Dhammapada

The Dhammapada (Pali, translates as Path of the Dharma. Also Prakrit Dhamapada, Sanskrit Dharmapada) is a Buddhist religious scripture, containing 423 verses in 26 categories. According to tradition, these are answers to questions put to the Buddha on various occasions, most of which deal with ethics. A fifth century commentary by Buddhaghosa includes 305 stories which give context to the verses.

The Dhammapada is a popular section of the Pali Tipitaka and is considered one of the most important pieces of Theravada literature.

Although the Pali edition is the most well known, a Gandhari edition written in Kharosthi and a seemingly related text in Sanskrit known as the Udanavarga have also been discovered.

Excerpt from the Dhammapada

Check your mind,

Be on your guard,

Pull yourself out,

As an elephant from mud.

— xxiii.8

References

• Brough, John. The Gandhari Dharmapada. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited. Delhi, 2001. Dhammapada

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