不以多言故 乃爲有道義 雖說少言句 有理而安隱 不以多聞故 乃爲有道義 若人受法已 正修勿休廢 雖有多聞 不行法者 如牧數牛 非沙門數
bù yǐ duō yán gù nǎi wéi yǒu dào yì suī shuō shǎo yán jù yǒu lǐ ér ān yǐn bù yǐ duō wén gù nǎi wéi yǒu dào yì ruò rén shòu fǎ yǐ zhèng xiū wù xiū fèi suī yǒu duō wén bù xíng fǎ zhě rú mù shǔ niú fēi shā mén shù
Key Message
Neither many words nor much learning makes one righteous in the Dhamma — only the one who actually practices what has been received, without ceasing, can be counted among the true renunciants.
▸The Dhammaṭṭhavagga (Chapter on the Righteous) directly confronts the confusion between religious form and genuine substance.
The Dhammaṭṭhavagga (Chapter on the Righteous) directly confronts the confusion between religious form and genuine substance. It is not because of many words that one is possessed of the Way and its righteousness — even a few words, if they contain genuine principle and lead to peace, are worth infinitely more. It is not because of much learning that one is possessed of the Way — what matters is that having received the Dhamma, one practices it rightly without slackening. The most memorable image: however much one has heard and learned, if one does not practice the Dhamma, one is like a cowherd who counts cattle — engaged in the activities surrounding the spiritual life without actually entering into it. Such a person cannot be counted among the genuine renunciants (sāmaṇa, 沙門).