The Dhammapada

a book

The Dhammapada

Eknath Easwaran · 2001 · 256 pages

Easwaran’s best-selling translation of this classic Buddhist text is reliable, readable, and profound.

Dhammapada means "the path of dharma," the path of harmony and righteousness that anyone can follow to reach the highest good. The Dhammapada is a collection of verses, gathered probably from direct disciples who wanted to preserve what they had heard from the Buddha himself.

Easwaran's comprehensive introduction to the Dhammapada gives an overview of the Buddha's teachings that is penetrating, and clear - accessible for readers new to Buddhism, but also with fresh insights and practical applications for readers familiar with this text. His translation is based on the original Pali. Chapter introductions, notes and a Sanskrit glossary place individual verses into the context of the broader Buddhist canon. 

Easwaran is a master storyteller, and the introduction includes many stories that make moving, memorable reading, bringing young Siddhartha and his heroic spiritual quest vividly to life. This faithful interpretation brings us closer to the compassionate heart of the Buddha.

recommended by 3 people

sourced from public statements

books like The Dhammapada

other books recommended by the same people who recommend this one

  1. Don Quixote

    Don Quixote

    Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

    2 shared recommenders

  2. The Drama of the Gifted Child

    The Drama of the Gifted Child

    Alice Miller

    2 shared recommenders

  3. The Scourge of the Swastika

    The Scourge of the Swastika

    Edward Frederick Langley Russell

    2 shared recommenders

  4. Winnie-the-Pooh: Classic Gift Edition

    Winnie-the-Pooh: Classic Gift Edition

    A. A. Milne

    2 shared recommenders