“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.”
Appamādo amatapadaṁ, pamādo maccuno padaṁ; Appamattā na mīyanti, ye pamattā yathā matā.
Chapter 2: Diligence
Appamādavagga
Verses 21–32 · 12 verses · English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0)
This chapter is built on one opposition: heedfulness and negligence. Its twelve verses return again and again to the claim that the heedful person does not fall where the negligent one does, and it closes with a portrait of the diligent practitioner advancing like fire. Verses 21–23 are the ones usually quoted on death and the deathless.
“Understanding this distinction when it comes to heedfulness, the astute rejoice in heedfulness, happy in the noble ones’ domain.”
Evaṁ visesato ñatvā, appamādamhi paṇḍitā; Appamāde pamodanti, ariyānaṁ gocare ratā.
“They who regularly meditate, always staunchly vigorous; the attentive realize extinguishment, the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.”
Te jhāyino sātatikā, niccaṁ daḷhaparakkamā; Phusanti dhīrā nibbānaṁ, yogakkhemaṁ anuttaraṁ.
“For the hard-working and mindful, pure of deed and attentive, restrained, living righteously, and diligent, their reputation only grows.”
Uṭṭhānavato satīmato, Sucikammassa nisammakārino; Saññatassa dhammajīvino, Appamattassa yasobhivaḍḍhati.
“By hard work and diligence, by restraint and by self-control, a smart person would build an island that the floods cannot overflow.”
Uṭṭhānenappamādena, saṁyamena damena ca; Dīpaṁ kayirātha medhāvī, yaṁ ogho nābhikīrati.
“Fools and simpletons devote themselves to negligence. But the wise protect diligence as their best treasure.”
Pamādamanuyuñjanti, bālā dummedhino janā; Appamādañca medhāvī, dhanaṁ seṭṭhaṁva rakkhati.
“Don’t devote yourself to negligence, or delight in erotic intimacy. For if you’re diligent and meditate, you’ll attain abundant happiness.”
Mā pamādamanuyuñjetha, mā kāmaratisanthavaṁ; Appamatto hi jhāyanto, pappoti vipulaṁ sukhaṁ.
“When the astute dispel negligence by means of diligence, ascending the palace of wisdom, sorrowless, they behold this generation of sorrow, as an attentive one on a mountain top beholds the fools below.”
Pamādaṁ appamādena, yadā nudati paṇḍito; Paññāpāsādamāruyha, asoko sokiniṁ pajaṁ; Pabbataṭṭhova bhūmaṭṭhe, dhīro bāle avekkhati.
“Heedful among the heedless, wide awake while others sleep— a true sage leaves them behind, like a swift horse passing a feeble.”
Appamatto pamattesu, suttesu bahujāgaro; Abalassaṁva sīghasso, hitvā yāti sumedhaso.
“Maghavā became chief of the gods by means of diligence. People praise diligence, while negligence is always deplored.”
Appamādena maghavā, devānaṁ seṭṭhataṁ gato; Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti, pamādo garahito sadā.
“A mendicant who loves diligence, seeing fear in negligence— advances like fire, burning up fetters big and small.”
Appamādarato bhikkhu, pamāde bhayadassi vā; Saṁyojanaṁ aṇuṁ thūlaṁ, ḍahaṁ aggīva gacchati.
“A mendicant who loves diligence, seeing fear in negligence— such a one can’t decline, and has drawn near to extinguishment.”
Appamādarato bhikkhu, pamāde bhayadassi vā; Abhabbo parihānāya, nibbānasseva santike. Appamādavaggo dutiyo.