MINDFULNESS · DHAMMAPADA 26
Awake in This Moment
Fools follow after vanity, men of evil wisdom. The wise man keeps earnestness as his best jewel.
Dhammapada 26 · Chapter 2, On Earnestness · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “Fools follow after vanity, men of evil wisdom.” In its chapter, this image points toward careful attention as the ground of a wakeful life. It also makes practice relational: the people you listen to can strengthen or weaken your best intentions. 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 pulls you away from the present most often?