For those familiar with Buddhist thought the Dhammapada needs no introduction. It remains today the most generally popular Buddhist text, and provides the reader with the heart and essence of Buddhist teachings. The venerable H. Summangala (high priest in Colombo, Sri Lanka during the late 19th century), explains the work’s origin:
“The Dhammapada is a compilation of verses, principally from the Sutrapitaka, made at the first great council of the Buddhist Church (which was held in the year after the passing away of our LORD BUDDHA, at the Sattapanni cave near Rajagriha, under the presidency of the great Mahakasyapa) and confirmed at the two succeeding councils. The selection was made as a sort of manual for the student of the spirit of true Buddhism, and almost all the purely moral sayings of our LORD are included in it.” 1
While the Dhammapada “may not contain the very words of Buddha, it does embody the spirit of Buddha’s teaching, summoning men to a process of strenuous mental and moral effort.” 2 It has become the chief source of guidance among the (southern) school of Theravada Buddhism, but is studied and adored by Buddhists of all schools. As we read and absorb the Dhammapada, the reason underlying its adoration becomes immediately clear, for this is not solely a work of sayings, nor merely a work of instruction, but becomes, for the sincere student, a work of ceaseless inspiration. In the Dhammapada we are given a glimpse into what Man may become, by a thorough contrast between virtue and vice. We are taught the true source of human suffering, and through illustration, analogy and directness are given the means by which it may be transcended.
Immediately upon opening the Dhammapada we are faced with the wonderful “twin verses”, wherein the stark contrast between the general condition and way of the masses and the way of the sage is made clear. The former harbours ill-thoughts, the latter does not; the former pursues pleasures with unrestrained senses, the latter is disciplined with sense restrained; on the former pour down desires like rainfall, while the latter remains sheltered; the former sees not the difference between truth and untruth, the latter sees clearly; the former suffers, the latter rejoices. 3
Upon completion of the first chapter, the mind of the sincere student cannot help but reflect upon their own condition, cannot help but see so much of the former in their life, and this is where the inspiration of the Dhammapada may enter the heart. For the Dhammapada, and Buddhism itself, is no pessimistic approach to life, but rather is uplifting, affirming, encouraging. We are not left to dwell helplessly, but are given, in the very first twin-verse, the key to all progress and thus to all true happiness:
Thought in the mind hath made us. What we are
By thought was wrought and built. If a man’s mind
Hath evil thoughts, pain comes on him as comes
The wheel the ox behind.All that we are is what we thought and willed;
Our thoughts shape us and frame. If one endure
In purity of thought, joy follows him
As his own shadow—sure. 4
Buddhism is a religion of responsibility. We are taught at the outset that our lives and our destiny are in our own hands, that what we are now was made by us, and so too what we may become. A heavy burden it may seem, but herein lies our greatest hope, our greatest promise: we shape our lives by our thoughts, by our mind—we can shape a world and a life of pain and suffering, or we can shape a world and life of peace and joy. The choice and the path is within us.
The Dhammapada teaches us the virtues we need to cultivate in order to pursue this path towards ever-greater peace, love and joy. We need to be vigilant, 5 it tells us, we need to cultivate meditation, perseverance and tranquility 6; we need discipline and self-control 7. But the Dhammapada is no fools-book; it recognizes the difficulty of the path ahead; Buddha knew fully how difficult it is to discipline the mind, to cultivate right-thought. We are encouraged simply to begin, to take the first steps and set ourselves upon this great task, and we are given tools by which we may find success.
But what stirs the heart to action, what motivates the sincere Buddhist, is the picture painted of the two results, one of ignorance, the other of wisdom. Chapters 5 and 6 show us two lives: that of the fool, and that of the wise man. The imperative is clear: choose, oh disciple. Who does not wish to be the wise-man? Who wishes to be the fool? Our choice is clear, simple and stark.
And yet the wise man is not the end, not the highest. The text proceeds to the life of the Sage, he who has freed himself in all ways, he whose appetites are slain, he who is patient like the earth, calm in thought, in speech, in action—for whom there are no rounds of births and deaths. 8 The illustration is of the potential that lies within us, waiting to be awakened, for the root-word budh, from which we have Buddha and Buddhism, means literally “to awaken”.
The text continues on, weaving its way through contrasts, illustrating the causes and path of suffering, illustrating again the causes and path of wisdom, bringing the student’s mind to a point of clarity, to an overview of human life, and of his own. Through it’s study, the Dhammapada raises us to a perspective of greater objectivity towards the whole state of Selfhood; examining the world at large, examining the inner world of our minds and hearts, examining again where these two meet and thus leading the disciple towards right-living. The journey of the Dhammapada threads its way through the essence of human life, and culminates, in utmost beauty and poetry, with the Buddha’s description of the true Brahmana, the pure-minded man, the free sage. A few selections will suffice to illustrate the heart-raising descriptions of that wonderful closing chapter:
Him I call a Brahamana for whom there is neither this nor the further shore. Fearless and free, he is beyond both. (385)
Him I call a Brahamana who is meditative, stainless, settled; whose duty is done and depravities gone; who has attained the highest end. (386)
Him I call a Brahamana who offends not by body, speech or mind; who is controlled in these three things. (391)
Him I call a Brahamana who has cut the straps of hatred, and the thong of craving, and the rope of heresies and its appurtenances of latent tendencies, who has burst the bar of ignorance and has awakened. (398)
Him I call Brahamana from whom desires drop like water from a lotus leaf or mustard seed on the point of an awl. (401)
Him I call a Brahamana who puts away his rod, who kills not, nor causes others to kill any creature, feeble or strong. (405)
Him I call a Brahamana who is friendly among the hostile, mild among the violent, ungrasping among the greedy. (406)
Him I call a Brahamana whose speech is truthful, gentle, instructive, which offends no one. (408)
Him I call a Brahamana who here is above the bondage of merit and demerit, who is free from grief, free from poison and who is pure. (412)
Him I call a Brahamana who like the moon is stainless, pure, serene and clear, and who delights not in existence. (413)
Him I call a Brahamana who is fearless like a bull, who is pre-eminent and of dauntless energy, who is a sage-seer, who has conquered all, even death—the sinless one, the enlightened. (422) 9
This lofty view of the true Brahmana is the heritage of all mankind, it is the potential that lies latent within each and every one of us. We make our lives with our thoughts, the Dhammapada tells us, and this, this is what is possible for us! This is the divine human, the true being within, the inner Buddha, waiting to be awakened in the deep recesses of our hearts. And Gautama Buddha, the Enlightened One, urges us, encourages us, inspires us to become that Buddha.
1. “The Dhammapada”, Lucifer, Vol. 4, August, 1889.
2. Introduction, p.1, Dhammapada, tr. S. Radhakrishnan, 1950.
3. Chapter 1, “Yamakavagga”, the “Twin verses”.
4. Chapter 1, verses 1-2, translated in verse by Edwin Arnold.
5. Chapter 2, verse 1.
6. Chapter 2, verse 3.
7. Chapter 2, verse 5.
8. Chapter 7, “Arahatavagga”.
9. Chapter 26, “Brahmanavagga”, quoted from the Theosophy Company Rendition.
We’ve gathered together a few of our favorite translations of the Dhammapada, and invite all students to spend some time with them.
https://www.universaltheosophy.com/legacy/movements/ancient-east/buddhism/the-dhammapada/
We also wish to present here a rare translation of the first chapter of the Dhammapada, composed by Sir. Edwin Arnold, whose “Light of Asia” and rendition of the Bhagavad Gita are familiar to many. The following translation was printed in Lucifer Magazine in August of 1889:
A POETICAL TRANSLATION OF CHAPTER I.
OF
THE DHAMMAPADA.
BY SIR EDWIN ARNOLD, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.
Author of “The Light of Asia,” &c.
Thought in the mind hath made us. What we are
By thought was wrought and built. If a man’s mind
Hath evil thoughts, pain comes on him as comes
The wheel the ox behind.
All that we are is what we thought and willed;
Our thoughts shape us and frame. If one endure
In purity of thought, joy follows him
As his own shadow—sure.
“He hath defamed me, wronged me, injured me,
Abased me, beaten me!” If one should keep
Thoughts like these angry words within his breast
Hatreds will never sleep.
“He hath defamed me, wronged me, injured me,
Abased me, beaten me!” If one shall send
Such angry words away for pardoning thoughts
Hatreds will have an end.
For never anywhere at any time
Did hatred cease by hatred. Always ’tis
By love that hatred ceases—only Love,
The ancient Law is this.
The many, who are foolish, have forgot—
Or never knew—how mortal wrongs pass by:
But they who know and who remember, let
Transient quarrels die.
Whoso abides, looking for joy, unschooled,
Gluttonous, weak, in idle luxuries,
Mara will overthrow him, as fierce winds
Level short-rooted trees.
Whoso abides, disowning joys, controlled,
Temperate, faithful, strong, shunning all ill,
Mara shall no more overthrow that man
Than the wind doth a hill.
Whoso Kâshya wears—the yellow robe—
Being anishkashya1—not sin-free,
Nor heeding truth and governance—unfit
To wear that dress is he.
But whoso, being nishkashya, pure,
Clean from offence, doth still in virtues dwell,
Regarding temperance and truth—that man
Weareth Kâshya well.
Whoso imagines truth in the untrue,
And in the true finds untruth—he expires
Never attaining knowledge: life is waste;
He follows vain desires.
Whoso discerns in truth the true, and sees
The false in falseness with unblinded eye,
He shall attain to knowledge; life with such
Aims well before it die.
As rain breaks through an ill-thatched roof, so break
Passions through minds that holy thought despise;
As rain runs from a perfect thatch, so run
Passions from off the wise.
The evil-doer mourneth in this world,
And mourneth in the world to come; in both
He grieveth. When he sees fruits of his deeds
To see he will be loath;
The righteous man rejoiceth in this world
And in the world to come: in both he takes
Pleasure. When he shall see fruit of his works
The good sight gladness makes.
Glad is he living, glad in dying, glad
Having once died; glad always, glad to know
What good deeds he hath done, glad to foresee
More good where he shall go.
The lawless man, who, not obeying LAW,
Leaf after leaf recites, and line by line,
No Buddhist is he, but a foolish herd
Who counts another’s kine.
The law-obeying, loving one, who knows
Only one verse of DHARMA, but hath ceased
From envy, hatred, malice, foolishness—
He is the Buddhist Priest.
London, May 14th, 1889.
EDWIN ARNOLD.
1. There is a play here upon the words Kâshya, “the yellow robe” of the Buddhist Priest, and Kashya, “impurity.”
