Free Downloads The Dhammapada
For 2,500 years, The Dhammapada has been an essential Buddhist classic. Translated by Ananda Maitreya, the 100-year-old elder of Sri Lankan Buddhism.
Paperback: 114 pages
Publisher: Parallax Press; Reprint edition (August 9, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0938077872
ISBN-13: 978-0938077879
Product Dimensions: 3.8 x 0.4 x 6 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #88,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #29 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Eastern > Buddhism > Sacred Writings #52 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Ancient & Medieval Literature > Ancient & Classical #109 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Eastern > Buddhism > Zen > Spirituality
I have been reading several translations of the Dhammapada recently and came across this one and found it offers some things that the others do not.Since the original written form of the Dhammapada is in Pali, others have needed to take the time to translate it for us in the West. As in any translation, there are many words that offer multiple meanings. One person may interpret `dhukka' as `suffering', another may choose `stress', and yet another may decide `unsatisfactoriness'. As you can see, each can then be interpreted in our mind as one thing or another. By having several translations available I have been able to derive a deeper understanding.To begin with, the size makes this translation ideal for carrying in a shirt pocket or for having on hand in the car for a little Dhamma between red lights. Another feature I enjoy is this translation is from a monk. The editor is a layperson however, after her edits she spoke with the monk and explained why she made certain changes, (to make specific words more accessible to us in the West) and he agreed with the new updates. The monastic community obviously spends more time than most laypersons studying the Pali Canon so their translations, I have found, tend to be quite meaningful. Overall, the translations offered here are meaningful and poetic.Drawbacks? The introduction is a little shorter than other offerings and there are only a limited amount of notes. There is an interesting background to how the Dhammapada fits within the Pali Canon and the use of notes is helpful in understanding certain meanings, etc. Since the size would have been affected I'm sure this may have been one of the reasons they were not included. Again, by reading several translations you will be rewarded.
What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada The Dhammapada: A New Translation of the Buddhist Classic with Annotations The Dhammapada: The Path of Perfection (Penguin Classics) The Way of the Buddha: The Illustrated Dhammapada The Dhammapada Wisdom of the Buddha: The Unabridged Dhammapada (Dover Thrift Editions) The Dhammapada: The Sayings of the Buddha (Oxford World's Classics)
