COMPASSION · DHAMMAPADA 133
A Heart That Does No Harm
Do not speak harshly to anybody; those who are spoken to will answer thee in the same way. Angry speech is painful, blows for blows will touch thee.
Dhammapada 133 · Chapter 10, Punishment · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “Do not speak harshly to anybody.” In its chapter, this image points toward recognizing that other beings fear pain as we do. The practical question is whether replaying injury protects you or keeps the injury active. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.
Practice prompt
Where can gentleness be strong today?