A Collection of Buddhist Wisdom Verses - Ancient Buddhist Texts

16: Effort
Iti 78 Dhātusosandanasuttaṁ
Shunning the Indolent
The Buddha teaches how like attracts like: if one
mixes with the indolent one becomes lazy; if one
mixes with the energetic, one will make a good
effort.
307. Parittaṁ dārum-āruyha yathā sīde mahaṇṇave,
Evaṁ kusītam-āgamma sādhujīvī pi sīdati,
Tasmā taṁ parivajjeyya kusītaṁ hīnavīriyaṁ.
Like one who is on a small raft
Risks sinking in the great ocean,
So owing to the indolent
The one who lives well risks sinking,
Therefore shun the indolent one
That one who has no energy.
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