DhammapadaBuddhismAccepted ScripturePaliShareDhammapada 3F. Max Muller 1881 - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableF. Max Muller 1881LanguageEnglishEspañol‹Dhammapada 1Dhammapada 2Dhammapada 3Dhammapada 4Dhammapada 5Dhammapada 6Dhammapada 7Dhammapada 8Dhammapada 9Dhammapada 10Dhammapada 11Dhammapada 12Dhammapada 13Dhammapada 14Dhammapada 15Dhammapada 16Dhammapada 17Dhammapada 18Dhammapada 19Dhammapada 20Dhammapada 21Dhammapada 22Dhammapada 23Dhammapada 24Dhammapada 25Dhammapada 26›Dhammapada: ThoughtDhammapada 3ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter33As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his trembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to guard, difficult to hold back. 34As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on dry ground, our thought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of Mara (the tempter). 35It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and flighty, rushing wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness. 36Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive, very artful, and they rush wherever they list: thoughts well guarded bring happiness. 37Those who bridle their mind which travels far, moves about alone, is without a body, and hides in the chamber (of the heart), will be free from the bonds of Mara (the tempter). 38If a man's thoughts are unsteady, if he does not know the true law, if his peace of mind is troubled, his knowledge will never be perfect. 39If a man's thoughts are not dissipated, if his mind is not perplexed, if he has ceased to think of good or evil, then there is no fear for him while he is watchful. 40Knowing that this body is (fragile) like a jar, and making this thought firm like a fortress, one should attack Mara (the tempter) with the weapon of knowledge, one should watch him when conquered, and should never rest. 41Before long, alas! this body will lie on the earth, despised, without understanding, like a useless log. 42Whatever a hater may do to a hater, or an enemy to an enemy, a wrongly-directed mind will do us greater mischief. 43Not a mother, not a father will do so much, nor any other relative; a well-directed mind will do us greater service. ‹Previous chapterDhammapada 2Next chapterDhammapada 4›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg