Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the
Perfected One, the Supremely
Enlightened One!

The Dhammapada

Chapter Two -- Heedfulness

Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless,
heedlessness is the path to death. The
heedful die not, the heedless are already dead.
Clearly understanding this excellence of
heedfulness, the wise exult therein and enjoy
the resort of the Noble Ones.
The wise ones, ever meditative and steadfastly
persevering, experience Nibbana, the incomparable
freedom from bondage.
Ever grows the glory of one who is energetic,
mindful and pure in conduct, discerning and self-
controlled, righteous and heedful.
By effort and heedfulness, discipline and
self-mastery, let the wise one make for oneself
an island which no flood can overwhelm.
The foolish and ignorant indulge in heedlessness,
but the wise one keeps one's heedfulness
as one's best treasure.
Do not give way to heedlessness; do not
indulge in sensual pleasures. Only the heedful
and meditative attain great happiness.
Just as one upon the summit of a mountain
beholds the groundlings, even so when the wise
person casts away heedlessness by heedfulness and
ascends the high tower of wisdom, this sorrowless
sage beholds the sorrowing and foolish multitude.
Heedful among the heedless, wide-awake
among the sleepy, the wise person advances like a
swift horse leaving behind a weak nag.
By heedfulness did Indra become the overlord
of the gods. Heedfulness is ever praised,
and heedlessness ever despised.
The renunciate who delights in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness advances
like fire, burning all fetters small and large.
The renunciate who delights in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness will not fall.
That person is close to Nibbana.

v.21.The Deathless (amata): Nibbana, so called because those who attain it are free from the cycle of repeated birth and death.

v.22.The Noble Ones (ariya): those who have reached any of the four stages of supramundane attainment leading irreversibly to Nibbana.

v.30.Indra: the ruler of the gods in ancient Indian mythology.

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WWW Virtual Library - Sri Lanka

Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the
Perfected One, the Supremely
Enlightened One!

The Dhammapada

Chapter Two -- Heedfulness

Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless,
heedlessness is the path to death. The
heedful die not, the heedless are already dead.

Clearly understanding this excellence of
heedfulness, the wise exult therein and enjoy
the resort of the Noble Ones.

The wise ones, ever meditative and steadfastly
persevering, experience Nibbana, the incomparable
freedom from bondage.

Ever grows the glory of one who is energetic,
mindful and pure in conduct, discerning and self-
controlled, righteous and heedful.

By effort and heedfulness, discipline and
self-mastery, let the wise one make for oneself
an island which no flood can overwhelm.

The foolish and ignorant indulge in heedlessness,
but the wise one keeps one's heedfulness
as one's best treasure.

Do not give way to heedlessness; do not
indulge in sensual pleasures. Only the heedful
and meditative attain great happiness.

Just as one upon the summit of a mountain
beholds the groundlings, even so when the wise
person casts away heedlessness by heedfulness and
ascends the high tower of wisdom, this sorrowless
sage beholds the sorrowing and foolish multitude.

Heedful among the heedless, wide-awake
among the sleepy, the wise person advances like a
swift horse leaving behind a weak nag.

By heedfulness did Indra become the overlord
of the gods. Heedfulness is ever praised,
and heedlessness ever despised.

The renunciate who delights in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness advances
like fire, burning all fetters small and large.

The renunciate who delights in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness will not fall.
That person is close to Nibbana.

Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the Perfected One, the Supremely Enlightened One!

The Dhammapada

Chapter Two -- Heedfulness

Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless, heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful die not, the heedless are already dead.

Clearly understanding this excellence of heedfulness, the wise exult therein and enjoy the resort of the Noble Ones.

The wise ones, ever meditative and steadfastly persevering, experience Nibbana, the incomparable freedom from bondage.

Ever grows the glory of one who is energetic, mindful and pure in conduct, discerning and self- controlled, righteous and heedful.

By effort and heedfulness, discipline and self-mastery, let the wise one make for oneself an island which no flood can overwhelm.

The foolish and ignorant indulge in heedlessness, but the wise one keeps one's heedfulness as one's best treasure.

Do not give way to heedlessness; do not indulge in sensual pleasures. Only the heedful and meditative attain great happiness.

Just as one upon the summit of a mountain beholds the groundlings, even so when the wise person casts away heedlessness by heedfulness and ascends the high tower of wisdom, this sorrowless sage beholds the sorrowing and foolish multitude.

Heedful among the heedless, wide-awake among the sleepy, the wise person advances like a swift horse leaving behind a weak nag.

By heedfulness did Indra become the overlord of the gods. Heedfulness is ever praised, and heedlessness ever despised.

The renunciate who delights in heedfulness and looks with fear at heedlessness advances like fire, burning all fetters small and large.

The renunciate who delights in heedfulness and looks with fear at heedlessness will not fall. That person is close to Nibbana.

Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the
Perfected One, the Supremely
Enlightened One!

Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless,
heedlessness is the path to death. The
heedful die not, the heedless are already dead.

Clearly understanding this excellence of
heedfulness, the wise exult therein and enjoy
the resort of the Noble Ones.

The wise ones, ever meditative and steadfastly
persevering, experience Nibbana, the incomparable
freedom from bondage.

Ever grows the glory of one who is energetic,
mindful and pure in conduct, discerning and self-
controlled, righteous and heedful.

By effort and heedfulness, discipline and
self-mastery, let the wise one make for oneself
an island which no flood can overwhelm.

The foolish and ignorant indulge in heedlessness,
but the wise one keeps one's heedfulness
as one's best treasure.

Do not give way to heedlessness; do not
indulge in sensual pleasures. Only the heedful
and meditative attain great happiness.

Just as one upon the summit of a mountain
beholds the groundlings, even so when the wise
person casts away heedlessness by heedfulness and
ascends the high tower of wisdom, this sorrowless
sage beholds the sorrowing and foolish multitude.

Heedful among the heedless, wide-awake
among the sleepy, the wise person advances like a
swift horse leaving behind a weak nag.

By heedfulness did Indra become the overlord
of the gods. Heedfulness is ever praised,
and heedlessness ever despised.

The renunciate who delights in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness advances
like fire, burning all fetters small and large.

The renunciate who delights in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness will not fall.
That person is close to Nibbana.