iti.41 Itivuttaka

Deprived of Wisdom

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, those beings are thoroughly deprived who are deprived of noble wisdom. They live in discomfort even here and now, with vexation, trouble, and distress, and when the body perishes at death a bad bourn is to be expected.

“Those beings are not deprived who are not deprived of noble wisdom. They live in comfort here and now, without vexation, trouble, or distress, and when the body perishes at death a good bourn is to be expected.”

See the world with its devas,
Destitute of wisdom,
Established in name-and-form,
Conceiving this to be the truth.

Wisdom which leads to penetration
Is the best thing in the world;
By this one completely understands
The ending of both birth and being.

Devas and human beings hold dear
Those awakened ones ever mindful,
Possessing joyous wisdom,
Bearing their final bodies.

- Translator: John D. Ireland

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

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Bereft of Wisdom

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Those sentient beings are truly bereft, mendicants, who are bereft of noble wisdom.
They live unhappily in the present life—with distress, anguish, and fever—
and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a bad rebirth.
Those sentient beings are not bereft who are not bereft of noble wisdom.
In the present life they’re happy—free of anguish, distress, and fever—
and when the body breaks up, after death, they can expect a good rebirth.”
The Buddha spoke this matter.
On this it is said:
“See the world with its gods,
bereft of wisdom,
habituated to name and form,
imagining this is truth.
Wisdom is best in the world,
as it leads to penetration,
through which one rightly understands
the ending of rebirth and continued existence.
Gods and humans envy them,
the Buddhas, ever mindful,
of laughing wisdom,
bearing their final body.”
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.