The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddaka Nikaya, a division of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. The Buddhist scholar and commentator Buddhaghosa explains that each saying recorded in the collection was made on a different occasion in response to a unique situation that had arisen in the life of the Buddha and his monastic community. His translation of the commentary, the Dhammapada Atthakatha, presents the details of these events and is a rich source of legend for the life and times of the Buddha.

Etymology

The title "Dhammapada" is a compound term composed of dhamma and pada, each word having a number of denotations and connotations. Generally, dhamma can refer to the Buddha's "doctrine" or an "eternal truth" or "righteousness" or all "phenomena"; at its root, pada means "foot" and thus by extension, especially in this context, means either "path" or "verse" (cf. "prosodic foot") or both. English translations of this text's title have used various combinations of these and related words.

History

According to tradition, the Dhammapada's verses were spoken by the Buddha on various occasions. Glenn Wallis states: "By distilling the complex models, theories, rhetorical style and sheer volume of the Buddha's teachings into concise, crystalline verses, the Dhammapada makes the Buddhist way of life available to anyone...In fact, it is possible that the very source of the Dhammapada in the third century B.C.E. is traceable to the need of the early Buddhist communities in India to laicize the ascetic impetus of the Buddha's original words." The text is part of the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka, although over half of the verses exist in other parts of the Pali Canon. A 4th or 5th century CE commentary attributed to Buddhaghosa includes 305 stories which give context to the verses. Although the Pāli edition is the best-known, a number of other versions are known: Comparing the Pali Dhammapada, the Gandhari Dharmapada and the Udanavarga, Brough (2001) identifies that the texts have in common 330 to 340 verses, 16 chapter headings and an underlying structure. He suggests that the three texts have a "common ancestor" but underlines that there is no evidence that any one of these three texts might have been the "primitive Dharmapada" from which the other two evolved. The Dhammapada is one of the most popular pieces of Theravada literature. A critical edition of the Dhammapada in Latin was produced by Danish scholar Viggo Fausbøll in 1855, becoming the first Pali text to receive this kind of examination by the European academic community.

Organization

The Pali Dhammapada contains 423 verses in 26 chapters (listed in Pali and English): Many of the themes within the Dhammapada are dichotomous. For example, contrasts between joy and suffering, virtuous action and misconduct, and truth and deceit recur throughout the text.

Excerpts

The following Pali verses and corresponding English translations are from Ānandajoti (2017), which also contains explanatory footnotes. {| cellspacing="20"

Chapter 1: Pairs (Yamakavaggo)

if with a base mind one speaks or acts, through that suffering follows him like a wheel follows the ox's foot.1 manasā ce paduṭṭhena bhāsati vā karoti vā, tato naṁ dukkham-anveti cakkaṁ va vahato padaṁ.'' if with pure mind one speaks or acts, through that happiness follows him like a shadow which does not depart. manasā ce pasannena bhāsati vā karoti vā, tato naṁ sukham-anveti chāyā va anapāyinī.'' ''they only cease with non-hatred, this truth is surely eternal. averena ca sammanti, esa dhammo sanantano.'' The translation of this simile is debated. Suddhaso Bhikku interprets the simile as "just as a track follows a wheel." He argues that other interpretations involve adding words that are not a direct translation of the original text. Specifically, cakkaṁ means wheel, va means as, vahato means following, and padaṁ means track, path, or foot.

Chapter 10: The Stick (Daṇḍavaggo)

while seeking happiness for himself, won't find happiness after death. while seeking happiness for himself, will find happiness after death. attano sukham-esāno, pecca so labhate sukhaṁ.'' for arrogant talk entails misery, and they might strike you back with a stick. dukkhā hi sārambhakathā, paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu' taṁ.''

Chapter 12: The Self (Attavaggo)

during one of the three watches of the night the wise one should stay alert. tiṇṇam-aññataraṁ yāmaṁ paṭijaggeyya paṇḍito.'' then one can advise another, the wise one should not have any defilement. athaññam-anusāseyya, na kilisseyya paṇḍito.'' being well-trained, he could surely train another, for it is said the self is difficult to train. sudanto vata dametha, attā hi kira duddamo.'' When the self is well-trained, one finds a friend that is hard to find. crushes the one who is stupid, as a diamond crushes a rock-jewel. abhimatthati dummedhaṁ vajiraṁ vasmamayaṁ maṇiṁ.'' makes himself the same as his enemy wishes him to be. karoti so tathattānaṁ yathā naṁ icchatī diso.'' but that which is beneficial and good is supremely hard to do. yaṁ ve hitañ-ca sādhuñ-ca taṁ ve paramadukkaraṁ.'' that stupid one, depending on wicked views, like the bamboo when it bears fruit, brings about his own destruction. paṭikkosati dummedho diṭṭhiṁ nissāya pāpikaṁ, phalāni kaṭṭhakasseva attaghaññāya phallati.'' by oneself is a wicked deed left undone, by oneself is one purified, purity and impurity come from oneself, for no one can purify another. attanā akataṁ pāpaṁ, attanā va visujjhati, suddhī asuddhī paccattaṁ, nāñño aññaṁ visodhaye.'' knowing what is good for oneself one should be intent on that good. atta-d-attham-abhiññāya sa-d-atthapasuto siyā.''

Chapter 13: The World (Lokavaggo)

one should not follow a wrong view, one should not foster worldliness. micchādiṭṭhiṁ na seveyya, na siyā lokavaḍḍhano.''

Chapter 14: The Buddha (Buddhavaggo)

the purification of one's mind - this is the teaching of the Buddhas. sacittapariyodapanaṁ - etaṁ Buddhāna' sāsanaṁ.''

Chapter 19: The One who stands by Dhamma (Dhammaṭṭhavaggo)

Chapter 20: The Path (Maggavaggo)

entering this path meditators will be released from the bonds of Māra. paṭipannā pamokkhanti jhāyino Mārabandhanā.'' then one grows tired of suffering – this is the path to purity. atha nibbindatī dukkhe – esa maggo visuddhiyā.'' then one grows tired of suffering – this is the path to purity. atha nibbindatī dukkhe – esa maggo visuddhiyā.'' then one grows tired of suffering – this is the path to purity. atha nibbindatī dukkhe – esa maggo visuddhiyā.''

Chapter 24: Craving (Taṇhāvaggo)

crawl round like a hare in a trap, therefore he should remove craving – the monk who longs for dispassion for himself. parisappanti saso va bādhito, tasmā tasiṇaṁ vinodaye – bhikkhu ākaṅkha' virāgam-attano.'' who always mindfully cultivates what is unattractive, will surely abolish this craving, he will cut off the bond of Māra. asubhaṁ bhāvayatī sadā sato, esa kho vyantikāhiti, esacchecchati Mārabandhanaṁ.''

English translations

See also online translations listed in External links.

Musical settings

Sources

Translations

Voice recordings