“Mendicants, intention is the leader of all things whatsoever that are skillful, part of the skillful, on the side of the skillful. Intention is the first of those things to arise, and skillful things follow right behind.” 58 “Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to unskillful qualities, or makes skillful qualities decline like negligence. When you’re negligent, unskillful qualities arise and skillful qualities decline.” 59
“Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to skillful qualities, or makes unskillful qualities decline like diligence. When you’re diligent, skillful qualities arise and unskillful qualities decline.” 60 “Mendicants, I do not see a single thing that gives rise to unskillful qualities, or makes skillful qualities decline like laziness. When you’re lazy, unskillful qualities arise and skillful qualities decline.”
Numbered Discourses 1.61–70 The Chapter on Arousing Energy
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