Rather than preaching or even attempting to define what the righteous path is, simply living the righteous path is better and more righteous. Silence, in other words, is a major source of righteousness itself, and the calmness of silence is its own reward. Perhaps the most direct, simple and yet profound way in which the various elements of Dhammapada's statement can be approached is through Haught's concept of action. Especially prevalent in Western religions, according to Haught, this is the concept that direct action must be used in accordance with and to bring about religious principles and beliefs. Good action, according to Dhammapada's statement, leads to good living, with joy the natural result of righteousness. This has not always been seen as a cycle that reaches completion in this world in the Judeo-Christian religions or in many Eastern traditions, but through re-birth, ascension to heaven in the afterlife, or even through direct benefits in this life, there...

Dhammapada even stresses this in the portion of his statement regarding the lack of necessity of learning -- it is action, even more than the conscious motive of the action, that establishes righteousness and leads to the rewards of righteousness.
As righteous action leads to good situations, it perpetuates righteous action, just as suffering often leads to blame and worse decisions that ultimately increase suffering. Many religions, especially in the East, have concepts of needing to break the cycle of suffering in order to truly merge with ultimate existence. In Judeo-Christian religions, the concept of creating one's own destiny in terms of righteousness and reward has been somewhat less certain in different times and from different perspectives, but the idea that the same acts will continue to reap the same rewards is a strong part of tehse religions, as well.