EVERYDAY LIFE · DHAMMAPADA 292

Wisdom Where You Are

What ought to be done is neglected, what ought not to be done is done; the desires of unruly, thoughtless people are always increasing.

Dhammapada 292 · Chapter 21, Miscellaneous · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “What ought to be done is neglected, what ought not to be done is done.” In its chapter, this image points toward finding the teaching in mixed, everyday circumstances. 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

Where could your actions speak more clearly than your words?