Wisdom, Right Action, and Happiness — Dhammapada

Here is a complementary selection of Dhammapada verses, categorized by themes to nourish your daily reflection on wisdom, right action, and the nature of happiness.

I. On Wisdom and Discernment

These verses help to distinguish the essential from the accessory in life's whirlwind.

Verse 76: « Look upon him who points out your faults as if he were showing you a hidden treasure. Follow that wise man who, seeing your defects, corrects you; for him who follows him, it is good, and not evil, that grows. »

Verse 110: « Better is it to live one day a virtuous and meditative life than to live a hundred years a life immoral and without self-control. »

Verse 113: « Better is it to live one day perceiving the rise and fall of things than to live a hundred years without ever perceiving them. »

II. On Speech and Right Action

The Dhammapada strongly emphasizes the impact of our words and actions on our environment.

Verse 1: « If a man speaks or acts with a malicious thought, suffering follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox. » (Note: the counterpart of the first verse, emphasizing responsibility).

Verse 115: « Better is it to live one day perceiving the supreme state than to live a hundred years without ever perceiving it. »

Verse 232: « The wise are those who master their deeds, those who master their words, those who master their thoughts. In truth, they are perfectly self-controlled. »

III. On the Nature of Joy and Happiness

Buddhism offers a vision of happiness that is not based on possession, but on the absence of disturbances.

Verse 197: « Let us live joyfully, without hatred among those who hate. Among men who hate, let us live without hatred. »

Verse 201: « Victory begets hatred, for the defeated is unhappy. He who has abandoned victory and defeat lives in peace, happy. »

Verse 204: « Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, trust the best relationship. »

IV. On Interiority and Chosen Solitude

these verses recall the strength of inner peace.

Verse 305: « He who lives alone, who walks alone, who is indefatigable, who controls himself, will find his joy in the forest (the place of calm). »

Verse 373: « The monk who has entered an empty house (calm) and whose mind is appeased, experiences a superhuman joy by clearly perceiving the Law (Dhamma). »

A Suggested Reading Practice: "Meditation by Verse"

So that these texts do not remain merely intellectual concepts, try this approach:

Choose: Read a single verse. Let it resonate within you for a few seconds.

Visualize: Close your eyes. Visualize a concrete situation from your day (a professional interaction, a daily decision, a moment in nature) where this verse could apply.

Apply: Ask yourself: « If I acted exactly according to these words, what would I change in my way of responding to this situation? »

Let Go: Do not judge if you fail to apply it; simply note the intention. The mere act of returning to this reflection is, in itself, the practice.

Which of these reflections seems most "active" or useful for your daily life?

aliénor et alain delaporte-digard

buddhachannel — The traditions of the world, wisdom for today