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The lazy foolish are less dangerous than the active foolish

Expressions researched:
"active foolishness. Foolish, if he stops, he does not work, it is better" |"foolishly active is more dangerous than less active" |"lazy fool is better than the active fool" |"less dangerous than the active foolish"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The active fool is fourth-class because whatever he'll do, it is foolish. So result will not be very good. Active fool. So lazy fool is better than the active fool.
Lecture on BG 13.35 -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

There must be intelligence. They have no intelligence. They are thinking of philanthropic work, but still thinking that "I am this body." So what that philanthropic work will do? We... With ignorance, with no knowledge, whatever you do, it is foolish. As there are... Sometimes they divide, four classes of men: lazy intelligent, active intelligent, and lazy fool and active fool. The active fool is fourth-class because whatever he'll do, it is foolish. So result will not be very good. Active fool. So lazy fool is better than the active fool.

Just like the monkey. It is active fool. In your country, in the Western country, you don't see many monkeys. But in India, there are many monkeys. As soon as a monkey will come, he will create some mischief. He's very busy, jumping here, there, here, here, there, but always creating mischief. So modern civilization... And the Darwin's theory is that they have come from monkey. (laughter) So they are also doing like that, jumping like monkey, this way, that way, this way, that way, but always creating mischief.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Foolishly active is more dangerous than less active. Because if one is dangerous, it is better not to become very much active.
Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

Sleeping is very dangerous. It is to be understood that I am under the clutches of māyā, the more we sleep, because the symptom of tamo-guṇa is laziness and sleep. This is the symptom of tamo-guṇa, laziness and sleeping. And symptoms of rajo-guṇa—very active, but just like monkey. Monkeys are very active, but all injurious. Wherever they will sit, they "Gata-gata-gat-gat-gat." Not a single moment they are inactive, but all foolishness. That is passion. And goodness means knowledge. So in the previous verse it is described how to come to the platform of goodness. When one comes to the platform of goodness, then he becomes prasanna-manasa, because he is not attacked by the modes of ignorance and passion, means laziness, sleep and foolishly active. Foolishly active is more dangerous than less active. Because if one is dangerous, it is better not to become very much active, because... Just like this monkey. You will find always very active, but nobody likes them. As soon as a monkey comes, everyone drives them away: "Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Therefore we should not be lazy and sleepy, at the same time not foolishly active. We must come to the real standard of life, goodness. Then we can begin our devotional service.

Foolish, if he stops, he does not work, it is better. But as soon as he becomes active he becomes more dangerous.
Lecture on SB 1.15.30 -- Los Angeles, December 8, 1973:

Tamas means darkness, and the symptom of tamo-guṇa is laziness and sleep. Those who are lazy and sleeping, you must know he's under the influence of tamo-guṇa. And rajo-guṇa, always acting foolishly. Just like these people are running. They're rajo-guṇa. But actually in this world there are two guṇas-rajas and tamas, ignorance and foolishly active. Foolish active is very dangerous. There are four classes: lazy intelligent, busy intelligent, lazy foolish, and active foolish. The active foolish is a fourth-class man. So at the present moment they're very active, but they're all foolish. Therefore the world is in danger. Active foolishness. Foolish, if he stops, he does not work, it is better. But as soon as he becomes active he becomes more dangerous.

So this rajas-tamo-bhāva is prominent. There is no sattva-guṇa, goodness. It is very rare. The symptom of goodness is that he can see everything right. That is goodness. Prakāśa. Just like in sunshine you can see everything clearly. Similarly, one who sees clearly things as they are, they are in the goodness, mode of goodness.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

The lazy foolish are less dangerous than the active foolish.
Morning Walk -- January 5, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Not a single moment should be wasted. That is advised by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Avyartha kāla tam. Vyartha means spoiling. Avyartha means not spoiling. Avyartha kāla. He should be always conscious that "I am not wasting my time." Then it will be done. Kṛṣṇa... (break) ...on the street. The bums, they also utilize, that they want to see that not a moment is wasted without drinking. (devotees chuckle) Yes, they actually do that. They want to drink only, twenty-four hours. As soon as the bottle is finished, they're finding somebody who will pay one dollar, and purchase another small bottle. They're doing only business this. (break)

Prajāpati: ...the holy name and devotional service.

Prabhupāda: Ah?

Prajāpati: You want us to be drunkards on the holy name, and be like those...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. There is eight kinds of transcendental transformation... (pause) (devotees chant japa) (break)

Prajāpati: ...foolish play tennis, and the lazy foolish they play golf. (Prabhupāda laughs) (break)

Prabhupāda: ...less dangerous than the active foolish.

Page Title:The lazy foolish are less dangerous than the active foolish
Compiler:Labangalatika
Created:18 of Jul, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=3, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:4