LETTING GO · DHAMMAPADA 343
Nothing to Defend
Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared hare; let therefore the mendicant drive out thirst, by striving after passionlessness for himself.
Dhammapada 343 · Chapter 24, Thirst · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg
Reflection
The verse begins, “Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared hare.” 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
Where could ‘enough’ replace ‘more’?