Dhammapada Daily
One verse, each dawn.
The Dhammapada in thirty days. Pali source from the Pali Text Society standard. English by Acharya Buddharakkhita. Commentary in the TPS editorial voice — restrained, specific, never preachy. Read in a minute. Carry for the rest of the day.
Today · Day 25
By effort and heedfulness, discipline and self-mastery, let the wise one make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.
Appamadavagga · v.25 · Ven. Bhikkhu Anālayo · 1:20
All 30 verses
- 01Mind precedes all mental states.
- 02Mind precedes all mental states.
- 03"He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.
- 04"He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.
- 05Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world.
- 06Many do not realize that we are here in this world to perish; those who do realize this still their quarrels at once.
- 07Just as a storm throws down a weak tree, so does Mara overpower the man who lives for the pursuit of pleasures, who is uncontrolled in his senses, immoderate in eating, indolent, and dispassionate.
- 08Just as a storm cannot prevail against a rocky mountain, so Mara can never overpower the man who lives meditating on the impurities, who is controlled in his senses, moderate in eating, and filled with faith and earnest effort.
- 09Whoever, having shed all defilements, is firmly established in moral perfection, possesses self-control and truthfulness — he indeed is worthy of the yellow robe.
- 10He who is wholly free of defilements, well-established in morality, endowed with self-control and truthfulness — he indeed is worthy of the yellow robe.
- 11Those who mistake the unessential to be essential and the essential to be unessential, dwelling in wrong thoughts, never arrive at the essential.
- 12Those who know the essential to be essential and the unessential to be unessential, dwelling in right thoughts, do arrive at the essential.
- 13Just as rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, so passion penetrates an undeveloped mind.
- 14Just as rain does not break through a well-thatched house, so passion never penetrates a well-developed mind.
- 15The evil-doer grieves here and hereafter; he grieves in both worlds.
- 16The doer of good rejoices here and hereafter; he rejoices in both worlds.
- 17The evil-doer suffers here and hereafter; he suffers in both worlds.
- 18Here he rejoices, hereafter he rejoices.
- 19Much though he recites the sacred texts, but acts not accordingly, that heedless man is like a cowherd who only counts the cows of others — he does not partake of the blessings of the holy life.
- 20Little though he recites the sacred texts, but puts the teaching into practice, forsaking lust, hatred and delusion, with right understanding and emancipated mind, clinging to nothing here or hereafter — he indeed partakes of the blessings of the holy life.
- 21Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless.
- 22Clearly understanding this excellence of heedfulness, the wise exult therein and enjoy the resort of the Noble Ones.
- 23The wise ones, ever meditative and steadfastly persevering, alone experience Nibbana, the incomparable freedom from bondage.
- 24Ever grows the glory of him who is energetic, mindful and pure in conduct, discerning and self-controlled, righteous and heedful.
- 25By effort and heedfulness, discipline and self-mastery, let the wise one make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.
- 26The foolish and ignorant indulge in heedlessness, but the wise one keeps his heedfulness as his best treasure.
- 27Do not give way to heedlessness.
- 28Just as one upon the summit of a mountain beholds the groundlings, even so when the wise man casts away heedlessness by heedfulness and ascends the high tower of wisdom, this sorrowless sage beholds the sorrowing and foolish multitude.
- 29Heedful among the heedless, wide awake among the sleeping, the wise man advances like a swift horse leaving behind a weak hack.
- 30Indra became the chief of the gods through heedfulness.