King Pasenadi asks the Buddha if there is one Dhamma which, having accomplished, secures both kinds of welfare — welfare pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the next life. The Buddha explains that diligence is that one Dhamma.
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::principle, teaching, thing, quality [dhamma]|, which having accomplished, secures both kinds of |welfare::benefit, good [atthaṁ]| — 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::quality of wishing to do one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamāda]|, 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::foremost, chief [agga]| 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 the making of merit;
The diligent one, the wise person,
secures both kinds of welfare.
Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho,
yo cattho samparāyiko;
Atthābhisamayā dhīro,
paṇḍitoti pavuccatī”ti.
The welfare in this visible life,
and the welfare in the next life;
The stable one who realizes these goals,
is called wise.”
At Sāvatthi.
Having sat down to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said this to the Blessed One: “Is there, venerable sir, one |Dhamma::principle, teaching, thing, quality [dhamma]|, which having accomplished, secures both kinds of |welfare::benefit, good [atthaṁ]| — welfare pertaining to the present life and that pertaining to the next life?”
“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.”
“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?”
“|Diligence::quality of wishing to do one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamāda]|, 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::foremost, chief [agga]| 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.”
The Blessed One said this. Having spoken thus, the Accomplished One further said this:
Verse
“Long life, health, beauty,
heaven and noble birth;
Aspiring for lofty delights,
one after the next.
The wise praise diligence
in the making of merit;
The diligent one, the wise person,
secures both kinds of welfare.
The welfare in this visible life,
and the welfare in the next life;
The stable one who realizes these goals,
is called wise.”
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?
“Atthi kho, mahārāja, eko dhammo yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati— diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti.
“Katamo pana, bhante, eko dhammo, yo ubho atthe samadhiggayha tiṭṭhati— diṭṭhadhammikañceva atthaṁ samparāyikañcā”ti?
“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 bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
“Āyuṁ arogiyaṁ vaṇṇaṁ,
saggaṁ uccākulīnataṁ;
Ratiyo patthayantena,
uḷārā aparāparā.
Appamādaṁ pasaṁsanti,
puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā;
Appamatto ubho atthe,
adhiggaṇhāti paṇḍito.
Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho,
yo cattho samparāyiko;
Atthābhisamayā dhīro,
paṇḍitoti pavuccatī”ti.