Life Is Shaped By The Mind

A commentary on the one of the most popular Buddhist scriptures, the Dhammapada, chapter one.

What Is The Dhammapada?

Like Jesus, the Buddha had many disciples who wrote his teachings down to be studied by future generations. These texts were mostly intended for the monks and nuns of the Buddhist order, and so were intellectualized, full of jargon that would be unfamiliar to lay people.

One of these scriptures was purposefully intended to be easy for the average person familiar with village life to read and digest. The Dhammapada is that scripture, meant to deliver the spirit of Buddhism in simple, vivid verses.

In this article I will share with you the first chapter of the Dhammapada, called Twin Verses, which paints the overall picture of Buddhism in pairs of contrasting ways of life. In between verses, I will share my commentary on their meaning.

The Dhammapada, Chapter One: Twin Verses

“Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draw it.

Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never…