Understanding this distinction
when it comes to heedfulness,
the astute rejoice in heedfulness,
happy in the noble ones’ domain.
They who regularly meditate,
always staunchly vigorous;
the attentive realize extinguishment,
the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.
For the hard-working and mindful,
pure of deed and attentive,
restrained, living righteously, and diligent,
their reputation only grows.
By hard work and diligence,
by restraint and by self-control,
a smart person would build an island
that the floods cannot overflow.
Fools and simpletons
devote themselves to negligence.
But the wise protect diligence
as their best treasure.
Don’t devote yourself to negligence,
or delight in erotic intimacy.
For if you’re diligent and meditate,
you’ll attain abundant happiness.
When the astute dispel negligence
by means of diligence,
ascending the palace of wisdom,
sorrowless, they behold this generation of sorrow,
as an attentive one on a mountain top
beholds the fools below.
Heedful among the heedless,
wide awake while others sleep—
a true sage leaves them behind,
like a swift horse passing a feeble.
Maghavā became chief of the gods
by means of diligence.
People praise diligence,
while negligence is always deplored.
A mendicant who loves diligence,
seeing fear in negligence—
advances like fire,
burning up fetters big and small.
A mendicant who loves diligence,
seeing fear in negligence—
such a one can’t decline,
and has drawn near to extinguishment.
Minor Collection
Sayings of the Dhamma 33–43
3. The Mind
The mind quivers and shakes,
hard to guard, hard to curb.
The discerning straighten it out,
like a fletcher straightens an arrow.
Like a fish pulled from the sea
and cast upon the shore,
this mind flounders about,
trying to throw off Māra’s dominion.
Hard to hold back, flighty,
alighting where it will;
it’s good to tame the mind;
a tamed mind leads to bliss.
So hard to see, so subtle,
alighting where it will;
the discerning protect the mind,
a guarded mind leads to bliss.
The mind travels far, wandering alone;
incorporeal, it lies hidden in the heart.
Those who will restrain the mind
are freed from Māra’s bonds.
Those of unsteady mind,
who don’t understand the true teaching,
and whose confidence wavers,
do not perfect their wisdom.
One whose mind is not festering,
whose heart is undamaged,
who’s given up right and wrong,
alert, has nothing to fear.
Knowing this body breaks like a pot,
and fortifying the mind like a citadel,
attack Māra with the sword of wisdom,
guard your conquest, and never settle.
All too soon this body
will lie upon the earth,
bereft of consciousness,
tossed aside like a worthless log.
A wrongly directed mind
would do you more harm
than a hater to the hated,
or an enemy to their foe.
A rightly directed mind
would do you more good
than your mother or father
or any other relative.
Minor Collection
Sayings of the Dhamma 44–59
4. Flowers
Who bestirs this earth,
and the Yama realm with its gods?
Who sets out the well-taught word of truth,
as an expert a flower?