CONTENTMENT · DHAMMAPADA 204

A Happiness You Can Practice

Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust is the best of relationships, Nirvana the highest happiness.

Dhammapada 204 · Chapter 15, Happiness · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches.” In its chapter, this image points toward forms of happiness rooted in simplicity. 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

Pause after receiving something good instead of moving on.