ETHICS · DHAMMAPADA 245
Before You Act
But life is hard to live for a modest man, who always looks for what is pure, who is disinterested, quiet, spotless, and intelligent.
Dhammapada 245 · Chapter 18, Impurity · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “But life is hard to live for a modest man, who always looks for what is….” In its chapter, this image points toward cleaning up conduct and intention. Read goodness here as a trainable direction—choices that reduce harm and leave less residue of regret. 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 promise to yourself deserves to be kept?