PATIENCE · DHAMMAPADA 232

Strength Without Harshness

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

Dhammapada 232 · Chapter 17, Anger · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “Beware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy tongue.” 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

What would strength without harshness look like here?