唐捐

Able to be understood literally. First attested in Buddhist sutras:

若有眾生，恭敬禮拜觀世音菩薩，福不唐捐。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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若有众生，恭敬礼拜观世音菩萨，福不唐捐。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: c. 406,《妙法蓮華經·觀世音菩薩普門品》, translated by Kumārajīva (鳩摩羅什 (Jiūmóluóshí))

Ruò yǒu zhòngshēng, gōngjìng lǐbài guānshìyīnpúsà, fú bù tángjuān. [Pinyin]

If the living beings reverently worship bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, their efforts will not be wasted.

唐捐

1. (of one's effort, etc) to be wasted

   • 昔功恐唐捐，異味今得饁。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     昔功恐唐捐，异味今得馌。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Wang Anshi (王安石, c.1021-1086),《再用前韻寄蔡天啟》

     Xī gōng kǒng tángjuān, yìwèi jīn dé yè. [Pinyin]

     In the past, I was fearing my endeavours and deeds would turn out to have been in vain, but now I've got the delicacy I wanted.

   • 佛典裏有一句話：“福不唐捐。”唐捐就是白白的丟了。我們也應該說：“功不唐捐。” [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     佛典里有一句话：“福不唐捐。”唐捐就是白白的丢了。我们也应该说：“功不唐捐。” [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1933, 胡適 (Hu Shih), 《〈獨立評論〉的一周年》

     Fódiǎn lǐ yǒu yījù huà: “Fú bù tángjuān.” Tángjuān jiùshì báibáide diūle. Wǒmen yě yìnggāi shuō: “Gōng bù tángjuān.” [Pinyin]

     In Buddhist scriptures, there is a saying: fortune should not be lost without reason. We should also say: no effort will ever have been in vain.

• Ding, Fubao (丁福保) (1922), “唐捐” in 佛學大辭典 [A Dictionary of Chinese Buddhist Terms].