LETTING GO · DHAMMAPADA 218
Space Beyond Possession
He in whom a desire for the Ineffable (Nirvana) has sprung up, who is satisfied in his mind, and whose thoughts are not bewildered by love, he is called urdhvamsrotas (carried upwards by the stream).
Dhammapada 218 · Chapter 16, Pleasure · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “He in whom a desire for the Ineffable (Nirvana) has sprung up, who is satisfied in….” In its chapter, this image points toward the stress created by possessiveness. It locates the turning point before outward action, in the quality of attention you repeatedly cultivate. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.
Practice prompt
Notice the difference between caring and clinging.