COMPASSION · DHAMMAPADA 137

Speech That Leaves No Wound

He who inflicts pain on innocent and harmless persons, will soon come to one of these ten states:

Dhammapada 137 · Chapter 10, Punishment · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “He who inflicts pain on innocent and harmless persons, will soon come to one of these….” In its chapter, this image points toward recognizing that other beings fear pain as we do. 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

Notice the shared human wish beneath a disagreement.