COMPASSION · DHAMMAPADA 129

Speech That Leaves No Wound

All men tremble at punishment, all men fear death; remember that you are like unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter.

Dhammapada 129 · Chapter 10, Punishment · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “All men tremble at punishment, all men fear death.” In its chapter, this image points toward recognizing that other beings fear pain as we do. Rather than using change to create fear, the passage can sharpen tenderness for a life that cannot be held still. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.

Practice prompt

Notice the shared human wish beneath a disagreement.