Cattāri Brahmavihārā

30. The monk who delights in heedfulness and looks with fear at heedlessness advances like fire, burning all fetters, small and large.

29. Heedful among the heedless, wide-awake among the sleepy, the wise man advances like a swift horse leaving behind a weak jade.

28. Just as one upon the summit of a mountain beholds the groundlings, even so when the wise man casts away heedlessness by heedfulness and ascends the high tower of wisdom, this sorrowless sage beholds the sorrowing and foolish multitude.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ds4pZV418WiZVYz_eDXT0YfipwnnJFPJ/view?usp=drivesdk

27. Do not give way to heedlessness. Do not indulge in sensual pleasures. Only the heedful and meditative attain great happiness.

Verse 27: Therefore, one should not be negligent, nor be addicted to sensual pleasures; for he who is established in mindfulness, through cultivation of Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice, experiences supreme happiness (i.e., realizes Nibbana).

1. bala dummedhino jana: the foolish and the ignorant. The foolish mentioned in the story were the hooligans who were given up to wild revelry and disorder during the Balanakkhatta festival. They were not mindful of others or of the consequence for themselves in this world and the next.

The Story of Balanakkhatta Festival

White residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (26) and (27) of this book, in connection with the Balanakkhatta festival.

At one time, the Balanakkhatta festival was being celebrated in Savatthi. During the festival, many foolish young men smearing themselves with ashes and cow-dung roamed about the city shouting and making themselves a nuisance to the public. They would also stop at the doors of others and leave only when given some money.

At that time there were a great many lay disciples of the Buddha, living in Savatthi. On account of these foolish young hooligans, they sent word to the Buddha, requesting him to keep to the monastery and not to enter the city for seven days. They sent alms-food to the monastery and they themselves kept to their own houses. On the eighth day, when the festival was over, the Buddha and his disciples were invited into the city for alms-food and other offerings. On being told about the vulgar and shameful behaviour of the foolish young men during the festival, the Buddha commented that it was in the nature of the foolish and the ignorant to behave shamelessly.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:Verse 26: The foolish and the ignorant give themselves over to negligence; whereas the wise treasure mindfulness as a precious jewel. Verse 27: Therefore, one should not be negligent, nor be addicted to sensual pleasures; for he who is established in mindfulness, through cultivation of Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice, experiences supreme happiness (i.e., realizes Nibbana).

https://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/verseload.php?verse=026

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26. The foolish and ignorant indulge in heedlessness, but the wise one keeps his heedfulness as his best treasure.

Please find the audio recording of this verse below. Please take the time to recite the following three times before reading the words of Lord Buddha:

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambudhassa (3 times).

Homage to the blessed One, the Perfected One, the Fully Awakened One (3 times).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MCAD-wl8lGRfHvLrDWRDpE9kXcfv76Wk/view?usp=sharing

Be sure to repeat the verse, with the verse number at least ten times out loud (I have recorded five repetitions). It helps if you can do this multiple times a day and use as many different techniques (writing, repetition, listening) as possible.

23. The wise ones, ever meditative and steadfastly persevering, alone experience Nibbana, the incomparable freedom from bondage.

Please find the audio recording of this verse below. Please take the time to recite the following three times before reading the words of Lord Buddha:

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambudhassa (3 times).

Homage to the blessed One, the Perfected One, the Fully Awakened One (3 times).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MCAD-wl8lGRfHvLrDWRDpE9kXcfv76Wk/view?usp=sharing

Be sure to repeat the verse, with the verse number at least ten times out loud (I have recorded five repetitions). It helps if you can do this multiple times a day and use as many different techniques (writing, repetition, listening) as possible.

22. Clearly understanding this excellence of heedfulness, the wise exult therein and enjoy the resort of the Noble Ones.

Please find the audio recording of this verse below. Please take the time to recite the following three times before reading the words of Lord Buddha:

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambudhassa (3 times).

Homage to the blessed One, the Perfected One, the Fully Awakened One (3 times).

Dhammapada 22 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MCAD-wl8lGRfHvLrDWRDpE9kXcfv76Wk/view?usp=sharing

Be sure to repeat the verse, with the verse number at least ten times out loud (I have recorded five repetitions). It helps if you can do this multiple times a day and use as many different techniques (writing, repetition, listening) as possible.