Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
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?
Having sat down to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said this to the Blessed One: “Is there, venerable sir, one Dhamma, which having accomplished, secures both kinds of welfare—welfare pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the next life?”
“Atthi kho, mahārāja, eko dhammo yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati— diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti.
“There is, great king, one Dhamma which, having accomplished, secures both kinds of welfare—welfare pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the next life.”
“Katamo pana, bhante, eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati— diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti?
“But, venerable sir, what is that one Dhamma which, having accomplished, secures both kinds of welfare—welfare pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the next life?”
“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.
“Diligence, great king, is that one Dhamma which, having accomplished, secures both kinds of welfare—welfare pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the next life. Just as, great king, all the footprints of living beings that walk fit into the footprint of the elephant, and the elephant’s footprint is considered ultimate by reason of its size; so too, great king, diligence is the one Dhamma which, having accomplished, secures both kinds of welfare—welfare pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the next life.”
Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
The Blessed One said this. Having spoken thus, the Accomplished One further said this:
Verse
“Āyuṁ arogiyaṁ vaṇṇaṁ,
saggaṁ uccākulīnataṁ;
Ratiyo patthayantena,
uḷārā aparāparā.
“Long life, health, beauty,
heaven and noble birth;
aspiring for lofty delights,
one after the next.
Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti,
puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā;
Appamatto ubho atthe,
adhiggaṇhāti paṇḍito.
The wise praise diligence
in doing deeds of merit.
The wise and diligent person
gains both benefits:
Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho,
yo cattho samparāyiko;
Atthābhisamayā dhīro,
paṇḍitoti pavuccatī”ti.
The benefit visible in this life,
and the benefit pertaining to the hereafter.
Understanding what is good, the steadfast one
is rightly called ‘wise.’”