Appamada

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Appam¤da

Earnestness, Diligence

Samgyutta Nikaya, I.iii: Kosalasamyutta II.2: Appamada;
PTS: The Book of the Kindred Sayings I.iii.2.7: Diligence, Mrs. Rhys Davids, trans, pp111;
WP: The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, I.III.ii.7: Diligence, Bodhi, trans., pp179

Appam¤da
Pali	MO	Hare	Horner	Punnaji	Bodhi	Nanamoli	Rhys Davids	(Mrs)Rhys Davids	Thanissaro	Walshe	Woodward
Appam¤da	Appam¤da, Little Madness!, Don't Sputter Fat, Be Careful!	Earnestness	dilligence		dilligence	dilligence	dilligence	dilligence	heedfulness	untiring	Earnestness

**Pali Text Society, Pali English Dictionary (edited entry):**
Appam¤da: [a + pam¤da] thoughtfulness, carefulness, conscientiousness, watchfulness, vigilance, earnestness, zeal D I.13...; M I.477...; S I.25, 86, 158, 214; II.29, 132; IV.78..., 97, 125, 252 sq.; V.30 sq...., 41 sq., 91, 135, 240, 250, 308, 350; A I.16, 50....; III.330, 364, 449; IV.28... 120...; V.21, 126...

PED on Line (no diacriticals): "Appamada"
PED on Line (unicode font required): "Appamada"

The following is a probably-incorrect rendering of "Appam¤da" in a Brahmi font I was developing but which has been put on hold because of my lack of understanding as to an acceptable way to produce double consonnants.

The first character is the "A" as used when it is the first letter of a word (tip it to one side in your mind to see how closely it resembles our "A"); the second and third characters are the two "p" characters which according to some sources should be joined in some way, and according to other sources were not originally joined -- all consonants are pronounced as though followed by the short "A" except in the case of double consonants, and in this case, at least according to some sources, the first "P" is inserted simply because it is not possible to join the "A" to the "P" without making the "P" sound twice (flip the characters upside down to see the resemblance to our "P"); the fourth character is the "M" where the straight line leading from the top right of the ribbon indicates that in stead of the short "A" it should be pronounced with the long "A" sound, and the final character is the "Da" (again notice the resemblance to our "D").

This word is a "Manta" (Sanskrit: Mantra). To get this word to reveal it's secrets, it should be taken as a subject of meditation, researched in the dictionaries and wherever it occurs in the suttas, and then repeated silently. It should be repeated as a whole word, it should be "spelled out" ... "A" "P" (say "p'!") "PA" "MA" "DA"; it should be spelled out pronouncing each syllable twice: "A" "A" "P" "P" "PA" "PA" "MA" "MA" "DA" "DA"; it should be spelled out backwards; where it is possible to break apart the sounds, break them apart (e.g.,"PA" to "P' - Ah", "MA" to "M' - Ah", "DA" to "D' - Ah"); and in any other way you can think of.

Footnote in Rhys Davids translation:
Appamada is a negative term, meaning not-delay, not-dalliance, non-infatuation, from the root, or roots, mad, mand, 'to be exhilarated.' (See Whitney, Sanskrit Roots, 118) From this source we get both the terms for such a state and those for its results and by-products: -- intoxication, obsession, insanity, want of concentration and earnestness, etc. Cf. below, VI, 2, §5. B. qualifies the term by the (unusual) word k¤r¤paka-: diligence in making [others] do their work.

Just as the dawn, monks, is the forerunner, the harbinger, of the arising of the sun, even so possession of earnestness is the forerunner, the harbinger of thearising of the Arriyan eightfold way.

Just as, monks, of all creatures, whether footless or having two, four, or many feet; whether having forms or formless; whether conscious or unconscious, or neither conscious nor unconscious, -- of these the Tathagata, the Arahant, the fully Enlightened One, is reconed chief; -- even so, monks, of all profitable conditions which are rooted in earnestness, which join together in earnestness, -- of those conditions earnestness is reconed chief.

Just as, monks, the river Ganges flows, slides and tends to the East, even so a monk who cultivates and makes much of earnestness flows, slides, tends to the East, even so a monk who cultivates and makes much of earnestness flows, slides, tends to Nibbana.

Just as, monks, of all the foot-characteristics of such creatures as roam about are joined together in the foot of the elephant, and as the elephant's food in size is reconed chief, even so, monks, of all profitable conditions which are rooted in earnestness, which join together in earnestness, -- of those conditions earnestness is reconed chief.

Just as, monks, in a peaked house all the rafters whatsoever go together to the roof-peak, slope to the roof-peak, are joined together in the roof-peak, and of them the peak is reconed chief, -- even so monks, of all profitable conditions which are rooted in earnestness, which join together in earnestness, -- of those conditions earnestness is reconed chief.

Just as, monks, of all scented woods whatsoever the dark sandal-wood is reconed chief...

Just as, monks, of all scented heart-woods whatsoever the red sandal-wood is reconed chief...

...of all scented flowers whatsoever the jasmine is reconed chief...

Just as, monks, all petty princes whatsoever follow the train of the universal monarch...

Just as, monks, of all starry bodies whatsoever the radinace does not equal one-sixteenth part of the radiance of the moon; just as the moon is reconed chief of them...
Just as, monks, in the autumn season, when the sky is opened up and cleared of clouds, the sun, leaping up into the firmament, drives away all darkness and shines and burns and flashes forth, even so, monks, of all profitable conditions...

Just as, monks, of all woven cloths whatsoever the cloth of Benares is rekoned chief...