Dhammapada

Dhammapada

by Mahesh Kumar Sharan


The Dhammapada is a collection of 423 verses in classical Pali language arranged in 26 chapters according to the subject-matter. As an authentic guide to seekers of Nirvana, the Dhammapada seems to present us with a complete perspective of the way to Nirvana.


The word Dhamma means Nirvana and the word Pada means the way. In other words Dhammapada has been interpreted in the sense of "The way to Nirvana". Dhammapada has the same place in Buddhism as the Gita in Hinduism.


The Dhammapada is the most wonderful, distinguished and unique collection of euphonic, euphemistic verses of the Lord Buddha. It is the best collection of Tripitaka's Buddhist philosophical, moral and spiritual teachings.


All the verses of the text are fine, beautiful, melodious and are like glittering gems. This wonderful book has been captivating the hearts of scholars and saints from East and West alike from the remote past to present day.


For centuries past it has influenced the life and career of great men. Through these verses, the Buddha exhorts one to achieve the greatest of all conquests— die conquest of self; to escape from the evils of passion, hatred and ignorance and to strive hard to attain freedom from the cycle of rebirth. From Sanyutta Nikaya we know that the Dhammapada is meant for the manifold elevation and welfare of the human beings. The religious aspect dealt with in Dhammapada is Arya.