Appamatta; Appamāda

Renderings

• appamatta: diligent

• appamatta: diligently

• appamatta: diligent man

• appamatta: diligently applied (to the practice)

• appamāda: diligence

• appamāda: diligence (in the practice)

• pamāda: negligence (in the practice)

• pamatta: negligently applied (to the practice)

Introduction

With specified objects

Appamatta and appamāda often have specified objects:

1) We will abide using blocks of wood as cushions, and be diligently and vigorously applied to inward striving.
☸ Kaliṅgarūpadhānā viharissāma appamattā ātāpino padhānasmin ti (S.2.267-8).

2) Happy indeed are those human beings honouring the Sublime One, applying themselves to Gotama’s training system, who train in it with diligence.
☸ Sukhitā vata te manujā sugataṃ payirupāsiya
Yuñjaṃ gotama sāsane appamattānusikkhareti (S.1.52).

3) The diligent and resolute practisers of my training system will go without your approval where, having gone, they will not grieve.
☸ Te appamattā pahitattā mama sāsanakārakā
Akāmā te gamissanti yattha gantvā na socare (Sn.v.445).

4) For a bhikkhu who abides properly considering pairs (of teachings) in this way, diligently, vigorously, and resolutely, one of two fruits can be expected.
☸ Evaṃ sammā dvayatānupassino kho bhikkhave bhikkhuno appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato dvinnaṃ phalānaṃ aññataraṃ phalaṃ pāṭikaṅkhaṃ (Sn.p.140).

5) They bring (us) offerings day and night, so (please) diligently protect them.
☸ Divā ca ratto ca haranti ye baliṃ tasmā hi ne rakkhatha appamattā (Sn.v.223).

6) He is no friend at all, who, anticipating conflict, is always diligently looking for your weak spots.
☸ Na so mitto yo sadā appamatto bhedāsaṅkī randhamevānupassī (Sn.v.255).

7) With the arrow (of craving) removed, living the religious life diligently, he longs for neither this world nor the next.
☸ Abbūḷhasallo caramappamatto nāsiṃsati lokamimaṃ parañcāti (Sn.v.779).

8) Being diligent in the practice of sacrifice
☸ yaññapathe appamattā (Sn.v.1045).

With no specified object

Sometimes, there is no specified object. The relationship between terms in the following passages show why, in such cases, we take the object to be ‘the practice’ (i.e. ‘the practice of the teaching’):

1) My disciple who abides diligently, vigorously, and resolutely applied (to the practice) for one night and day, practising as I instructed him, might experience exclusively happiness for a hundred years.
☸ Idha mama sāvako… ekaṃ rattindivaṃ appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto yathā mayānusiṭṭhaṃ tathā paṭipajjamāno satampi vassāni ekanta sukhapaṭisaṃvedī vihareyya (A.5.86).

2) Bhante, it would be good if the Blessed One would explain the teaching to me in brief, so that, having heard the teaching from the Blessed One, I might abide alone, withdrawn (from human fellowship, sensuous pleasures, and spiritually unwholesome factors), diligently, vigorously, and resolutely applied (to the practice).
☸ sādhu me bhante bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṃ desetu yamahaṃ bhagavato dhammaṃ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyanti (S.4.145).

3) When a bhikkhu is perfect in diligence (in the practice), it is to be expected that he will develop and cultivate this noble eightfold path.
☸ Appamādasampannassetaṃ bhikkhave bhikkhuno pāṭikaṅkhaṃ ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bhāvessati ariyaṃ aṭṭhaṅgikaṃ maggaṃ bahulīkarissatīti

Illustrations

Illustration: appamatto, diligent

A diligent householder with a practice like this ends up with the devas called Sayampabha.
☸ Etaṃ gihī vattayamappamatto sayampabhe nāma upeti deve ti (Sn.v.404).

Illustration: appamatto, diligent man

The wise and diligent man who associates with such a person.
☸ yo tādisaṃ bhajati appamatto (Sn.v.317).

Illustration: appamattā, those who are diligently applied (to the practice)

Those who are wise, diligently applied (to the practice), and prudent attain (the supreme goal).
☸ Dhīrā samadhigacchanti appamattā vicakkhaṇā ti (Th.v.4).

Illustration: appamādena, with diligence

So, then, bhikkhus, I take your leave. Originated phenomena are destined to disappear. Apply yourself (to the practice) with diligence.
☸ Handadāni bhikkhave āmantayāmi vo. Vayadhammā saṅkhārā. Appamādena sampādetha (D.2.156)

Illustration: appamādo, being diligent

Being diligent in (doing) what is righteous: this is supremely auspicious.
☸ Appamādo ca dhammesu etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ (Sn.v.264).

Illustration: appamattassa, diligently

‘The religious life is well explained, fathomable in this lifetime, realisable in the here and now, so that for one who trains himself diligently (in it), going forth (into the ascetic life) is not in vain.’
☸ Svākkhātaṃ brahmacariyaṃ sandiṭṭhikamakālikaṃ
Yattha amoghā pabbajjā appamattassa sikkhato ti (Sn.v.567).

Illustration: appamatto, diligently applied (to the practice)

Being diligently applied (to the practice), he attains perpetual deliverance (from perceptually obscuring states).
☸ Appamatto samāno asamayavimokkhaṃ ārādheti (M.1.197).

Illustration: appamattā, diligently applied (to the practice)

‘We will abide diligently applied (to the practice)’
☸ appamattā viharissāmā ti (S.2.266).

Illustration: appamādo, diligence; appamattā, diligently applied (to the practice)

You should abide spiritually supported by one thing: diligence in (cultivating) spiritually wholesome factors.
☸ Eko dhammo upanissāya vihātabbo appamādo kusalesu dhammesu

When you are abiding diligently applied (to the practice), spiritually supported by diligence (in cultivating spiritually wholesome factors), your harem will think:
☸ Appamattassa te mahārāja viharato appamādaṃ upanissāya itthāgārassa evaṃ bhavissati

‘The king dwells diligently applied (to the practice), spiritually supported by diligence (in cultivating spiritually wholesome factors).
☸ rājā kho appamatto viharati appamādaṃ upanissāya.

Come, then, let us also dwell diligently applied (to the practice), spiritually supported by diligence (in cultivating spiritually wholesome factors).’
☸ Handa mayampi appamattā viharāma appamādaṃ upanissāyāti (S.1.89).

Illustration: appamādaṃ, diligence; appamatto, diligent

The wise praise diligence in performing meritorious deeds.
☸ Appamādaṃ pasaṃsanti puññakiriyāsu paṇḍitā

‘The wise person who is diligent (in performing meritorious deeds) secures both benefits: benefit in this lifetime, and benefit in the hereafter.
☸ Appamatto ubho atthe adhigaṇhāti paṇḍito
Diṭṭhe dhamme ca yo attho yo cattho samparāyiko (S.1.86).

Illustration: appamādo, diligence

Which one thing is very useful? Diligence in (cultivating) spiritually wholesome factors.
☸ Katamo eko dhammo bahukāro? Appamādo kusalesu dhammesu (D.3.272-3).

Illustration: appamādo, diligence (in the practice)

And what is diligence (in the practice)?
☸ Katamo ca bhikkhave appamādo

In this regard a bhikkhu protects the mind against perceptually obscuring states and against statesassociated with perceptually obscuring states.
☸ Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu cittaṃ rakkhati āsavesu ca sāsavesu ca dhammesu (S.5.232).

Illustration: appamādaṃ, diligence (in the practice)

Seeing negligence (in the practice) as danger, and diligence (in the practice) as safety.
☸ Pamādaṃ bhayato disvā appamādañca khemato (Th.v.980).

Illustration: appamāda, diligence (in the practice)

Whatever spiritually wholesome factors there are, they all stem from diligence (in the practice).
☸ ye keci kusalā dhammā sabbe te appamādamūlakā (S.5.42).

Illustration: appamādo, diligence (in the practice)

To abandon negligence (in the practice) develop diligence (in the practice).
☸ Pamādassa pahānāya appamādo bhāvetabbo (A.3.449).

Illustration: appamādo, diligence (in the practice)

Diligence (in the practice) is the path to the Deathless. Negligence (in the practice) is the path to death.
☸ Appamādo amatapadaṃ pamādo maccuno padaṃ (Dh.v.21).

Pamāda

Illustration: pamādo, negligent in

‘Moggallāna, Moggallāna, do not be negligent, brahman, in (practising) first jhāna
☸ mā brāhmaṇa paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ pamādo

• Steady your mind in first jhāna
☸ paṭhame jhāne cittaṃ saṇṭhapehi

• Concentrate your mind in first jhāna
☸ paṭhame jhāne cittaṃ ekodiṃ karohi

• Compose your mind in first jhāna
☸ paṭhame jhāne cittaṃ samādahāti (S.4.264).

Illustration: napamajjeyya, should not be negligent in

Knowing inward peace as Peace, he should not be negligent in (practising) Gotama’s training system.
☸ Santī ti nibbutiṃ ñatvā sāsane gotamassa napamajjeyya (Sn.v.933).

Illustration: pamādo, negligent

When the teaching has been so well explained, how can one who understands (it) be negligent (in practising it)?
☸ Evaṃ sudesite dhamme ko pamādo vijānataṃ (S.1.193).

Illustration: pamajjitun, negligently applied (to the practice)

Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, your last day approaches. There is no time for you to be negligently applied (to the practice).
☸ Carato tiṭṭhato vāpi āsīnasayanassa vā
Upeti carimā ratti na te kālo pamajjitun ti (Th.v.452).

Illustration: pamādattha, negligently applied (to the practice)

Meditate, Cunda! Do not be negligently applied (to the practice) lest you regret it later!
Jhāyatha cunda mā pamādattha. Mā pacchā vippaṭisārino ahuvattha (M.1.46).

Illustration: pamāda, negligence (in the practice)

Liquor, wines, and intoxicants which are bases of negligence (in the practice).
☸ surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā (M.3.170).

Illustration: pamatto, negligently applied (to the practice)

The man negligently applied (to the practice) who pursues another’s wife meets with four states.
☸ Cattāri ṭhānāni naro pamatto āpajjati paradārūpasevī (Dh.v.309).

Illustration: pamatto, negligently applied (to the practice)

‘This deity dwells much too negligently applied (to the practice).’
☸ atibāḷhaṃ kho ayaṃ yakkho pamatto viharati (M.1.253).

Illustration: pamādamhā, negligence (in the practice)

Does he keep aloof from negligence (in the practice)? Does he not neglect meditation?’
☸ Kacci ārā pamādamhā kacci jhānaṃ na riñcati (Sn.v.156).

Illustration: pamādo, negligence (in the practice)

Negligence (in the practice) is a spiritual defilement. One who is constantly negligently applied (to the practice) is oppressed by spiritual defilement.
☸ Pamādo rajo pamādo pamādānupatito rajo (Sn.v.334).

Illustration: pamatta, negligent

‘You have come here for your own ends, Maleficent One, O kinsman of the negligent.
☸ Pamattabandhu pāpima senatthena idhāgato (Sn.v.430).

Illustration: pamādā, negligence (in the practice)

The world (of beings) is obstructed by uninsightfulness into reality. Because of selfishness, and negligence (in the practice) it shines not.
☸ Avijjāya nivuto loko vevicchā pamādā nappakāsati (Sn.v.1033).

Illustration: pamajjitun, negligently applied (to the practice)

Illness has arisen in me. It is not the time for me to be negligently applied (to the practice).
☸ Ābādho me samuppanno kālo me nappamajjitun ti (Th.v.30).