ETHICS · DHAMMAPADA 124

The Weight of Small Choices

He who has no wound on his hand, may touch poison with his hand; poison does not affect one who has no wound; nor is there evil for one who does not commit evil.

Dhammapada 124 · Chapter 9, Evil · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “He who has no wound on his hand, may touch poison with his hand.” In its chapter, this image points toward the cumulative direction of repeated choices. Its value is practical when it changes how you meet one choice, relationship, or difficult feeling today. 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?