Appamadavagga - Heedfulness

(verses 21-32)

Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless, (Nibbana) heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful do not die; the heedless are like unto the dead.

Distinctly understanding this (difference) the wise (intent) on heedfulness rejoice in heedfulness, delighting in the realm of Ariyas.

The constantly meditative, the ever steadfastly ones realize the bondfree, supreme Nibbana.

The man who is strenuous, mindful, of pure conduct, and careful, who restrains himself, who acts after due deliberations and practices Right Livelihood, becomes famous.

By sustained effort, earnestness, discipline, and self-control, let the wise man make for himself an island, which no flood overwhelms.

The ignorant, foolish folk indulge in heedlessness; the wise man guards heedfulness as the greatest treasure.

Indulge not in heedlessness; have no intimacy with sensuous delights. Verily the heedful, meditative person obtains abundant bliss.

When a man banishes heedlessness by heedfulness, he becomes wise and is free from sorrow. He sees clearly the sorrowing people as one who stands on the hill looking down on the plains.

Heedful among the heedless, watchful among the sleeping, the wise man outstrips the foolish man as a race horse outstrips an old horse.

Maghava, the king of gods, attained such great supremacy over the gods through heedfulness. Heedfulness is always praised and heedlessness is always blamed.

Even as a fire consumes all obstacles, both great and small, a monk, who delights in heedfulness and who views heedlessness with fear, consumes attachments, both great and small.

A monk, who delights in heedfulness and who views heedlessness with fear, will not fail in the end to, to attain Nibbana.

Explaination:

The Buddha is trying to impress upon us the need to remain mindful of the Dharma.  We have all found ourselves wanting on this front, at one time or another.  When you get cut off in traffic, or someone says a hurtful thing to or about you, most of us would lash out in anger, forgetting that it does no good.  Keeping firmly in mind the idea of the first part of the Dhammapada, that our thoughts dictate our actions, and by our thoughts we make the world, we can see how being heedless of this could lead us into dangerous waters.  Chief among the beliefs of Buddhism is the concept of Karma, where by you reap what you sow.  Heedlessly indulging in earthly (and therefore false or rather non-existant) delights, or letting your emotions get the best of you, will eventually come back to haunt us and hold us back from reaching the highest plateau of enlightenment Nibbana (Nirvana for most) Remember also, that freedom from these things is the goal of Buddhism.  Enlightenment is attained by realization of the truth in all things and the knowledge that these worldly pleasures are creations of our own minds, and in truth do not exist beyond the confines of our perception.