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Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One. Naradakkha-dīpanī The true Dhamma is protected, By protection and by choice; Well-protected is morality, Protected is the beautiful Dhamma. Right effort is the root, Of all attainments, it should be seen. "Monks, the start of energy, Leads to great benefit." Therefore, effort should be made, For even the unthought-of happens to the energetic. Just as a string is a measure, For carpenters; Even so is this for the wise. Easy to know is progress, Difficult to know is decline; One who loves the Dhamma progresses, One who hates the Dhamma declines. This is the law, this is the nature, This is the rule, it is said. Of all things arising from a cause, The cause is explained by the Tathāgata. The Triple Gem, constantly, I venerate; The teacher, him I, always, salute; "May there be all, blessings, for me, everywhere." Naradakkha-dīpanī Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One. Salutation Homage to Naradakkha, Homage to the all-seeing eye; To the one freed from Saṃsāra, To the one freed from Saṃsāra, To the Sangha with the true Dhamma. Request 2. Protect the excellent choice, Protect the perfection of morality; May the excellent Buddha protect, Protect the reason for the book. Blessing 3. May he be learned and wise, Well-established in morality; Devoted to mental calm, May he stand even on the head. Solicitor 4. Having venerated the Dhamma and Sangha, The leader of all the world; Requested by the Tipiṭaka Thera, And by the wise youth. 5. I will write clearly and concisely, Well-defined by various scriptures; I will write "Nara-dakkha," May the wise ones see. 6. Having seen laziness as fearful, And energy as safe; Be energetic; This is the Buddha's teaching. 7. "Monks, the energetic noble disciple, Abandons the unwholesome, develops the wholesome; Abandons the blameworthy, develops the blameless, Maintains a pure self." Of the energetic. What kind of deed does not succeed? A deed done by human effort does not perish, I know that it establishes one in happiness. 8. Just as a clod thrown into the sky, Surely falls to the ground; So too, the word of the Buddhas, the best, Is surely eternal. 9. The Buddhas speak without equivocation, The Conquerors speak without fail. 10. By listening one obtains wisdom, By striving one finds wealth; Therefore, making the Pāli one's teacher, Observe this beautiful thing. 11. Listening makes one wise, Learning increases wisdom; With wisdom one understands the meaning, The understood meaning brings happiness. 12. Constant study and debate, Observing the opinions of others, And serving learned teachers, Are qualities that increase intelligence and wisdom. 13. Too long is the night for the weary, Lazy is the one with weak effort; Therefore, making effort, Let the wise seek knowledge. 14. A good man should first, Learn a craft, then great wealth; Then seek a mantra, And speak truthfully. 15. First, do not fail in craft, Second, do not fail in wealth; Third, do not fail in wealth, Fourth, what will he do with meaning? 16. They shine, not withered, Like flowers to be worn; So too, shine the young, Learning in their youth. 17. Therefore, indeed, a foundation of virtues, The best increase of wisdom; A wise person should learn, Desiring his own good. 18. Enough to strive in crafts, By a being desiring meaning; Having done, know the knowledge, Lest old age overtake you. 19. Learn knowledge, practice morality, Live with the wise; Accumulate wealth, do deeds, And speak affectionate words. 20. One should not sleep, The night adorned with stars; This night should be awakened, For those who know. 21. Arise, sit up, What is the use of your sleeping? Good indeed is the call of craft and knowledge, Learn knowledge constantly. 22. Always begin, sons, To seek great learning; Because in the world those skilled in crafts, Are famous in all directions. 23. Sakyarūpaṃ Pure is peace, I have not learned a craft; Hard is the life of the un-skilled, Thus one later regrets. 24. The welfare of the world, worldly tasks, Wishing to seek out; Constantly energy, And meaning, counsel, should one consider. 25. Wealthy, virtuous in the world, Famous in all directions; Moral, wise is a man, Honored by all in the world. 26. Alive lives the fame of whom, Alive lives the renown of whom; Of one devoid of fame and renown, Living is like being dead. 27. Faith here is a person's best wealth, Dhamma well-practiced brings happiness; Truth, indeed, is sweeter than flavors, Life lived by wisdom, they say, is best. 28. For the mindful, always good, The mindful thrives in happiness; For the mindful, tomorrow is better, And from enmity one is freed. 29. Do not let the moment pass you by, For those who miss the moment grieve; Strive for your own good, The moment is presented to you. 30. As one does not get what one wishes, A broken boat on the ocean; So too, the unenergetic here, Therefore, one should begin the teaching. 31. One should strive indeed, Until the attainment of the goal; The attained goal is beautiful, There is no greater patience. 32. Equal effort in knowledge, Brings happiness, is very auspicious; Not more knowledge, nor less, Success is good with both. 33. Bodily actions succeed, Verbal actions with energy; Deeds are not done by thinking, Here one should make effort. 34. One should do it carefully, One should know that is good for oneself; Not by cart-thinking, Slow, the wise one strives. 35. By steady self-work, Fruit indeed increases; By unsteady laziness, Hand-work and fruit do not. 36. One should wish indeed, The wise one should not despair; I see myself, As I wished, so it was. 37. He is debt-free to relatives, To gods and to fathers; Doing manly duties, And he does not regret later. 38. "I will do it tomorrow," thus one declines, "I will do it," says another; The deed to be done today, tomorrow, Thus he falls away from that. 39. So be unremitting, not angry, Father, get the work done; Strive in your duties, The lazy one finds no happiness. 40. Even if of low birth, A man who rises up, resolute; Endowed with conduct and virtue, He shines like a smokeless fire. 41. He who wants to do later, What should have been done earlier; Like breaking a rotten Varuna stick, He regrets it afterwards. 42. Not rising when it is time to rise, Young, strong, overcome by laziness; With unfulfilled intentions, indolent, The lazy one finds no path to wisdom. 43. A foolish person in the world, Lazy, with weakened energy; Unlearned, without good conduct, Declines with age. 44. An unlearned person, Grows old like an ox; His muscles increase, His wisdom does not increase. 45. For one who is born a human, And has neither wealth nor skill; What is the use of his humanity? He is a two-legged animal standing. 46. He who lives a hundred years, Lazy, with weakened energy; Better is a single day of life, Of one who firmly exerts energy. 47. He who knows the divisions of the Dhamma, Rises early, untiring; Does not delay in due time, His fruit is accomplished. 48. Without practicing celibacy, Without acquiring wealth in youth; They lament like old herons, Like fishless pools. 49. Without practicing celibacy, Without acquiring wealth in youth; They lie like worn-out bows, Muttering over the past. 50. Even with little, the wise one, Clever with a gift; Raises himself up, Like a small fire fanned. 51. Let a man strive, A wise man should not despair; See the fruit of striving, Mangoes eaten, not hearsay. 52. Where, without rising, without striving, Happiness is attained; Go there quickly, And take the couch there too. 53. Where the lazy, the unrisen, Find extreme happiness; Go there quickly, And take the couch there too. 54. The fruit of intention in the world, Is accomplished for the resolute; Energy indeed must be done. This, the Buddhas have praised. Wisdom-Instruction 55. Seek wisdom first, Wisdom is the greatest strength; Wisdom is the strength of a clansman, What indeed is not achieved by it? 56. Dispelling many doubts, Showing the unseen meaning; The eye of all, the teaching, He who has it not is truly blind. 57. Wisdom discerns the learned, Increases fame and glory; A person endowed with wisdom here, Enjoys even happiness. 58. All-knowing Buddhas, individual, And those learned in the Four Noble Truths; Among the four Buddhas, one alone, Becomes a learned person. 59. Skilled in writing, skilled in speaking, Skilled in texts, a good reciter; Skilled in methods, a hero, Free from suffering in his own work. 60. Wisdom indeed is the best, the skillful say, Like the king of stars among the constellations; Virtue, glory, and the true Dhamma, Follow the one endowed with wisdom. 61. Associate with Buddhas, skilled and learned, Who take up and question thoroughly; Listen attentively to well-spoken words, Doing thus, a mortal becomes wise. 62. By age, by questions of fame, By dwelling, by wise reflection; By discussion, by affectionate association, And by suitable dwelling. 63. These are the eight conditions, For the clarity of intellect; For those who possess these, Their intellect shines forth. 64. Monks, there are these four qualities that lead to the growth of wisdom. Which four? Association with good people, listening to the true Dhamma, wise reflection, and practice in accordance with the Dhamma. These, monks, are the four qualities that lead to the growth of wisdom. 65. Endowed with the eye of vision, He sees the sighted; The blind and the one who sees well, The blind one does not see all. 66. The seer sees the one who sees, And sees the one who does not see; The one who does not see, does not see the one who does not see, Nor does he see the one who sees. 67.