MINDFULNESS · DHAMMAPADA 187
Returning Without Judgment
Even in heavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple who is fully awakened delights only in the destruction of all desires.
Dhammapada 187 · Chapter 14, The Buddha (The Awakened) · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “Even in heavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple who is fully awakened delights only….” In its chapter, this image points toward awakening as a lived discipline. Notice the difference between enjoying an experience and requiring it to provide lasting security. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.
Practice prompt
When the mind wanders, can you return without making it a problem?