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Dhammapada
Sayings of the Dhamma 21–32
Verses of Dhamma

Appamādavagga
2. Diligence
Chapter on Non-Negligence

Sāmāvatīvatthu

Appamādo amatapadaṁ,
Heedfulness is the state free of death;
Non-negligence is the path of the Deathless,

pamādo maccuno padaṁ;
heedlessness is the state of death.
negligence is the path of death.

Appamattā na mīyanti,
The heedful do not die,
Those who are not negligent never die,

ye pamattā yathā matā.
while the heedless are like the dead.
those who are negligent are like the dead.

Evaṁ visesato ñatvā,
Understanding this distinction
This is what the wise distinctly know

appamādamhi paṇḍitā;
when it comes to heedfulness,
about non-negligence.

Appamāde pamodanti,
the astute rejoice in heedfulness,
They rejoice in non-negligence,

ariyānaṁ gocare ratā.
happy in the noble ones’ domain.
enjoying the territory of the noble ones.

Te jhāyino sātatikā,
They who regularly meditate,
Those who meditate continuously,

niccaṁ daḷhaparakkamā;
always staunchly vigorous;
who always persevere,

Phusanti dhīrā nibbānaṁ,
the attentive realize extinguishment,
Steadfast, they touch Nibbāna—

yogakkhemaṁ anuttaraṁ.
the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.
the unsurpassable safety.

Kumbaghosakaseṭṭhivatthu

Uṭṭhānavato satīmato,
For the hard-working and mindful,
Glory increases for those who are proactive and mindful,

Sucikammassa nisammakārino;
pure of deed and attentive,
with pure and careful conduct,

Saññatassa dhammajīvino,
restrained, living righteously, and diligent,
self-restrained, living the Dhamma,

Appamattassa yasobhivaḍḍhati.
their reputation only grows.
and not negligent.

Cūḷapanthakavatthu

Uṭṭhānenappamādena,
By hard work and diligence,
By being proactive and not negligent,

saṁyamena damena ca;
by restraint and by self-control,
self-restrained and self-controlled,

Dīpaṁ kayirātha medhāvī,
a smart person would build an island
a wise person makes an island

yaṁ ogho nābhikīrati.
that the floods cannot overflow.
which no flood can submerge.

Bālanakkhattasaṅghuṭṭhavatthu

Pamādamanuyuñjanti,
Fools and simpletons
Fools and idiots commit

bālā dummedhino janā;
devote themselves to negligence.
to negligence,

Appamādañca medhāvī,
But the wise protect diligence
whereas a wise person protects non-negligence

dhanaṁ seṭṭhaṁva rakkhati.
as their best treasure.
as the greatest wealth.

Mā pamādamanuyuñjetha,
Don’t devote yourself to negligence,
Do not commit to negligence

mā kāmaratisanthavaṁ;
or delight in erotic intimacy.
or to involvement in sensuality;

Appamatto hi jhāyanto,
For if you’re diligent and meditate,
for one who meditates without negligence

pappoti vipulaṁ sukhaṁ.
you’ll attain abundant happiness.
attains abundant bliss.

Mahākassapattheravatthu

Pamādaṁ appamādena,
When the astute dispel negligence
When a wise person dispels negligence

yadā nudati paṇḍito;
by means of diligence,
by practicing non-negligence,

Paññāpāsādamāruyha,
ascending the palace of wisdom,
then having ascended in the palace of wisdom,

asoko sokiniṁ pajaṁ;
sorrowless, they behold this generation of sorrow,
sorrowless, they look at this sorrowful generation,

Pabbataṭṭhova bhūmaṭṭhe,
as a wise man on a mountain top
as a wise person on a mountain

dhīro bāle avekkhati.
beholds the fools below.
looks down at the fools on the ground.

Pamattāpamattadvesahāyakabhikkhuvatthu

Appamatto pamattesu,
Heedful among the heedless,
Not negligent amidst the negligent,

suttesu bahujāgaro;
wide awake while others sleep—
wide awake amidst the sleeping—

Abalassaṁva sīghasso,
a true sage leaves them behind,
like a swift horse leaving behind a feeble one,

hitvā yāti sumedhaso.
like a swift horse passing a feeble.
the wise leave them behind and move on.

Maghavatthu

Appamādena maghavā,
Maghavā became chief of the gods
By means of non-negligence

devānaṁ seṭṭhataṁ gato;
by means of diligence.
Maghavā became the best of the angels;

Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti,
People praise diligence,
they praise non-negligence,

pamādo garahito sadā.
while negligence is always deplored.
whereas negligence is always criticized.

Aññatarabhikkhuvatthu

Appamādarato bhikkhu,
A mendicant who loves to be diligent,
A monk who approves of non-negligence

pamāde bhayadassi vā;
seeing fear in negligence—
and sees the danger in negligence

Saṁyojanaṁ aṇuṁ thūlaṁ,
advances like fire,
proceeds like a fire—

ḍahaṁ aggīva gacchati.
burning up fetters big and small.
burning up fetters, small and large.

Nigamavāsitissattheravatthu

Appamādarato bhikkhu,
A mendicant who loves to be diligent,
A monk who approves of non-negligence

pamāde bhayadassi vā;
seeing fear in negligence—
and sees the danger in negligence

Abhabbo parihānāya,
such a one can’t decline,
cannot decline

nibbānasseva santike.
and has drawn near to extinguishment.
and is close to Nibbāna.

Appamādavaggo dutiyo.