August 27, 2026

Steady As Stone

As a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not moved amidst blame and praise.

The Dhammapada gathers the Buddha's core teachings into short verses that monks memorized and chanted across ancient India as guides for daily conduct, not just meditation. This verse comes from the chapter called The Wise, addressed to disciples who met both flattery and harsh criticism as they walked the roads collecting alms. It says a wise person's mind stays steady the way solid rock stays steady in a storm, undisturbed by either praise or blame. In the Eastern tradition, stillness is not the absence of wind but the strength to remain unmoved by it, built through practice that lets the mind's constant reactions settle like sediment in water. Once the churning stops, a person sees situations clearly and responds from wisdom instead of wounded pride or flattered ego.

A principle of Eastern Wisdom: Stillness →