SN3:17 Diligence (1)
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī. Sitting to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Blessed One: "Is there, venerable sir, one thing which secures both kinds of good, the good pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the future life?"
2"There is one thing, great king, which secures both kinds of good, the good pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the future life."
3"But what, venerable sir, is that one thing?"
4"Diligence, great king. 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, so diligence is the one thing which secures both kinds of good, sn.i.87 the good pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the future life. [n.241] Spk explains appamada as karapaka-appamada, "activating diligence," which Spk-pṭ says is diligence that motivates one to engage in the three bases of meritorious deeds (giving, virtue, and meditation). Spk: Diligence, though mundane, is still the chief even among the exalted and supramundane states (i.e., the jhānas, paths, and fruits) because it is the cause for their attainment.
5v.410 "For one who desires long life and health,
Beauty, heaven, and noble birth,
A variety of lofty delights
Following in succession,
6v.411 The wise praise diligence
In doing deeds of merit.
"The wise person who is diligent
Secures both kinds of good:
7v.412 The good visible in this very life
And the good of the future life.
The steadfast one, by attaining the good,
Is called a person of wisdom."
[n.242] in pāda e, atthabhisamaya is glossed by Spk with atthapaṭilabha. The couplet is often quoted by the commentaries, when commenting on the ekaṁ samayaṁ formula, to illustrate samaya as meaning paṭilabha. I have tried to avoid the tautology of translating dhiro paṇḍito ti vuccati "the wise one is called a person of wisdom" by rendering dhira with its homonym, "steadfast"; see n. 72.
1Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "atthi nu kho, bhante, eko dhammo yo ubho atthe samādhiggayha tiṭṭhati – diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā"ti?
2"Atthi kho, mahārāja, eko dhammo yo ubho atthe samādhiggayha tiṭṭhati – diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā"ti.
3"Katamo pana, bhante, eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samādhiggayha tiṭṭhati – diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā"ti?
4"Appamādo kho, mahārāja, eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samādhiggayha tiṭṭhati – diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcāti. Seyyathāpi, mahārāja, yāni kānici jaṅgalānaṁ pāṇānaṁ padajātāni, sabbāni tāni hatthipade samodhānaṁ gacchanti, hatthipadaṁ tesaṁ aggamakkhāyati – yadidaṁ mahantattena; evameva kho, mahārāja, appamādo eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samādhiggayha tiṭṭhati – diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā"ti. Idamavoca … pe …
5"Āyuṁ arogiyaṁ vaṇṇaṁ,
saggaṁ uccākulīnataṁ;
Ratiyo patthayantena,
uḷārā aparāparā.
6Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti,
puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā;
Appamatto ubho atthe,
adhiggaṇhāti paṇḍito.
7Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho,
yo cattho samparāyiko;
Atthābhisamayā dhīro,
paṇḍitoti pavuccatī"ti.