Appamādasutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “atthi nu kho, bhante, eko dhammo yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati— diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti?

At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, King Pasenadi said to the Buddha, “Sir, is there one thing that secures benefits for both this life and lives to come?”

“Atthi kho, mahārāja, eko dhammo yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati— diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti.

“There is, Great King.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati— diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti?

“So what is that one thing?”

“Appamādo kho, mahārāja, eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha 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 samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati— diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti. Idamavoca …pe…

“Diligence, Great King, is one thing that secures benefits for both this life and lives to come. 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. In the same way, diligence is one thing that secures benefits for both this life and lives to come.” That is what the Buddha said. …

“Āyuṁ arogiyaṁ vaṇṇaṁ, saggaṁ uccākulīnataṁ; Ratiyo patthayantena, uḷārā aparāparā.

“For one who desires high delights again and again— long life, beauty, and health, heaven, and an eminent family—

Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti, puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā; Appamatto ubho atthe, adhiggaṇhāti paṇḍito.

the astute praise diligence in making merit. Being diligent, an astute person secures both benefits:

Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho, yo cattho samparāyiko; Atthābhisamayā dhīro, paṇḍitoti pavuccatī”ti.

the benefit in this life, and in lives to come. An attentive one, comprehending the meaning, is said to be astute.”