LETTING GO · DHAMMAPADA 341
When Clinging Softens
A creature's pleasures are extravagant and luxurious; sunk in lust and looking for pleasure, men undergo (again and again) birth and decay.
Dhammapada 341 · Chapter 24, Thirst · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “A creature's pleasures are extravagant and luxurious.” In its chapter, this image points toward craving and the possibility of release. Notice the difference between enjoying an experience and requiring it to provide lasting security. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.
Practice prompt
Release one small possession, task, or expectation that no longer serves.