WISE FRIENDSHIP · DHAMMAPADA 85

Companionship With Purpose

Few are there among men who arrive at the other shore (become Arhats); the other people here run up and down the shore.

Dhammapada 85 · Chapter 6, The Wise Man (Pandita) · trans. F. Max Müller · Read the full text at Project Gutenberg

Reflection

The verse begins, “Few are there among men who arrive at the other shore (become Arhats).” In its chapter, this image points toward the influence of teachers and companions. The path image makes wisdom active: direction matters, and the next step is more useful than an idealized destination. Because this is a historic English translation, test the teaching in experience rather than treating its wording as a demand for belief.

Practice prompt

Which relationship supports your best intentions?