sutta » an » an6 » Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.53

Appamādasutta

Diligence

Atha kho aññataro brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then a certain brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

“Atthi nu kho, bho gotama, eko dhammo bhāvito bahulīkato yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ, yo ca attho samparāyiko”ti?
“Mister Gotama, is there one thing that, when developed and cultivated, secures benefits for both the present life and lives to come?”

“Atthi kho, brāhmaṇa, eko dhammo bhāvito bahulīkato yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ, yo ca attho samparāyiko”ti.
“There is, brahmin.”

“Katamo pana, bho gotama, eko dhammo bhāvito bahulīkato yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ, yo ca attho samparāyiko”ti?
“So what is it?”

“Appamādo kho, brāhmaṇa, eko dhammo bhāvito bahulīkato ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ, yo ca attho samparāyiko.
“Diligence, brahmin, is one thing that, when developed and cultivated, secures benefits for both the present life and lives to come.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, yāni kānici jaṅgalānaṁ pāṇānaṁ padajātāni, sabbāni tāni hatthipade samodhānaṁ gacchanti; hatthipadaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati, yadidaṁ mahantattena.
The footprints of all creatures that walk can fit inside an elephant’s footprint. So an elephant’s footprint is said to be the biggest of them all.

Evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, appamādo eko dhammo bhāvito bahulīkato ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ, yo ca attho samparāyiko.
In the same way, diligence is one thing that, when developed and cultivated, secures benefits for both the present life and lives to come.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, kūṭāgārassa yā kāci gopānasiyo sabbā tā kūṭaṅgamā kūṭaninnā kūṭasamosaraṇā, kūṭaṁ tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati;
The rafters of a bungalow all lean to the peak, slope to the peak, and meet at the peak, so the peak is said to be the topmost of them all.

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa …pe….
In the same way, diligence is one thing …

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, pabbajalāyako pabbajaṁ lāyitvā agge gahetvā odhunāti nidhunāti nicchādeti;
A reed-cutter, having cut the reeds, grabs them at the top and shakes them down, shakes them about, and shakes them off.

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa …pe….
In the same way, diligence is one thing …

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, ambapiṇḍiyā vaṇṭacchinnāya yāni kānici ambāni vaṇṭūpanibandhanāni sabbāni tāni tadanvayāni bhavanti;
When the stalk of a bunch of mangoes is cut, all the mangoes attached to the stalk will follow along.

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa …pe….
In the same way, diligence is one thing …

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, ye keci khuddarājāno sabbete rañño cakkavattissa anuyantā bhavanti, rājā tesaṁ cakkavattī aggamakkhāyati;
All lesser rulers are vassals of a wheel-turning monarch, so the wheel-turning monarch is said to be the foremost of them all.

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa …pe….
In the same way, diligence is one thing …

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, yā kāci tārakarūpānaṁ pabhā sabbā tā candassa pabhāya kalaṁ nāgghanti soḷasiṁ, candappabhā tāsaṁ aggamakkhāyati;
The radiance of all the stars is not worth a sixteenth part of the moon’s radiance, so the moon’s radiance is said to be the best of them all.

evamevaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, appamādo eko dhammo bhāvito bahulīkato ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ yo ca attho samparāyiko.
In the same way, diligence is one thing that, when developed and cultivated, secures benefits for both the present life and lives to come.

Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, eko dhammo bhāvito bahulīkato ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ, yo ca attho samparāyiko”ti.
This is the one thing that, when developed and cultivated, secures benefits for both the present life and lives to come.”

“Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…
“Excellent, Mister Gotama! Excellent! …

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
From this day forth, may Mister Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Ekādasamaṁ.