kilanto, hand膩ha峁� nipajj膩m墨鈥� ti. So nipajjati na 惫墨谤颈测补峁� 腻谤补产丑补迟颈, 颈诲补峁� 肠补迟耻迟迟丑补峁� 办耻蝉墨迟补vatthu.鈥�
After having travelling,
鈥淭丑别 Bhikkhu should pay attention to himself that 鈥業 have now travelled so my body has been tiered. Thus, I will take a sleep.鈥� This mind of laziness does not make an effort to reach鈥斺��-what has not yet realized.鈥�[4]
This is the fourth root of laziness.
(5) 鈥�础丑补峁� kho 驳补尘补峁� 惫腻 ni驳补尘补峁� 惫腻 pind膩ya caranto n膩lattha峁� l奴khassa 惫腻 pan墨tassa 惫腻 bhojanassa 测腻惫补诲补迟迟丑补峁� 辫补谤颈辫耻谤颈峁�, tassa me kayo kilanto akamm帽帽o, handaha峁� nipajjam墨鈥檛i. So nipajjati na 惫墨谤颈测补峁� arabhati, 颈诲补峁� 辫补苍肠补尘补峁� 办耻蝉墨迟补vatthu.鈥�
Regarding going round for alms-food,
鈥淭丑别 Bhikkhu pays attention to himself 鈥榯hat although I went round for alms-food to the village, I did not get enough food and had a few it. My body was tired for going round for food. It is not suitable for doing new task. So I will take a sleep.鈥� This mind of laziness is not able to make an effort to reach鈥攚hat has not yet realized.鈥�[5]
This is the fifth root of laziness.
(6) 鈥�础丑补峁� kho 驳补尘补峁� 惫腻 ni驳补尘补峁� 惫腻 pind膩ya caranto alattha峁� lukhassa 惫腻 pn墨tassa 惫腻 bhojanassa y膩vadattha膩 pripuri峁�, tassa me kayo garuko akamma帽帽o, m膩s膩citi 尘补帽帽别, hand膩ha峁� nipjj膩m墨鈥� ti. So nipjjati na 惫墨谤颈测补峁� 腻谤补产丑补迟颈, 颈诲补峁� 肠丑补迟迟丑补峁� 办耻蝉墨迟补vatthu.鈥�
Regarding going round for alms-food,
鈥淭丑别 Bhikkhu pays attention to himself that 鈥榃hile I was going round for alms-food to the village, I have got enough food and had it to the full. I have felt drowsy and my body is not appropriate to do task. So I will sleep.鈥� This mind of laziness is not able to make an effort to reach鈥攚hat has not yet realized.鈥�[6]
This is the sixth root of laziness.
(7) 鈥�Uppanno kho me 补测补峁� appmattako 膩v墨dho, atthi kappo nipajjitu峁�, hand膩ha峁� nipjj膩m墨鈥漷i, So nipjjati na 惫墨谤颈测补峁� 腻谤补产丑补迟颈, 颈诲补峁� 蝉补迟迟补尘补峁� 办耻蝉墨迟补vatthu.鈥�
Again,
鈥淭丑别 Bhikkhu who has felt disease pays attention to himself, 鈥業 have felt a little disease. So it is suitable for sleeping. I will sleep.鈥� Such laziness of mind is not able to make an effort to reach鈥攚hat has not yet realized.鈥�[7]
This is the seventh root of laziness.
(8) 鈥�础丑补峁� kho gilan膩 vutthito aciravutthito gela帽帽膩, tassa me kayo dubbalo akamma帽帽o, hand膩ha峁� nipajj膩m墨鈥漷i, So nipajjati na 惫墨谤颈测补峁� 腻谤补产丑补迟颈 appattassa pattiy膩 anadhigatassa adhigam膩ya asacchikatassa sacchikariy膩ya, 颈诲补峁� 补迟迟丑补尘补峁� 办耻蝉墨迟补vatthu.鈥�
Again,
鈥淭丑别 Bhikkhu who has recovered from disease sooner or later has the state of mind, 鈥業 have no longer recovered from disease. So my body is weak and is not ready to do task. I will now sleep.鈥� Such laziness of mind is not able to make an effort to reach鈥攚hat has not yet realized.鈥�[8]
This is the eighth root of laziness.
These eight are the main roots of making laziness according to the Buddha as retold in the 厂颈苍驳颈墨迟颈 Sutta in Dhigha 狈颈办腻测补. They are called Attha-办耻蝉墨迟补-vatthu, the eight roots of making laziness.
When we examine these roots of making laziness, we can find four pairs of roots of making laziness. There are two pairs of making laziness regarding doing task, two pairs regarding travelling, two pairs regarding going round for alms-food, two pairs regarding disease. Thus, there exist eight roots of laziness through the four pairs of roots of laziness because there are totally four pairs including each two items in each of pairs.
Making an effort is essential for the development of social welfare but laziness makes social welfare decreased. So the Buddha expounded that making an effort plays in the vital role for the development of social welfare. Laziness is the major opposite of making an effort for the development of social welfare.
For instance, if there is no effort for someone, he is not able to make his social welfare developed although he has all resources such as physical and mental power, natural resources, capital, etc., such as the amount of money that he can use to start business or to make more prosperity. Thus, making effort is of vital importance for the development of social welfare. Although people are the same human beings, the people who are full of knowledge, effort and kamma are more superior to others.
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
D.III, P. 211. Pali Text Society III, P. 255.
[3]:
Ibid, P. 211. Ibi,. III, P. 255.
[4]:
Ibid, P. 211. Ibid, P. 255.
[5]:
D.III, P. 211. Pali Text Society III, P. 255.
[6]:
Ibid, P. 211. Ibid. P. 255.
[7]:
D. III, P. 212. Pali Text Society III, P. 256.
[8]:
Ibid, P. 212. Ibid, P. 256.