Dhammapada (Easwaran translation)
Encyclopedia
The Dhammapada / Introduced & Translated by Eknath Easwaran is an English-language book originally published in 1986. It contains Easwaran's
translation of the Dhammapada
, a Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha
himself. The book also contains a substantial overall introduction of about 70 pages, as well as introductory notes to each of the Dhammapadas 26 chapters. English-language editions have also been published in the UK
and India, and a re-translation of the full book has been published in German.
of the Dhammapada's 26 chapters. Selections from Easwaran's chapter titles, which in some cases differ from other translations, are shown in the table at right.
The 2007 edition contains a foreword in which Easwaran states that he translated the Dhammapada for "kindred spirits:" "men and women in every age and culture" who "thrill" to the Dhammapadas message that "the wider field of consciousness is our native land.... The world of the senses is just a base camp: we are meant to be as much at home in consciousness as in the world of physical reality."
Each US edition's Introduction opens with a claim, mentioned by several reviewers, about the value of the Dhammapada within the corpus of Buddhist literature:
The introduction states that the Dhammapada has "none of the stories, parables, and extended instruction that characterizes the main Buddhist scriptures, the sutras." Rather, the Dhammapada is
Each US edition's introduction has the same four major sections:
In each edition, short sections by Stephen Ruppenthal introduce individual chapters by providing background and clarifying Indian philosophical concepts. Many Buddhist philosophical terms are rendered in Sanskrit
, and about 30 such terms are defined in a glossary. Endnotes provide more detailed clarification of particular verses, and the second edition contains a 5-page index.
and Novak's
Buddhism: A Concise Introduction (2003),
Mountain Path
,
,
In Buddhism: A Concise Introduction, influential scholar of religion Huston Smith
and his coauthor Philip Novak
wrote that "Our favorite translation is Eknath Easwaran's The Dhammapada. His Indian heritage, literary gifts, and spiritual sensibilities... here produce a sublime rendering of the words of the Buddha. Verse after verse shimmers with quiet, confident authority;" the introduction is described as "sparkling." Elsewhere, the publishers quote Smith as stating that no one else in "modern times" is as qualified as Easwaran to translate the Dhammapada and other Indian spiritual classics.
In the Mountain Path
, P. S. Sundaram wrote that Easwaran
Sundaram also stated that in comparison to the Radhakrishnan translation of the Dhammapada
, "The present one... by Mr. Easwaran is superior to it in every way, introduction, translation and get-up, except only that it does not have the original [Pali] verses.... we may set Radhakrishnan's [translation] of the very first verse... beside Easwaran's.... The difference is the difference between a crib and a piece of literature, which is not the less faithful to the original for being a piece of literature."
In Life Positive, Suma Varughese wrote that
In Voice of Youth Advocates, Rakow and Capehart wrote that "The Buddha's direct teachings are poetic and arranged by theme... Introductory explanations to each verse will help young adult readers understand the text."
In other reviews, the translation was described as "exceptionally readable" (American Theosophist), or the introduction was described as "clear and lively" (Parabola
), or as "inspiring and comprehensive" (East West).
The review in East West also quoted the introduction's claim that
In 1989, The Guardian
listed the book among the top 5 best-sellers on Buddhism.
noted that among Dhammapada translations, Easwaran's had been "very popular." It also stated that because Easwaran situated the Dhammapada against the background of the Upanishads, his translation should be seen in the context of Hindu readings.
UK edition:; ISBN 1850630682 (208 pages)
Indian editions:; ISBN 818495073X (280 pages); Reprinted in 2010: ISBN 8184950926, ISBN 9788184950922 (275 pages).
German edition:; ISBN 3442217644 (284 pages)
Eknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian literature....
translation of the Dhammapada
Dhammapada
The Dhammapada is a versified Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself. It is one of the best-known texts from the Theravada canon....
, a Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
himself. The book also contains a substantial overall introduction of about 70 pages, as well as introductory notes to each of the Dhammapadas 26 chapters. English-language editions have also been published in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and India, and a re-translation of the full book has been published in German.
| Chapter Titles, Selected (Easwaran translation) |
| 1. Twin Verses |
| 3. Mind |
| 5. The Immature |
| 6. The Wise |
| 7. The Saint |
Topics covered
Both US editions of The Dhammapada contain Easwaran's general introduction, followed by his translations from the original PaliPáli
- External links :* *...
of the Dhammapada's 26 chapters. Selections from Easwaran's chapter titles, which in some cases differ from other translations, are shown in the table at right.
The 2007 edition contains a foreword in which Easwaran states that he translated the Dhammapada for "kindred spirits:" "men and women in every age and culture" who "thrill" to the Dhammapadas message that "the wider field of consciousness is our native land.... The world of the senses is just a base camp: we are meant to be as much at home in consciousness as in the world of physical reality."
Each US edition's Introduction opens with a claim, mentioned by several reviewers, about the value of the Dhammapada within the corpus of Buddhist literature:
| Selected Verses from Dhammapada (Easwaran translation): |
|
| 1.1. | All that we are is the result of what we have thought: we are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfish thoughts cause misery when they speak or act. Sorrows roll over them as the wheels of a cart roll over the tracks of the bullock that draws it. [1] |
| 3.1. | As an archer aims an arrow, the wise aim their restless thoughts, hard to aim, hard to restrain. [33] |
| 3.11. | More than your mother, more than your father, more than all your family, a well-disciplined mind does greater good. [43] |
| 20.3. | All the effort must be made by you; Buddhas only show the way. Follow this path and practice meditation; go beyond the power of Mara Mara (demon) In Buddhism, Māra is the demon that tempted Gautama Buddha by trying to seduce him with the vision of beautiful women who, in various legends, are often said to be Mara's daughters. In Buddhist cosmology, Mara personifies unwholesome impulses, unskillfulness, the "death" of the spiritual life... . [276] |
| 21.1. | If one who enjoys a lesser happiness beholds a greater one, let him leave aside the lesser to gain the greater. [290] |
"If all of the New TestamentNew TestamentThe New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
had been lost, it has been said, and only the Sermon on the MountSermon on the MountThe Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew...
had managed to survive these two thousand years of history, we would still have all that is necessary for following the teachings of Jesus the ChristJesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
..... Buddhist scripture is much more voluminous than the Bible, but... if everything else were lost, we would need nothing more than the DhammapadaDhammapadaThe Dhammapada is a versified Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself. It is one of the best-known texts from the Theravada canon....
to follow the way of the Buddha."
The introduction states that the Dhammapada has "none of the stories, parables, and extended instruction that characterizes the main Buddhist scriptures, the sutras." Rather, the Dhammapada is
a collection of vivid, practical verses, gathered probably from direct disciples who wanted to preserve what they had heard from the Buddha himself..... the equivalent of a handbook: a ready reference of the Buddha's teachings, condensed in haunting poetry and arranged by theme - anger, greed, fear, happiness, thought.
Each US edition's introduction has the same four major sections:
| 1. | The Buddha's World (pp. 14-27) |
A subsection on "The Legacy" describes the cultural context of Vedic religion Vedas The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.... , already millennia old, in which the Upanishads endorsed the "practice of spiritual disciplines to realize directly the divine ground of life.... as the human being's highest vocation." Describes concepts such as ritam Rta In the Vedic religion, Ṛta is the principle of natural order which regulates and coordinates the operation of the universe and everything within it. In the hymns of the Vedas, Ṛta is described as that which is ultimately responsible for the proper functioning of the natural, moral and sacrificial... (cosmic order), dharma Dharma Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender... , karma Karma Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies.... , rebirth Rebirth (Buddhism) Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the evolving consciousness or stream of consciousness upon death , becomes one of the contributing causes for the arising of a new aggregation... , and moksha Moksha Within Indian religions, moksha or mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.-Origins:It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed in... that "form the background of the Buddha's life and became the currency of his message." "The Buddha's Times" describes the world's and India's 6th century BCE cultural ferment - "Into this world, poised between the Vedic past and a new high-water mark of Indian culture, the Buddha was born.... squarely in the tradition of the Upanishads.... Yet [bringing] a genius all his own.... the joy in his message is the joy of knowing that he has found a way for everyone, not just great sages, to put an end to sorrow." |
| 2. | (pp. 28-63) >"The Wheel of Dharma Dharma Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender... " describes the Buddha's first sermon on the Four Noble Truths Four Noble Truths The Four Noble Truths are an important principle in Buddhism, classically taught by the Buddha in the Dharmacakra Pravartana Sūtra.... ; "The Years of Teaching" has parts covering The Homecoming, The Order of Women Bhikkhuni A bhikkhuni or bhikṣuṇī is a fully ordained female Buddhist monastic. Male monastics are called bhikkhus. Both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus live by the vinaya... , The Middle Path Middle way The Middle Way or Middle Path is the descriptive term that Siddhartha Gautama used to describe the character of the path he discovered that led to liberation. It was coined in the very first teaching that he delivered after his enlightenment... , Malunkyaputra (the Parable of the Arrow) Parable of the arrow The parable of the arrow is a Buddhist parable that illustrates the skeptic and pragmatic themes of the Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta which is part of the middle length discourses , one of the five sections of the Sutta Pitaka.-Narrative:The sutta begins at Jetavana where the monk Malunkyaputta is... , Teaching With an Open Hand, The Handfull of Mustard Seed Kisa Gotami Kisa Gotami was the wife of a wealthy man of Savatthi. Her story is one of the more famous ones in Buddhism. After losing her only child, Kisa Gotami became desperate and asked if anyone can help her. Her sorrow was so great that many thought she had already lost her mind... , The Clay Lamp, and The Last Entry into Nirvana. |
|
| 3. | (pp. 64-80) >Describes the Four Dhyanas Dhyāna in Buddhism Dhyāna in Sanskrit or jhāna in Pāli can refer to either meditation or meditative states. Equivalent terms are "Chán" in modern Chinese, "Zen" in Japanese, "Seon" in Korean, "Thien" in Vietnamese, and "Samten" in Tibetan.... . States that "scholars sometimes treat passage through the four dhyanas as a peculiarly Buddhist experience, but the Buddha's description tallies not only with Hindu authorities like Patanjali Patañjali Patañjali is the compiler of the Yoga Sūtras, an important collection of aphorisms on Yoga practice. According to tradition, the same Patañjali was also the author of the Mahābhāṣya, a commentary on Kātyāyana's vārttikas on Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī as well as an unspecified work of medicine .In... but also with Western mystics Mysticism Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:... like John of the Cross John of the Cross John of the Cross , born Juan de Yepes Álvarez, was a major figure of the Counter-Reformation, a Spanish mystic, Catholic saint, Carmelite friar and priest, born at Fontiveros, Old Castile.... , Teresa of Avila Teresa of Ávila Saint Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, baptized as Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada, was a prominent Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation, and theologian of contemplative life through mental prayer... , Augustine Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province... , and Meister Eckhart Meister Eckhart Eckhart von Hochheim O.P. , commonly known as Meister Eckhart, was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic, born near Gotha, in the Landgraviate of Thuringia in the Holy Roman Empire. Meister is German for "Master", referring to the academic title Magister in theologia he obtained in Paris... ." |
|
| 4. | (pp. 80-98) >States that the Buddha "in his own words, loved the world as a mother loves her only child. But... behind that immense compassion is the penetrating vision of a scientific mind." Subsections present the Buddha's views on "Personality" as a blend of five skandhas Skandha In Buddhist phenomenology and soteriology, the skandhas or khandhas are any of five types of phenomena that serve as objects of clinging and bases for a sense of self... ; "The World" as "shaped by our mind, for we become what we think" (verse 1.1); "Karma Karma Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies.... , Death and Birth," arguing that "placing physical phenomena and mind in the same field... leads to a view of the world that is elegant in its simplicity"; and that those who enter Nirvana Nirvana Nirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha... will "live to give, and their capacity to go on giving is a source of joy so great that it cannot be measured against any sensation the world offers. Without understanding this dimension, the Buddha's universe is an intellectually heady affair." |
In each edition, short sections by Stephen Ruppenthal introduce individual chapters by providing background and clarifying Indian philosophical concepts. Many Buddhist philosophical terms are rendered in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, and about 30 such terms are defined in a glossary. Endnotes provide more detailed clarification of particular verses, and the second edition contains a 5-page index.
Reception
Reviews have appeared in SmithHuston Smith
Huston Cummings Smith is a religious studies scholar in the United States. His book The World's Religions remains a popular introduction to comparative religion.-Education:...
and Novak's
Philip Novak
Philip Novak is a Sarlo Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Dominican University in San Rafael, California. He received a bachelors degree in English at University of Notre Dame , and MA and PhD degrees in Religion at Syracuse University .He joined the faculty of Dominican...
Buddhism: A Concise Introduction (2003),
Mountain Path
Mountain Path
The Mountain Path is an English-language quarterly magazine published by Sri Ramanasramam, the ashram founded by the devotees of Sri Ramana Maharshi. It was originally founded by Arthur Osborne....
,
Parabola (magazine)
Parabola: Where Spiritual Traditions Meet, whose founder and editor was D.M. Dooling, began publishing in 1976 as a quarterly magazine on the subjects of mythology and the world's religious and cultural traditions. It is published by The Society for the Study of Myth and Tradition, a not-for-profit...
,
In Buddhism: A Concise Introduction, influential scholar of religion Huston Smith
Huston Smith
Huston Cummings Smith is a religious studies scholar in the United States. His book The World's Religions remains a popular introduction to comparative religion.-Education:...
and his coauthor Philip Novak
Philip Novak
Philip Novak is a Sarlo Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Dominican University in San Rafael, California. He received a bachelors degree in English at University of Notre Dame , and MA and PhD degrees in Religion at Syracuse University .He joined the faculty of Dominican...
wrote that "Our favorite translation is Eknath Easwaran's The Dhammapada. His Indian heritage, literary gifts, and spiritual sensibilities... here produce a sublime rendering of the words of the Buddha. Verse after verse shimmers with quiet, confident authority;" the introduction is described as "sparkling." Elsewhere, the publishers quote Smith as stating that no one else in "modern times" is as qualified as Easwaran to translate the Dhammapada and other Indian spiritual classics.
In the Mountain Path
Mountain Path
The Mountain Path is an English-language quarterly magazine published by Sri Ramanasramam, the ashram founded by the devotees of Sri Ramana Maharshi. It was originally founded by Arthur Osborne....
, P. S. Sundaram wrote that Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian literature....
writes of mysticism not from the outside but as one who seems himself to have undergone the experience through profound... meditation. In his introduction he is less a guide post than a guide offering himself as a companion to the reader, and inviting him to take the plunge into the depths of being.
Sundaram also stated that in comparison to the Radhakrishnan translation of the Dhammapada
Dhammapada (Radhakrishnan translation)
The Dhammapada: With introductory essays, Pali text, English translation and notes is a 1950 book written by philosopher and President of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , about the Dhammapada, an important Buddhist scripture...
, "The present one... by Mr. Easwaran is superior to it in every way, introduction, translation and get-up, except only that it does not have the original [Pali] verses.... we may set Radhakrishnan's [translation] of the very first verse... beside Easwaran's.... The difference is the difference between a crib and a piece of literature, which is not the less faithful to the original for being a piece of literature."
In Life Positive, Suma Varughese wrote that
Dhammapada has a tone which is easy and contemporary. It is at once energetic and clear as well as mellifluous.... [and] has a limpid clarity that homes right in. As a vehicle of Buddhist thought, the Dhammapada's haunting poetry adds beauty and emotion to what can often seem a rigorously intellectual discipline.
Easwaran's
In Voice of Youth Advocates, Rakow and Capehart wrote that "The Buddha's direct teachings are poetic and arranged by theme... Introductory explanations to each verse will help young adult readers understand the text."
In other reviews, the translation was described as "exceptionally readable" (American Theosophist), or the introduction was described as "clear and lively" (Parabola
Parabola (magazine)
Parabola: Where Spiritual Traditions Meet, whose founder and editor was D.M. Dooling, began publishing in 1976 as a quarterly magazine on the subjects of mythology and the world's religious and cultural traditions. It is published by The Society for the Study of Myth and Tradition, a not-for-profit...
), or as "inspiring and comprehensive" (East West).
The review in East West also quoted the introduction's claim that
Dhammapadas] verses can be read and appreciated simply as wise philosophy; as such, they are part of the great literature of the world. But for those who would follow it to the end, the Dhammapada is a sure guide to nothing less than the highest goal life can offer: self-realization.
[The
In 1989, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
listed the book among the top 5 best-sellers on Buddhism.
Journal of Religious History
The Journal of Religious History is an international peer-reviewed academic journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Religious History Association. It covers current work in the history of religions...
noted that among Dhammapada translations, Easwaran's had been "very popular." It also stated that because Easwaran situated the Dhammapada against the background of the Upanishads, his translation should be seen in the context of Hindu readings.
Editions
English-language editions have been published in the US, the UK, and India. In the US, the book has also been issued by its original publisher as part of a series entitled Classics of Indian Spirituality. The stand-alone US editions are:; ISBN 1586380206 (275 pages); ISBN 9780915132386; ISBN 0915132389; ISBN 0915132370 (208 pages)UK edition:; ISBN 1850630682 (208 pages)
Indian editions:; ISBN 818495073X (280 pages); Reprinted in 2010: ISBN 8184950926, ISBN 9788184950922 (275 pages).
- ISBN 0140190147 (208 pages
German edition:; ISBN 3442217644 (284 pages)