ETHICS · DHAMMAPADA 270
Goodness Drop by Drop
A man is not an elect (Ariya) because he injures living creatures; because he has pity on all living creatures, therefore is a man called Ariya.
Dhammapada 270 · Chapter 19, The Just · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “A man is not an elect (Ariya) because he injures living creatures.” 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
Repair one small harm rather than explaining it away.