ETHICS · DHAMMAPADA 265

A Life You Need Not Regret

He who always quiets the evil, whether small or large, he is called a Samana (a quiet man), because he has quieted all evil.

Dhammapada 265 · Chapter 19, The Just · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “He who always quiets the evil, whether small or large, he is called a Samana (a….” In its chapter, this image points toward justice as conduct rather than status. Its value is practical when it changes how you meet one choice, relationship, or difficult feeling today. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.

Practice prompt

Notice one small action that points your life in a direction.