ETHICS · DHAMMAPADA 306
The Weight of Small Choices
He who says what is not, goes to hell; he also who, having done a thing, says I have not done it. After death both are equal, they are men with evil deeds in the next world.
Dhammapada 306 · Chapter 22, The Downward Course · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “He who says what is not, goes to hell.” In its chapter, this image points toward actions and the consequences they set in motion. Rather than using change to create fear, the passage can sharpen tenderness for a life that cannot be held still. 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 choice today will leave no need for regret?