WISDOM · DHAMMAPADA 65

Clarity Without Pride

If an intelligent man be associated for one minute only with a wise man, he will soon perceive the truth, as the tongue perceives the taste of soup.

Dhammapada 65 · Chapter 5, The Fool · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “If an intelligent man be associated for one minute only with a wise man, he will….” In its chapter, this image points toward humility about what we know. It treats speech as an action with consequences, asking for truth and care before a reaction becomes language. 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 becomes simpler when you see it clearly?