The Dhammapada
by Anonymous
'The Dhammapada' Summary
According to tradition, the Dhammapada's verses were spoken by the Buddha on various occasions. "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:
- "Gāndhārī Dharmapada" – a version possibly of Dharmaguptaka or Kāśyapīya origin in Gāndhārī written in Kharosthi script
- "Patna Dharmapada" – a version in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit,[14] most likely Sammatiya
- "Udānavarga" – a seemingly related Mula-Sarvastivada or Sarvastivada text in
- 3 Sanskrit versions
- a Tibetan translation, which is popular in traditional Tibetan Buddhism
- "Mahāvastu" – a Lokottaravāda text with parallels to verses in the Pāli Dhammapada's Sahassa Vagga and Bhikkhu Vagga.
- "FaJuJing 法句经" – 4 Chinese works; one of these appears to be an expanded translation of the Pali version; this has not traditionally been very popular.
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 considered one of the most popular pieces of Theravada literature. A critical edition of the Dhammapada 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.
Book Details
Author
Anonymous
Unknown
An anonymous author is a writer who has chosen to keep their identity hidden from their readers. The reasons for this decision can vary, and may include political or social persecution, personal priva...
More on AnonymousDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
Related books
Japan: An Attempt at Interpretation by Lafcadio Hearn
In this posthumously published book, he takes a closer look at Japan's religious history: How it developed from ancient beliefs into Shintoism, resist...
The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching by Irenaeus
Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History tells us that in addition to his great work Against Heresies, St Irenaeus wrote A Discourse in Demonstration of...
The Revelation of Law in Scripture by Patrick Fairbairn
It is a thought-provoking book that explores the concept of law as revealed in the scriptures. This book delves into the deep and complex topic of law...
Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3 by Charles Eliot
The author was a British diplomat posted to Asia and his great work was interrupted by World War I, finally being published in 1921. It has been descr...
Scripture Characters by Robert Smith Candlish
This captivating book offers young readers an engaging exploration of the fascinating individuals found within the pages of the Bible. "Scripture Char...
The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors, Volume 3 by Max Arthur Macauliffe
The Sikh religion is a fascinating and complex faith, and Volume 3 of Max Arthur Macauliffe's classic work provides a comprehensive overview of the li...
Commentary on Acts of the Apostles by Matthew Henry
An exhaustive verse-by-verse study of Acts, integrating it with both the Gospels and the Old Testament, by one of the more unconventional theologians...
Sermons of a Buddhist Abbot by Soyen Shaku
Look! it's the science of sitting, No! it's the science of meditating, No! it's Zen. If you wanted to know anything regarding Zen Buddhism and you did...
Buddhist Writings by Anonymous
An anthology of Buddhist scriptures, appropriate as an introduction to its vast literature, or as a sampler for those who want to better understand Bu...
A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life by Shantideva
Shantideva is particularly renowned as the author of the Bodhicaryavatara (sometimes also called the Bodhisattvacaryavatara). An English translation o...
Reviews for The Dhammapada
No reviews posted or approved, yet...