The Wise Are Like a Noble Steed: Leaving the Weak Horse Behind

Have you ever asked yourself, "What truly constitutes wisdom?" Is it merely quickness of speech, or is there something far deeper? In a recent dharma talk on Verse 11 of the Dhammapada, Venerable Thich Chan Quang answered this question with a powerful image: a noble steed surpassing a weak horse.

### The Story of Two Monks: Diligence Versus Laziness

Long ago, two brothers in the Dharma left home together to receive teachings from the Buddha. He gave each of them a meditation subject, and they went to a secluded forest to practice. Life there was not easy; nights in India were cold, mosquitoes were plentiful, and alms rounds required long walks. One monk was extremely diligent. Apart from his alms round and rituals, he devoted all his time to sitting meditation and meditative concentration. The other wasted his time wandering around, chatting, and at night, using the cold as an excuse to burn wood and engage in worldly conversation until dawn. He even mocked his companion, saying, "If you sit like that, you will turn into a frog!"

When the Buddha visited, the lazy monk hastily lied about being diligent. The Buddha looked sternly and rebuked him:

"You have been lazy and wasted so much time, yet you do not even respect your fellow practitioner who is so diligent. This one here is truly my child. Just as a noble steed races ahead on the long road, leaving the weak and feeble horse behind."

The Buddha taught a short verse: "Diligent among the heedless, awakened among the deluded. The wise are like a noble steed, leaving the weak horse behind." Though brief, the meaning is fierce, using the image of a beautiful horse to represent those possessing wisdom.

### True Wisdom Is Diligence and Wakefulness

This verse opens up a unique definition of wisdom: amidst many who are heedless and lazy, one remains diligent; amidst many who err, one remains awake. That is the wise person. Venerable Chan Quang explains:

"If we are diligent and awake, we know that we possess wisdom. And whoever possesses wisdom must always be diligent and awake. We cannot say that a wise person is simply someone who eats well or speaks eloquently."

Do not look at outward appearances—quick tongues, argumentative skills, or rhetorical flair—and mistake them for wisdom. True wisdom is measured by how one uses their time and whether their actions are right or wrong.

### Diligence: Not Wasting Time

Venerable Chan Quang emphasizes: "Diligence means working hard, studying much, and practicing deeply." A wise person sees countless tasks that need doing. There is never enough time. Conversely, a foolish person feels that twenty-four hours in a day are too long, not knowing what to do, and thus resorts to "killing time" or idling away life. He offers a stark warning:

"If twenty-four hours pass in a day, and there is even one hour when you do not know what to do, then immediately you are a foolish person. There are countless things in this world to do. From now until the day you become a Buddha, there are trillions upon trillions of tasks to perform that you cannot even imagine, let alone know how to begin."

When we understand the Dharma, we naturally see endless opportunities for action: bowing to the Buddha, sitting in meditation, walking meditation, studying sutras, listening to the Dharma, creating merit, engaging in charity, and helping others. If someone asks, "What will you do tomorrow?" and you answer, "I don't know," you should immediately engage in repentance, for you lack wisdom.

### Wakefulness: Avoiding Mistakes and Indulgence

Do not confuse "alertness" with "wakefulness." Alertness is a state within meditative concentration, where the mind is spacious and peaceful. Wakefulness, however, is an intellectual awakening: avoiding mistakes and refraining from indulgent enjoyment. Venerable Chan Quang tells a story of a man entrusted with one hundred bars of gold, who then disappeared for ten years. If you entertain the thought, "I am allowed to use it," you have made a mistake and lost wakefulness. The correct response is to continue guarding it patiently, or to use the entire amount to create merit dedicated to that person, keeping not a single coin for yourself.

"Wakefulness in this deluded world means not making mistakes."

When we strongly resist the temptation of sensory pleasure and do not allow greed, hatred and delusion to dominate our mind/heart, we are truly awake.

### Diligence in Meditative Concentration

In a broad sense, diligence involves work, study, and practice. But in this verse, the Buddha specifically refers to diligence in the effort of meditative concentration. Venerable Chan Quang recalls a story of a novice monk criticized by senior monks for being dirty and not bathing. A senior monk said, "Why are you so unclean? Don't you have time to wipe your nose?" The novice smiled and replied, "I do not have the time, brother." Eventually, he became a great sage. When walking past a fallen sutra, he would step over it using only his hands to avoid stepping on it. This shows that a true practitioner is never careless, always guarding the mind in every moment.

Therefore, examine the time you dedicate to meditative concentration. If your mind is tense and agitated, yet you refuse to sit in meditation, this is a sign of lacking wisdom. Whenever you have free time, seize the opportunity to sit cross-legged in meditation. Relax your entire body, follow the breath going in and out, and let the mind settle. This is how to practice diligence like a noble steed.

### Be a Noble Steed on the Path

Verse 11 of the Dhammapada rings like an alarm clock for awakening. Ask yourself: How do I use my time each day? How many empty moments go to waste? How many hours per week do I dedicate to meditation? Do not squander even a split second. Begin today: leave behind the weak horse of laziness and error, and gallop swiftly like a noble steed on the path of wakefulness.