2.10. Wake up! Make an Effort! (SNP2.10)

Get up and sit!
What need of sleep!
For the sick what rest is there,
pierced by the dart of pain?

Get up and sit!
Train hard for peace.
Let not Māra know
that you are negligent,
deluded and under his control.

Cross beyond this craving—
tied to, desiring which
gods and men remain.
Don’t let this chance pass by:
those who do so grieve,
sending themselves to hell!

From “dust” arises negligence,
from negligence to more:
by diligence and knowledge,
pluck out the dart oneself.

Translated by Laurence Khantipalo Mills.

This translation was edited by Bhikkhu Sujato as part of the full translation of the Sutta Nipāta with commentary prepared from a draft handwritten and typed manuscript of Laurence Khantipalo Mills in 2015. The project was managed by Laurence’s students Michael Wells and Gary Dellora, and initial digitizing of the text was by Sean Read. Full text is available at https://suttacentral.net/downloads

In addition to the suttas noted, Bhikkhu Sujato also translated verses 46, 78, 232, 465, 500, 589–597, 865, 885–890, 894–5, 897–901, 902–916, and 919–921.

This text is released dedicated to the Public Domain by way of Creative Commons Zero. No rights reserved.