sutta » sn » sn3 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.17

Appamādasutta

Diligence Diligence

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Sitting to one side,

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha,
King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One:

“atthi nu kho, bhante, eko dhammo yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—
“Sir, is there one thing that secures benefits for both
“Is there, venerable sir, one thing which secures both kinds of good,

diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti?
the present life and lives to come?”
the good pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the future life?”

“Atthi kho, mahārāja, eko dhammo yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—
“There is, great king.”
“There is one thing, great king, which secures both kinds of good,

diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti.
the good pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the future life.

“Katamo pana, bhante, eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—
“So what is that one thing?”
“But what, venerable sir, is that one thing?”

diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti?

“Appamādo kho, mahārāja, eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—
“Diligence, great king, is one thing that secures benefits for both
“Diligence, great king.

diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcāti.
the present life and lives to come.

Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, 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.
Just as the footprints of all living beings that walk fit into the footprint of the elephant, and the elephant’s footprint is declared to be their chief by reason of its size,

evameva kho, mahārāja, appamādo eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati—
In the same way, diligence is one thing that secures benefits for both
so diligence is the one thing which secures both kinds of good,

diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti.
the present life and lives to come.”
the good pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the future life.

Idamavoca …pe…
That is what the Buddha said. …

“Āyuṁ arogiyaṁ vaṇṇaṁ,
“For one who desires a continuous flow
“For one who desires long life and health,

saggaṁ uccākulīnataṁ;
of exceptional delights—
Beauty, heaven, and noble birth,

Ratiyo patthayantena,
long life, beauty, and health,
[A variety of] lofty delights

uḷārā aparāparā.
heaven, and birth in an eminent family—
Following in succession,

Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti,
the astute praise diligence
The wise praise diligence

puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā;
in making merit.
In doing deeds of merit.

Appamatto ubho atthe,
Being diligent, an astute person
“The wise person who is diligent

adhiggaṇhāti paṇḍito.
secures both benefits:
Secures both kinds of good:

Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho,
the benefit in this life,
The good visible in this very life

yo cattho samparāyiko;
and in lives to come.
And the good of the future life.

Atthābhisamayā dhīro,
An attentive one, comprehending the meaning,
The steadfast one, by attaining the good,

paṇḍitoti pavuccatī”ti.
is said to be astute.”
Is called a person of wisdom. ”