Dhammapada 21
Heedfulness is the path to the deathless
Heedfulness is the path to the deathless; heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful do not die; the heedless are as though dead.
Translated from the Pāli by Banya
Pāli
Appamādo amatapadaṁ,
pamādo maccuno padaṁ;
Appamattā na mīyanti,
ye pamattā yathā matā.
In plain words
Careful attention to how you live is contrasted with drifting through life. Traditionally the deathless means liberation from renewed birth and death; the verse is not promising that a careful person's body lives forever.
Key words
- appamāda
- heedfulness — Care and vigilance in living, beyond merely noticing things.
- amatapada
- the deathless path or state — Traditionally a liberation term, not bodily immortality.
The story behind the verse
The story of Sāmāvatī (Sāmāvatīvatthu)
Sāmāvatī and the women living with her are devoted followers of the Buddha. Hostility from Māgandiyā leads to a fire in their palace, and they die. Monks ask the Buddha about their fate. He speaks about heedful and heedless living in response.
Retold by Banya from the traditional commentary, after E. W. Burlingame, Buddhist Legends (1921).
To reflect on
Where would a little more care matter today?
Try it today
Check one intended action for possible harm before doing it.
Explanation by Banya. Traditional readings vary.