Dhammapada verse 231
Chapter 17, Anger (Kodhavagga) · verses 221–234
“Guard against ill-tempered deeds, be restrained in body. Giving up bad bodily conduct, conduct yourself well in body.”
Kāyappakopaṁ rakkheyya, kāyena saṁvuto siyā; Kāyaduccaritaṁ hitvā, kāyena sucaritaṁ care.
English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, via SuttaCentral)
What does Dhammapada verse 231 mean?
Verse 231 belongs to chapter 17, Anger (Kodhavagga), which gathers verses 221–234 on anger. It is filed under self-discipline, giving & merit. Read it with the verses around it: the Dhammapada arranges chapters as short runs, not as isolated lines, so verse 230 and verse 232 are part of the same passage.
Fourteen verses on anger. The chapter gives the practical instruction to overcome anger with kindness and to give up what feeds it, and it describes the angry person as one who loses their own good. It also holds the verse about giving rather than taking as the way anger is dissolved.
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