A Thought For Today A Teaching a Day From the Dhammapada

Thought for Today

Each year BDK shares a daily calendar of Buddhist thoughts paired with colorful images.

A spark of Buddhist wisdom for the 22nd day of this month.

One who sees the true nature of things
always sees the Buddha.
 
                 

 

A Teaching a Day

  As a simple approach to basic Buddha's teachings, BDK America has provided 31 short lessons. Each day we provide a new lesson so that busy people will only need a minute or two each day to learn more about Buddhism.  

The Teaching of Buddha - Day 22 

Once, a beautiful and well-dressed woman visited a house. The owner of the house inquired who she was, and she answered, "I am the Goddess of Wealth who brings riches to those whom I visit." The owner of the house was delighted, invited her into the house and treated her graciously. 

Soon after, an ugly, poorly-dressed woman ar­rived at the same door. The owner asked who she was, and she replied, "I am the Goddess of Pover­ty." The owner, greatly alarmed, tried to drive her away from the house and as he did so she stated, "The woman who came here earlier, the Goddess of Wealth, is my sister. We two sisters never live apart, and if you chase me out, she will disappear along with me." Surely enough, when she left the beauti­ful Goddess of Wealth disappeared along with her. 

Birth is accompanied by death; good fortune is accompanied by misfortune. Good things co-ex­ist with bad things and it is important that all men should realize this fact. Foolish men spend all of their time in the search for good fortune, avoiding as best they can any misfortune. Those who follow the path to Enlightenment must transcend both of these, and lead a life free of all worldly attachments. 

 

All 31 lessons are collected in a small booklet called A Teaching a Day, as edited from our small hardcover book, The Teaching of Buddha. Both print items are available to order; you can also download a PDF of A Teaching a Day.

 

  

From the Dhammapada

 


We hope you enjoy today's excerpt from the Pali Dhammapada, an anthology of Buddhist ethical thoughts and precepts. With its simplicity of expression and poetic beauty, the Dhammapada has been a popular introduction to Buddhist wisdom through the centuries.

  

Evil Conduct ...

123. Like a merchant, who, with a small number of attendants but with great wealth, avoids a risky path, and like one who values life and avoids poison, one should avoid evil.
124. If there is no wound on the hand, one may touch poison with it; poison does not affect one who has no wound; there is no evil for a person who does no evil. 

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