MINDFULNESS · DHAMMAPADA 276
An Island Within
You yourself must make an effort. The Tathagatas (Buddhas) are only preachers. The thoughtful who enter the way are freed from the bondage of Mara.
Dhammapada 276 · Chapter 20, The Way · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “You yourself must make an effort.” In its chapter, this image points toward a practical path of attention, ethics, and understanding. It locates the turning point before outward action, in the quality of attention you repeatedly cultivate. 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 three breaths without trying to improve them.