Heedfulness is the state free of death;
heedlessness is the state of death.
The heedful do not die,
while the heedless are like the dead.
Understanding this distinction
when it comes to heedfulness,
the astute rejoice in heedfulness,
happy in the noble ones’ domain.
They who regularly meditate,
always staunchly vigorous;
those wise ones realize quenching,
the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.
For the hard-working and mindful,
pure of deed and attentive,
restrained, living righteously, and diligent,
their reputation only grows.
By hard work and diligence,
by restraint and by self-control,
a smart person would build an island
that the floods cannot overflow.
Fools and half-wits
devote themselves to negligence.
But the wise protect diligence
as their best treasure.
Don’t devote yourself to negligence,
or delight in sexual intimacy.
For if you’re diligent and meditate,
you’ll attain abundant happiness.
When the astute dispel negligence
by means of diligence,
ascending the palace of wisdom,
sorrowless, they behold this generation of sorrow,
as a wise man on a mountain-top
beholds the fools below.
Heedful among the heedless,
wide awake while others sleep—
a true sage leaves them behind,
like a swift horse passing a feeble.
Maghavā became chief of the gods
by means of diligence.
People praise diligence,
while negligence is always deplored.
A mendicant who loves to be diligent,
seeing fear in negligence—
advances like fire,
burning up fetters big and small.
A mendicant who loves to be diligent,
seeing fear in negligence—
such a one can’t decline,
and has drawn near to extinguishment.
Read this translation of Dhammapada 21–32 Appamādavagga: by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.
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