ETHICS · DHAMMAPADA 258

Choosing What Does No Harm

A man is not learned because he talks much; he who is patient, free from hatred and fear, he is called learned.

Dhammapada 258 · Chapter 19, The Just · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “A man is not learned because he talks much.” In its chapter, this image points toward justice as conduct rather than status. 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

Where can you reduce harm in a practical way?