Keen

Iti 34 · Ātāpīsutta

Small alpine flowers growing among dark stones.

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Mendicants, without being keen and prudent a mendicant can’t achieve awakening, extinguishment, and the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. But if a mendicant is keen and prudent they can achieve awakening, extinguishment, and the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.”

The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Neither keen nor prudent, lazy, lacking energy, full of dullness and drowsiness, unconscientious, lacking regard for others, such a mendicant is incapable of experiencing the highest awakening.
One who is mindful, alert, meditative, keen, prudent, and diligent, having cut the fetter of birth and old age, would experience supreme awakening in this very life.”

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

Connections

Collection & context

ItivuttakaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

Books

Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology
On the Path: An Anthology on the Noble Eightfold Path drawn from the Pāli CanonṬhānissaro Bhikkhu · Referenced in this book
The Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pāli CanonṬhānissaro Bhikkhu · Referenced in this book

About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.