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    Wisdom of the Buddha: The Unabridged Dhammapada
    Wisdom of the Buddha: The Unabridged Dhammapada
    Wisdom of the Buddha: The Unabridged Dhammapada
    Ebook82 pages1 hour

    Wisdom of the Buddha: The Unabridged Dhammapada

    By Dover Publications

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    About this ebook

    Few of the sacred texts of the world's great religions present their wisdom with the clear simplicity of the verses of the Buddhist Dhammapada, or Path to Virtue. Its direct style, clarity, and beauty place it at the forefront of Buddhist sacred literature, and its noble intent raises it to the highest level of humanity's spiritual guides. Easily accessible to any reader, the Dhammapada offers a wealth of wisdom for the novice, as well as the most ardent and experienced of spiritual seekers.
    Gathered by Buddhist masters into related groups — "On Earnestness," "Flowers," "The Fool," "The Wise Man," "Happiness," "Pleasure" — these ancient texts transcend the limitations of time, tradition, and culture to express the ethical principle underlying all wise and compassionate philosophy and conduct. Here are the Four Truths that reveal the nature of the world and our lot in it; here also is the Eightfold Path, the way to enlightenment, incorporating the means to overcome the essential suffering revealed by the Four Truths as the essence of life. The Dhammapada serves as a coherent summation of the necessities for following the Eightfold Path as well as an encouraging and thought-provoking resource to consult along the way.
    Expressed with great beauty and translated with painstaking scholarship, this classic guide is certain to stimulate, challenge, and inspire students of religion and philosophy as well as all who thirst for enlightenment.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDover Publications
    Release dateJun 7, 2012
    ISBN9780486111827
    Wisdom of the Buddha: The Unabridged Dhammapada

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    Reviews for Wisdom of the Buddha

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      This is a lovely translation, but the word choices lean towards the Christan mind set.
    • 4/5
      There is wisdom here hidden in verse form and covered over with years of translation. After decoding it is a great insight into Goatama Buddha,
    • 4/5
      Much better than the Penguin edition.
    • 4/5
      This is a slim volume of Buddhist teachings- only a page or two per topic. It ranges from Anger, to Old Age. The wisdom presented is easily understood, but difficult to master. Regardless of what you believe, or religion you follow, there will be something for you to ponder on.
    • 5/5
      This is a golden nugget of a book - a tiny paperback containing tons of wisdom. Dhammapada (Dhamma in Pali, Dharma in Sanskrit - both meaning the Truth), the 423 aphorisms of the way of the Buddha, the Perfect Path, is translated from Pali language. The Introduction by Juan Mascaro, covering one third of the tiny book, is in itself a wonderful interpretation of what is to follow. A must book on one's bedside table.
    • 2/5
      The translation is a bit odd at times: Church for Sangha for instance. Not sure where the yin-yang on the cover comes from?I'm sure there are better translations of this pop collection of Lord Buddha's teachings, but I wouldn't know as after reading I went straight to Bhikkhu Bodhi's excellent translations of the Nikayas.
    • 5/5
      I doubt I have anything original to say about The Dhammapada, but I'll offer my tuppence-worth anyway.Its message is a deceptively simple one, in essence "be kind, be mindful". In that, as the editor of my edition, Juan Mascaró, says, it has a commonality with the essence of every major world religion. I guess the differences between religions are mainly in the particular cultural presentation of universal truths (and, perhaps, the lengths to which we go to justify deviating from the clearly marked path).The passages in the Dhammapada which particularly resonated for me on this reading were those that chime with the person-centred worldview based on the psychological theory of Carl R. Rogers. So, for example, chapters one and two (Contrary Ways and Watchfulness) had meaning for me in respect of Rogers' quality of Congruence: the awareness of the flow of thought and feeling in ourselves and how they arise and are more or less distorted through the lens of past experience and psychological defensiveness. Other chapters speak to me of the process of personality change and the movement from rigid, pre-defined views of the world, to a more fluid, in-the-moment 'way of being' (to borrow the title of one of Rogers' books). There are, for me, other correspondences (though I wouldn't go so far as to say there are exact matches throughout) which I won't elaborate on, but which added to the richness of my reading this time around.I find it fascinating that a secular, science-based approach to understanding the nature of being human can arrive at some very similar conclusions to those underlying our oldest religious traditions. This is why, as an atheist, I'm still interested in religion. It's part of who we are and the tendency towards religious ways of experiencing is likely to continue unabated as a part of us.I'm not personally inclined towards a belief in godhead, but the numinous feeling of universal oneness which I have sometimes (rarely) felt speaks to me of the deep relatedness which, at our best, we can recognise for each other as persons of intrinsic worth, regardless of any other perceived differences.
    • 3/5
      The Dhammapada, a collection of sayings of the Buddha, is certainly a book filled with wisdom from a very wise man. It was great to read it and, as a Christian, to be able to appreciate his insights into human nature and into the nature of reality. Buddhist spirituality has always deeply impressed me and I was certainly not disappointed by reading this book. Easwaran's notes are generally very helpful, though his constant need to compare Christianity and Christ, neither of which he seems to understand very well, with Buddhism and the Buddha was a bit annoying at times. Overall, I think this is a book from which much insight can be gained and I recommend it to others as well.
    • 5/5
      Simply beautiful! A reader can immerse oneself for days. An amazing translation. Beautiful! This book is small enough to carry around in a pocket, and I keep it with me at all times. It's that amazing.

    Book preview

    Wisdom of the Buddha - Dover Publications

    e9780486111827_cover.jpg style=max-width:80%e9780486111827_i0001.jpg

    DOVER THRIFT EDITIONS

    GENERAL EDITOR: PAUL NEGRI

    EDITOR OF THIS VOLUME: SUSAN L. RATTINER

    Copyright

    Copyright © 2000 by Dover Publications, Inc.

    All rights reserved under Pan American and International Copyright Conventions.

    Bibliographical Note

    This Dover edition, first published in 2000, is an unabridged republication of the Dhammapada, as published by The Colonial Press, New York, in 1900. A new introductory Note and explanatory footnotes have been specially prepared for the present edition.

    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

    Tipitaka. Suttapitaka. Khuddakanikaya. Dhammapada. English

    Wisdom of the Buddha : the unabridged Dhammapada / translated and edited by F. Max Müller.

    p. cm.—(Dover thrift editions)

    Includes index.

    9780486111827

    I. Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max), 1823—1900. II. Title. III. Series.

    BQ1372.E54 M85 2000

    294.3’82322—dc21

    99-088198

    Manufactured in the United States of America

    Dover Publications, Inc., 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y. 11501

    Note

    THE BASIC PRECEPTS of the Dhammapada endure as an inspiring chronicle of Buddhist thought and feeling. Transcending the boundaries of time and place, this great work comprising over four hundred proverbs is a vital component of the Pali Buddhist canon. One of the first Buddhist texts translated into English, the Dhammapada (or Path to Virtue) has appeared in thirty different languages and in over a hundred different versions. Its universal appeal stems from its eloquent reflections on the broader aspects of life as well as its relevance in day-to-day living. Attributed to the Buddha, this rich collection, subdivided into twenty-six distinct themes, forms a unified work of spiritual guidance.

    Although little is known about the Buddha’s life, he was born Gautama Siddhartha ca. 563 B.C. Brought up in the warrior caste (the ruling class), the Buddha left his wife and son to pursue truth at the age of twenty-nine. Six years later, he purportedly achieved enlightenment through intense meditation while under a tree. According to legend, the Hindu gods then appeared before him, encouraging him to preach to others what he had learned.

    Instilled in the powerful teachings of the Buddha is the ultimate goal of Nirvana, which is achieved through the awareness of four noble truths. The first noble truth is that man’s existence is dukkha, or full of misery. The second truth is that this misery originates from within ourselves; it is our own selfish craving for pleasure that leads to suffering. The realization that this misery can be eliminated is the third truth. Finally, strict discipline is required in the fourth Buddhist doctrine: following the methodical path or the Eightfold Path to liberation from this misery. The Eightfold Path—a means of overcoming this misery through rightness of belief, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, thought, and meditation—will lead the individual to Nirvana, or the end of the cycle (deliverance). A lack of adherence to these basic tenets reinforces the individual’s attachment to the unreal self, thus continuing the relentless cycle of birth and rebirth.

    The inherent code of ethics in the Dhammapada has withstood centuries of time and diverse civilizations. Underscoring this elemental handbook is a theme central to Buddhist thought, delivered best by the statement: The virtuous man is happy in this world, and he is happy in the next; he is happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he has done; he is still more happy when going on the good path. The initial stage in following the good path is, according to the Dhammapada, earnestness, for it denotes the power of self-reflection. This thoughtful contemplation marks the beginning of the individual’s journey to immortality (Nirvana).

    Table of Contents

    Title Page

    Copyright Page

    Note

    CHAPTER I - THE TWIN-VERSES

    CHAPTER II - ON EARNESTNESS

    CHAPTER III - THOUGHT

    CHAPTER IV - FLOWERS

    CHAPTER V - THE FOOL

    CHAPTER VI - THE WISE MAN

    CHAPTER VII - THE VENERABLE

    CHAPTER VIII - THE THOUSANDS

    CHAPTER IX - EVIL

    CHAPTER X - PUNISHMENT

    CHAPTER XI - OLD AGE

    CHAPTER XII - SELF

    CHAPTER XIII - THE

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