Dhammapada: Buddhist classics series

The Dhammapada is one of the most popular and influential of Buddhist scriptures. The universality of its message, the depth of its teaching, and the refined simplicity of its language have earned it an honoured place in world literature. It can be taken as a straightforward and practical summary of the essential teachings of the Buddha, but much more than that, the Dhammapada is a poetic representation of a sublime spiritual ideal. This new translation seeks to inspire and encourage the qualities of kindness, gentleness and self-control, of simplicity, contentment and serenity, commended by the Buddha himself. These qualities lead, in time, to the enjoyment of that vision of the truth that can satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. Contents......Page 1 Contents......Page 2 Preface......Page 3 Pairs......Page 8 Mindfulness......Page 11 The Mind......Page 13 Flowers......Page 15 The Spiritually Immature......Page 17 The Spiritually Mature......Page 19 The (Supremely) Worthy......Page 21 The Thousands......Page 23 Evil......Page 25 Punishment......Page 27 Decay......Page 29 Self......Page 31 The World......Page 33 The Enlightened One......Page 35 Happiness......Page 38 Affections......Page 40 Anger......Page 42 Stains......Page 44 The Man of Principle......Page 47 The Way......Page 49 The Miscellaneous......Page 52 The Woeful State......Page 54 The Elephant......Page 56 Craving......Page 58 The Almsman......Page 62 The Brahmana......Page 65 Notes......Page 70 Glossary......Page 73 Further Reading......Page 75

Experiences are preceded by mind, led by mind, and produced by mind. If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows like a shadow that never departs.

One of the seminal texts in the Buddhist literary canon, the Dhammapada presents the timeless wisdom of the Buddha. This edition is introduced and translated by the founder of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) and is annotated to help the reader gain a deeper understanding.

Sangharakshita is the founder of FWBO, a worldwide Buddhist movement. He spent many years living as a monk in India and studying Buddhism. With a lifetime of teaching experience, he is the author of over forty titles published by Windhorse Publications.