The Story of the Two Companion Bhikkhus (Dhammapada 2 : 29)

II. Appamada  Vagga – Mindfulness

Verse 29:
Mindful amongst the negligent,
highly vigilant amongst the drowsy,
the man of wisdom advances like a race-horse,
leaving the jade behind.
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While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (29) of this book, with reference to two bhikkhus, who were friends.

Two bhikkhus, after obtaining a subject of meditation from the Buddha, went to a monastery in the forest. One of them, being negligent, spent his time warming himself by the fire and talking to young novices throughout the first watch of the night, and generally idling away his time. The other faithfully performed the duties of a bhikkhu. He walked in meditation during the first night watch*, rested during the second watch and again meditated during the last watch of the night. Thus, being diligent and ever mindful, the second bhikkhu attained arahatship within a short time.

At the end of the rainy season (vassa) both of them went to pay obeisance to the Buddha, and the Buddha asked them how they had spent their time during the vassa. To this, the lazy and negligent bhikkhu answered that the other bhikkhu had been idling away his time, just lying down and sleeping. The Buddha then asked, "But, what about you?" His reply was that he generally sat warming himself by the fire during the first watch of the night and then sat up without sleeping. But the Buddha knew quite well how the two bhikkhus had spent their time, so he said to the idle one: "Though you are lazy and negligent you claim to be diligent and ever mindful; but you have made the other bhikkhu appear to be lazy and negligent though he is diligent and ever mindful. You are like a weak and slow horse compared to my son who is like a strong, fleet-footed horse."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

"Appamatto pamattesu suttesu bahujāgaro

abalassaṃ va sīghasso hitvā yāti sumedhaso."

Mindful amongst the negligent,

highly vigilant amongst the drowsy,

the man of wisdom advances like a race-horse,

leaving the jade behind.

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Notes :

*  In the old times, night time was divided into 3 watches. The first watch began at six pm, the second at 10pm and the third at 2am.