MINDFULNESS · DHAMMAPADA 188

A Clear Place to Stand

Men, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests, to groves and sacred trees.

Dhammapada 188 · Chapter 14, The Buddha (The Awakened) · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “Men, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests, to groves and….” In its chapter, this image points toward awakening as a lived discipline. 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

What deserves your careful attention today?