Dighanikaya 34.351_13

34.351_13

Teneva naṃ bhagavā ‘‘yāvatā, bhikkhave, sattā apadā vā…pe… tathāgato tesaṃ aggamakkhāyati. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye keci kusalā dhammā, sabbete appamādamūlakā appamādasamosaraṇā, appamādo tesaṃ dhammānaṃ aggamakkhāyatī’’tiādinā (saṃ. ni. 5.139) nayena hatthipadādīhi opammehi opamento saṃyuttanikāye appamādavagge nānappakāraṃ thometi. Taṃ sabbaṃ ekapadeneva saṅgahetvā thero appamādo kusalesu dhammesūti āha. Dhammapade appamādavaggenāpissa bahūpakāratā dīpetabbā. Asokavatthunāpi dīpetabbā –

Therefore the Blessed One praised it in various ways in the Chapter on Diligence in the Saṃyuttanikāya, illustrating it with similes such as the footprint of an elephant in the manner beginning: “Bhikkhus, to whatever extent there are beings—footless…pe… the Tathāgata is declared foremost among them. Even so, bhikkhus, whatever wholesome qualities there are, all are rooted in diligence, converge in diligence; diligence is declared foremost among those qualities.” Having subsumed all of that under a single phrase, the elder said: “Diligence regarding wholesome qualities.” Its great helpfulness should also be illustrated by the Chapter on Diligence in the Dhammapada. It should also be illustrated by the story of Asoka: