PATIENCE · DHAMMAPADA 231

A Pause Before Reaction

Beware of bodily anger, and control thy body! Leave the sins of the body, and with thy body practise virtue!

Dhammapada 231 · Chapter 17, Anger · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “Beware of bodily anger, and control thy body.” In its chapter, this image points toward meeting anger without becoming anger. The practical question is whether replaying injury protects you or keeps the injury active. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.

Practice prompt

Put one breath between irritation and response.