SELF-KNOWLEDGE · DHAMMAPADA 166
Turning Inward Honestly
Let no one forget his own duty for the sake of another's, however great; let a man, after he has discerned his own duty, be always attentive to his duty.
Dhammapada 166 · Chapter 12, Self · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “Let no one forget his own duty for the sake of another's, however great.” In its chapter, this image points toward personal responsibility without self-condemnation. 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
Where could honest self-observation replace self-criticism today?