ETHICS · DHAMMAPADA 121
Goodness Drop by Drop
Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the fool becomes full of evil, even if he gather it little by little.
Dhammapada 121 · Chapter 9, Evil · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh….” In its chapter, this image points toward the cumulative direction of repeated choices. The water imagery emphasizes accumulation: a mind and a life are shaped by many small conditions, not one dramatic moment. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.
Practice prompt
Repair one small harm rather than explaining it away.