PATIENCE · DHAMMAPADA 233

Meeting Anger With Space

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

Dhammapada 233 · Chapter 17, Anger · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

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

Let one delay be a place to practice rather than a theft of time.