Deep Commentary

The Buddha taught this verse at Isipatana concerning Mahadhana, the son of a very wealthy treasurer. Both he and his wife inherited immense fortunes but chose a life of frivolous indulgence, completely squandering their wealth on worldly pleasures and bad companions. Eventually, they lost everything and were reduced to wandering beggars, searching for leftover food. Seeing them, the Buddha remarked that had they applied themselves to business in their youth, they could have become the wealthiest family in the city; had they chosen the spiritual path, they could have attained Arahantship. Instead, they wasted their potential in both the material and spiritual realms. The story serves as a profound warning: a life without purpose or foresight inevitably leads to suffering. In times of wealth and power, false friends are plentiful, but when fortune fades, one is left entirely alone. The Buddha advises us to utilize the vitality of our youth to build a solid foundation—whether it be acquiring knowledge, managing resources responsibly, or cultivating moral and spiritual virtues—so that we do not end up destitute and full of regrets, like an old crane starving beside a dried-up pond.