ETHICS · DHAMMAPADA 116
The Weight of Small Choices
If a man would hasten towards the good, he should keep his thought away from evil; if a man does what is good slothfully, his mind delights in evil.
Dhammapada 116 · Chapter 9, Evil · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “If a man would hasten towards the good, he should keep his thought away from evil.” In its chapter, this image points toward the cumulative direction of repeated choices. It locates the turning point before outward action, in the quality of attention you repeatedly cultivate. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.
Practice prompt
What choice today will leave no need for regret?