ETHICS · DHAMMAPADA 241
Choosing What Does No Harm
The taint of prayers is non-repetition; the taint of houses, non-repair; the taint of the body is sloth; the taint of a watchman, thoughtlessness.
Dhammapada 241 · Chapter 18, Impurity · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “The taint of prayers is non-repetition.” In its chapter, this image points toward cleaning up conduct and intention. 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
Where can you reduce harm in a practical way?