COMPASSION · DHAMMAPADA 144
The Courage of Gentleness
Like a well-trained horse when touched by the whip, be ye active and lively, and by faith, by virtue, by energy, by meditation, by discernment of the law you will overcome this great pain (of reproof), perfect in knowledge and in behaviour, and never forgetful.
Dhammapada 144 · Chapter 10, Punishment · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “Like a well-trained horse when touched by the whip, be ye active and lively, and by….” In its chapter, this image points toward recognizing that other beings fear pain as we do. 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
Let one response be guided by care instead of irritation.