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丕賱丿丕賲丕亘丕丿丕: 爻亘賷賱 丕賱亘賵匕丕
诰匕丕 诰賵 丕賱賳賻賾氐 丕賱兀卮诰乇 賵丕賱兀噩賲賱 賵丕賱賲賵噩夭 賱鬲毓丕賱蹖賲 丕賱亘賵匕丕.
亘賱睾鬲 卮毓亘蹖鬲賴 賵賲賰丕賳鬲賴 丕賱賲鬲賮乇丿丞 賲氐丕賮 丕賱兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱賰亘乇賶 丕賱賲丐孬乇丞 賮賷 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳蹖丞 賰賱诰丕.
賳購賯丿賽賾賲賴 丕賱蹖賵賲 亘鬲乇噩賲丞 噩賲蹖賱丞 賱賲丨賲丿 毓亘丿 丕賱賳亘賷.
芦賲丕 兀爻诰賱 兀賳 賳乇賶 毓蹖賵亘 丕賱丌禺乇蹖賳貙 賵賲丕 兀氐毓亘 兀賳 賳乇賶 毓蹖賵亘賳丕 賳丨賳. 蹖賮囟丨購 丕賱賲乇亍 毓蹖賵亘賻 丕賱丌禺乇蹖賳 賰賲丕
蹖匕乇賷 丕賱賮賱丕丨 賯卮賵乇 丕賱賯賲丨貙 賱賰賳诰 蹖賵丕乇賷 毓蹖賵亘 賳賮爻诰 賰賲丕 蹖鬲賵丕乇賶 丕賱氐丕卅丿 丕賱賲丕賰乇 賵乇丕亍 兀睾氐丕賳賺 賲夭蹖賮丞禄
芦賱蹖爻鬲 賯蹖賵丿賸丕 卮丿蹖丿丞貙 诰賰匕丕 蹖賯賵賱 丕賱丨賰蹖賲貙 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲氐賳賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱丨丿蹖丿 兀賵 丕賱禺卮亘 兀賵 禺蹖賵胤 丕賱賯賳亘. 兀賲丕 丕賱賮鬲賳丞
亘丕賱丨賱賷 賵丕賱噩賵丕诰乇貙 丕賱賮鬲賳丞 亘丕賱賲丕賱 賵丕賱亘賳蹖賳 賵丕賱賳爻丕亍貙 賮鬲賱賰貙 蹖賯賵賱 丕賱丨賰蹖賲貙 诰賷 丕賱賯蹖賵丿 丕賱兀卮丿 丕賱鬲賷 鬲兀禺匕 丕賱乇噩賱
廿賱賶 丕賱丿乇賰 丕賱兀爻賮賱貙 乇睾賲 兀賳诰丕 賮賷 丕賱馗丕诰乇 鬲亘丿賵 賮囟賮丕囟丞 睾蹖乇 賲購丨賰賲丞貙 賱賰賳 賲丕 兀卮賯 丕賱鬲禺賱氐 賲賳诰丕. 賵鬲賱賰
兀蹖囟賸丕 蹖賯鬲賱毓诰丕 丕賱丨賰蹖賲. 丕賱兀丨乇丕乇 蹖鬲禺賱賵賳 毓賳 丕賱丿賳蹖丕貙 賲購賯賱毓蹖賳 毓賳 賰賱 賲鬲毓丞賺 賱賱丨賵丕爻貙 賲賳 睾蹖乇 丨賻賳蹖賳賺 賵賱丕 鬲賵賯禄
亘賱睾鬲 卮毓亘蹖鬲賴 賵賲賰丕賳鬲賴 丕賱賲鬲賮乇丿丞 賲氐丕賮 丕賱兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱賰亘乇賶 丕賱賲丐孬乇丞 賮賷 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳蹖丞 賰賱诰丕.
賳購賯丿賽賾賲賴 丕賱蹖賵賲 亘鬲乇噩賲丞 噩賲蹖賱丞 賱賲丨賲丿 毓亘丿 丕賱賳亘賷.
芦賲丕 兀爻诰賱 兀賳 賳乇賶 毓蹖賵亘 丕賱丌禺乇蹖賳貙 賵賲丕 兀氐毓亘 兀賳 賳乇賶 毓蹖賵亘賳丕 賳丨賳. 蹖賮囟丨購 丕賱賲乇亍 毓蹖賵亘賻 丕賱丌禺乇蹖賳 賰賲丕
蹖匕乇賷 丕賱賮賱丕丨 賯卮賵乇 丕賱賯賲丨貙 賱賰賳诰 蹖賵丕乇賷 毓蹖賵亘 賳賮爻诰 賰賲丕 蹖鬲賵丕乇賶 丕賱氐丕卅丿 丕賱賲丕賰乇 賵乇丕亍 兀睾氐丕賳賺 賲夭蹖賮丞禄
芦賱蹖爻鬲 賯蹖賵丿賸丕 卮丿蹖丿丞貙 诰賰匕丕 蹖賯賵賱 丕賱丨賰蹖賲貙 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲氐賳賵毓丞 賲賳 丕賱丨丿蹖丿 兀賵 丕賱禺卮亘 兀賵 禺蹖賵胤 丕賱賯賳亘. 兀賲丕 丕賱賮鬲賳丞
亘丕賱丨賱賷 賵丕賱噩賵丕诰乇貙 丕賱賮鬲賳丞 亘丕賱賲丕賱 賵丕賱亘賳蹖賳 賵丕賱賳爻丕亍貙 賮鬲賱賰貙 蹖賯賵賱 丕賱丨賰蹖賲貙 诰賷 丕賱賯蹖賵丿 丕賱兀卮丿 丕賱鬲賷 鬲兀禺匕 丕賱乇噩賱
廿賱賶 丕賱丿乇賰 丕賱兀爻賮賱貙 乇睾賲 兀賳诰丕 賮賷 丕賱馗丕诰乇 鬲亘丿賵 賮囟賮丕囟丞 睾蹖乇 賲購丨賰賲丞貙 賱賰賳 賲丕 兀卮賯 丕賱鬲禺賱氐 賲賳诰丕. 賵鬲賱賰
兀蹖囟賸丕 蹖賯鬲賱毓诰丕 丕賱丨賰蹖賲. 丕賱兀丨乇丕乇 蹖鬲禺賱賵賳 毓賳 丕賱丿賳蹖丕貙 賲購賯賱毓蹖賳 毓賳 賰賱 賲鬲毓丞賺 賱賱丨賵丕爻貙 賲賳 睾蹖乇 丨賻賳蹖賳賺 賵賱丕 鬲賵賯禄
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 401
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,416 reviews
July 18, 2016
This really is the ultimate guide to optimism, positive thinking and, in a sense, idealistic happiness. Some of the ideas in here speak with clarity and wisdom, the logic behind them is clear and strong; however, I know that practising them is not an easy thing. I tried some of them for a time, a few were easy. Simple things like forgiveness and proactive thinking aren鈥檛 too complex or difficult to put into practice, but others require a great deal of willpower and perhaps a deep understanding of the concepts themselves.
I have to be careful what I say here, these are religious matters after all. I don鈥檛 wish to offend in my ramblings. Some of the teachings in here feel vague and a little unobtainable. The section on transient pleasure was particularly so. It suggests that being free of things such as passion, pleasure and lust will subsequently prevent fear and sorrow. Isn鈥檛 passion a good thing? Can one not be passionate about something and use it to do kindness? Can pleasure then not be derived from such an act? Could this not create lust, a drive of further perusal, in such a passionate thing? Would this not make one happy as well as kind? I don鈥檛 understand the logic behind the offered argument. It doesn鈥檛 make a great deal of sense to me, so I need to read more about this subject.
This wasn鈥檛 all negative for me, far from it. There are a lot of inspirational passages in here; there are a lot of inspirational things in the Buddhist ethos. Such as these:
鈥淭he one who has conquered himself is a far greater hero than he who has defeated a thousand times a thousand men.鈥�
鈥淵ou are what you think. All that you are arises from your thoughts. With your thoughts you make your world.鈥�
These words are very powerful, indeed.
I find many of the ideas attractive and convincing, those on the treatment of animals especially so. But, there were several I found hard to grasp. Perhaps this isn鈥檛 the best introductory text; perhaps I should try something else. I鈥檓 thinking of reading a book on modern Buddhism because I may find that more directly accessible. This may help clear up some of the issues I had with this it; it may allow me to understand the way of thought more clearly. It may also be the way this has been edited down. I鈥檝e had problems with a few of these issues in the past; it may be that some vital information has been taken out so, along with a contemporary guide, I鈥檓 going to buy a full version of this which may make me reconsider some of my thoughts.
Penguin Little Black Classic- 80
The Little Black Classic Collection by penguin looks like it contains lots of hidden gems. I couldn鈥檛 help it; they looked so good that I went and bought them all. I shall post a short review after reading each one. No doubt it will take me several months to get through all of them! Hopefully I will find some classic authors, from across the ages, that I may not have come across had I not bought this collection.
I have to be careful what I say here, these are religious matters after all. I don鈥檛 wish to offend in my ramblings. Some of the teachings in here feel vague and a little unobtainable. The section on transient pleasure was particularly so. It suggests that being free of things such as passion, pleasure and lust will subsequently prevent fear and sorrow. Isn鈥檛 passion a good thing? Can one not be passionate about something and use it to do kindness? Can pleasure then not be derived from such an act? Could this not create lust, a drive of further perusal, in such a passionate thing? Would this not make one happy as well as kind? I don鈥檛 understand the logic behind the offered argument. It doesn鈥檛 make a great deal of sense to me, so I need to read more about this subject.
This wasn鈥檛 all negative for me, far from it. There are a lot of inspirational passages in here; there are a lot of inspirational things in the Buddhist ethos. Such as these:
鈥淭he one who has conquered himself is a far greater hero than he who has defeated a thousand times a thousand men.鈥�
鈥淵ou are what you think. All that you are arises from your thoughts. With your thoughts you make your world.鈥�
These words are very powerful, indeed.
I find many of the ideas attractive and convincing, those on the treatment of animals especially so. But, there were several I found hard to grasp. Perhaps this isn鈥檛 the best introductory text; perhaps I should try something else. I鈥檓 thinking of reading a book on modern Buddhism because I may find that more directly accessible. This may help clear up some of the issues I had with this it; it may allow me to understand the way of thought more clearly. It may also be the way this has been edited down. I鈥檝e had problems with a few of these issues in the past; it may be that some vital information has been taken out so, along with a contemporary guide, I鈥檓 going to buy a full version of this which may make me reconsider some of my thoughts.
Penguin Little Black Classic- 80
The Little Black Classic Collection by penguin looks like it contains lots of hidden gems. I couldn鈥檛 help it; they looked so good that I went and bought them all. I shall post a short review after reading each one. No doubt it will take me several months to get through all of them! Hopefully I will find some classic authors, from across the ages, that I may not have come across had I not bought this collection.
June 15, 2015
The Dhammapada is a collection of Budist writings. These explain their chor beliefs. I found this a very intreaguing read. I am a Christian but I find it very informative to study other people's belief system. The Budist's beliefs are based primarily on love but it has a very practical side of how to conduct one's life here on earth. It does not speak to much of the life her-after. I plan to study further into the Budist religion to gain a more informative opinion. I would recommend every one study the major religeons to come to their own beliefs.
Be Blessed.
Diamond
Be Blessed.
Diamond
October 14, 2020
Penguin Classics edition, translated by Juan Mascar贸
Most of this is slightly-edited versions of drafts from 2015. I'm posting in 2020, and have by now found an apparent answer to the main problem I had with the text, and which was my reason for giving it three stars - that it has nothing very useful to say about or to certain kinds of people, some of whom might beat themselves up for being unable to follow its teachings. As that answer - which I go into more at the end of the post, and which is about karma - comes from modern Western Buddhism, it may not align with the schools where the Dhammapada originates, never mind the views of the original sages who composed it. But, for me at least, it helped things fall into place, and perhaps it might for others who are not systematically studying Buddhism. In the square brackets are bits I've added to the 2015 drafts.
--------
1.
A couple of other reviews comment that the Dhammapada is elitist or aristocratic. In this translation, that doesn't come across in so many words 鈥� however, it's clear it's addressed to strong healthy people who are able to be consistent. It's rather severe and unforgiving 鈥� and the tone is one that could easily lead to smugness and arrogance in those who feel they are following its path. (Humility and not self-seeking are mentioned occasionally, but the text spends a lot of time bigging up the followers of this path and denigrating others. A tone familiar from parts of the Bible and other Christian texts.)
The low rating is partly because this book isn't therefore addressed to me, or to quite a few other people I've known, as friends, partners or through my old work. It's not for those who aren't able to do much to help others and more often find themselves on the receiving end of help, or where forgetfulness can hinder new habits, or who have cycles of being worse for a while and better for a while, physically and/or mentally, without the consistent progress expected here. Never mind, for instance, those with certain learning disabilities, or people who were severely abused and can't always control themselves no matter how much they try (uppermost in my mind because I've read the beginning of James Rhodes' memoir Instrumental a couple of times and am waiting for it to become cheaper or borrowable), or perfectly nice people who get autistic-type meltdowns. It's often said that the greatest philosophical puzzle as regards religion is evil. I've always considered it to be people who can't help being mean because of an organic or severe psychological issue (whereas some 'evil' comes about simply because of social conditioning and norms of a time and place, e.g many Nazi soldiers) 鈥� but religions developed at times when these issues weren't scientifically understood, or when far fewer people survived long enough to suffer from these problems at all, or, with reference to lifelong issues, become adults. [In Europe 200+ years ago, some of these would have been done away with ; it seems likely there would have been similar practices elsewhere in the world.]
And that's why spiritual practice texts don't mention these people: they weren't present in significant numbers, or were implicitly written off unless the guru could deliver them in short order from their possession. [Though there must have been some monks prone to terrible bursts of temper, or who were forgetful and backsliding, and accepted for other reasons.] I'd rather this came across as an interesting point about historical contrasts, than as a rant about ablism. Not everything can be about everyone - I know that and I think that's correct. And an old book like this one is also a historical document. [A new modern edition could address this stuff in the introduction, however.]
Though one of the pitfalls I took much too long to realise about spiritual texts like this, or many self-help books, is that if you aren't very obviously not in the target group, just in a position that means you'll find things a bit more difficult than average, and haven't worked out what you need to filter, they can lead to tiring yourself out with excessively high expectations, beating yourself up, and overall feeling worse. For much modern self-help, you can learn to interpolate exceptions writers would make if they knew what life was like for everyone reading. With ancient advice like the Dhammapada it's more likely they meant to exclude in the first place.
2.
鈥�1/3 of which is Mascar贸's introduction, written in 1971. It's unusual for a Penguin Classic intro, being written from the viewpoint of a believer; there's still textual analysis, but much of that is a syncretic comparison of Buddhist ideas and excerpts of the Dhammapada with other religions' writings: the Bhagavad Gita (which he also translated), Hebrew philosophers, St Teresa, and Romantic poets. (I was hoping to fit in Father Ted's That would be an ecumenical matter somewhere, but unfortunately that term's specifically Christian. [Before the Graham Linehan trans mess.])
I was reading the Dhammapada mostly to have finally read it, but during the introduction had an epiphany which solved a philosophical (?) problem that had bothered me for eight years, approximately as long as I've had the book. Possibly I'd have got there quicker had I talked to others about it, but people who take this sort of thing relatively seriously and who don't entirely reject hedonism, and understand the relevant experiences aren't too easily found. (Well, on points 1 and 2, I suppose there was the time when, during a yoga class in London, I was next to Russell Brand the whole time and didn't realise who he was until we were in the lobby, but yeah, no thanks*.)
The problem is arguably more about contemporary 'mindfulness training' than about this 2500-year-old Pali text. These ways of thinking are supposed to be permanent, to prepare you for anything. But there are times when the mind cannot master the nervous system, times when the hardware becomes too damaged for the software to run properly, or at all. One obvious example, though distant to a lot of younger site users, is dementia. Other neurological problems also exist, intermittent or degenerative. Buddhism is a philosophy addressing impermanence; learning to be calm about things including impermanence is part of it - yet one that supposes the practitioner will always retain the calm if properly trained, and that if they don't, they need to try harder. But logically that can't be so for 100% of cases: it can be that the ability has gone, or is deteriorating, including at times of great need and trouble for which this training is implicitly intended. [A problem of horrible tragic irony; and in modern geek terms, the hardware can't run the software.]
Also, what if concentrating on breathing during meditation makes someone more aware of times when it has been, or when it will be, difficult to breathe for reasons beyond the mind's control? Concentrating on one's own breathing may be less calming than concentrating on an action movie!
(So many words to explain things that felt, in my head, like a couple of two-clause sentences.) [And it's an idea that's now a routine part of my world, and which feels on a certain level like it must have been there for more than five years. Strange to be confronted with notes from the moment when I first had the epiphany.]
What's perhaps neglected about meditation in general is that it, or feelings of calm can be enjoyable. [May have originally been related to the philosophy of non-attachment, and then, as mindfulness became more corporate, the general western idea of things that are good for you not being enjoyable.] It's often presented as something which is healthy but not exactly fun.
But if you're prone to a repeated sports injury, physical activities (as long as they don't directly set it off) can be fun at the times you're able to do them, even if you always are at a beginner-ish level in something you've spent years on and would love to be good at. When you're old you might not be able to do the sport at all. [i.e. Meditation has the potential to be enjoyable even if you have thought about, or can remember, times when you are unable to do it because of some illness. But it can be easier to get lost in sport, in flow, than in meditation, especially in emptying-the-mind meditations. Meditations in which you focus on something are better for that, and you can focus on things other than breathing.] Sport is a more wholesome analogy than the one I first thought of - a holiday, or sex, or a night out [to throw yourself into and make the most of while you can]. That's what first occurred to me though. With those hedonistic activities it's obvious you can't do them all the time - even if some celebrities try - but it's assumed everywhere about mindfulness that you will always be able to do it. In the past I'd looked through books on mindfulness for pain which I assumed would discuss this, but they didn't. Bit of an oversight, surely - that no one talks about when people can't actually do it temporarily, or permanently.
I couldn't have got to this realisation without having spent a long time not reading about mindfulness or Buddhism [after I first learnt much about them circa 2007-8. I find that these long gaps of being immersed in the real world after learning a discipline lead to more useful insights and integration of the topic with the rest of life than being 'inside' a subject constantly for years on end. That was certainly the case for me with psychology.] An analogy between meditation and sport or sex rejects central principles of Buddhism, like distancing oneself from worldly, sensory experience; it treats Buddhist practices as sensory, worldly experience. But if you don't believe in a life after death, what else are they?
It's not that I don't think Buddhist / mindful ideas about impermanence have no place; they help many people as unofficial, or formal, therapy. The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt - tellingly, published just before the financial crisis - said that Buddhism evolved in a time of great upheaval and so its philosophies of non-attachment &c were a bit much, not entirely necessary, for Westerners these days. [Quote here.] It might be so if you're healthy and totally financially secure. But he quite forgot all the people who, even before the crash and although they at least don't live in war zones, are at the mercy of fluctuating health problems, fickle welfare systems and short-term employment, or imprinted by serial experiences of severe trauma.
* Apologies to friends who've heard this before. The guy did look familiar; I assumed he was someone I'd seen across the room at a party, or on the tube.
3.
Notes
鈥淚t is the feeling that there is a division in us, a separation from something infinite with which we want to be reunited.鈥�
How Buddha speaks of love in the Majjhima Nikaya:
鈥淚f men speak evil of you, this you must think: 鈥淥ur heart shall not waver; and we will abide in compassion, in lovingkindness, without resentment. We will think of the man who speaks ill of us with thoughts of love, and in our thoughts of love shall we dwell. And from that abode of love we will fill the whole world with far-reaching, wide-spreading boundless love.
Moreover, if robbers should attack you and cut you in pieces with a two-handed saw, limb by limb, and one of you should feel hate, such a one is not a follower of my gospel.鈥�
The last bit may be a bit much to ask, (though perhaps what it makes me think of is if you have just enough evil inside to understand why, or how 鈥� but for you that's just a small part and it's not in control, that is being able to empathise with extremes as well as the nice bits)
I'm still nonplussed that SJWs don't think of the former as something one should ultimately aim for. Because I thought everyone except right wingers did, on some level - and anyone else hinting otherwise was essentially jocular 鈥� but they're deadly serious.
鈥淭he Upanishads are the path of light. The Bhagavad Gita is the path of love. The Dhammapada is the path of life.鈥�
鈥淒o not what is evil. Do what is good. Keep your mind pure. This is the teaching of Buddha. Is this all? says the man of arms, Every child of five knows this. It may be so, but few men of eighty can practise it.鈥�
--------
When I wrote the above, there wasn't any concerted criticism of ancient self-help texts, as there is now of Stoicism - part of the feminist clash with alt-right Classics fanboys. In the light of that it looks less strange to find these faults. I haven't seen anything similar about Buddhist texts, but that's probably because I don't read as much Buddhist content online.
So the two similar problems which concerned me - the person who is unable to do much of the training because of an illness, learning disability, effects of severe psychological trauma etc, and the tragic irony of the person who has done such training but loses the ability to use it because of illness or injury just when it would be most useful - these would be seen within a Buddhist system as individuals seriously afflicted by karma, often from a past life. "Bad behaviour" a person truly cannot control and which results from a karmic condition is considered involuntary and therefore does not generate further bad karma. Those with such lifelong problems would not have been in the purview of training like this in ancient times, and both types would have been understood by the writers and adepts as being explained in other sources. This side of karma is easy to talk about in an insensitive way or in the wrong place; notoriously, it got former England football manager sacked in 1999. Put in the right way, it shouldn't sound any more blaming than saying to a contemporary rationalist that someone has a genetic disease: they didn't choose it, and that they have it certainly doesn't preclude attempts to make it better. (That can also be part of their karma and/or that of those who help. By deliberately not helping when they could, someone may be storing up bad karma for themselves.)
It is satisfying that when I finally get round to dealing with a few of these old reviews I want to finish - in the case of the Dhammapada to explain that insolent 3-star rating, and because the book marked an important epiphany and conundrum for me - it's after I'd found answers for this one. But ironically - or aptly? - I can't find the notes for another one, Marie Kondo.
Most of this is slightly-edited versions of drafts from 2015. I'm posting in 2020, and have by now found an apparent answer to the main problem I had with the text, and which was my reason for giving it three stars - that it has nothing very useful to say about or to certain kinds of people, some of whom might beat themselves up for being unable to follow its teachings. As that answer - which I go into more at the end of the post, and which is about karma - comes from modern Western Buddhism, it may not align with the schools where the Dhammapada originates, never mind the views of the original sages who composed it. But, for me at least, it helped things fall into place, and perhaps it might for others who are not systematically studying Buddhism. In the square brackets are bits I've added to the 2015 drafts.
--------
1.
A couple of other reviews comment that the Dhammapada is elitist or aristocratic. In this translation, that doesn't come across in so many words 鈥� however, it's clear it's addressed to strong healthy people who are able to be consistent. It's rather severe and unforgiving 鈥� and the tone is one that could easily lead to smugness and arrogance in those who feel they are following its path. (Humility and not self-seeking are mentioned occasionally, but the text spends a lot of time bigging up the followers of this path and denigrating others. A tone familiar from parts of the Bible and other Christian texts.)
The low rating is partly because this book isn't therefore addressed to me, or to quite a few other people I've known, as friends, partners or through my old work. It's not for those who aren't able to do much to help others and more often find themselves on the receiving end of help, or where forgetfulness can hinder new habits, or who have cycles of being worse for a while and better for a while, physically and/or mentally, without the consistent progress expected here. Never mind, for instance, those with certain learning disabilities, or people who were severely abused and can't always control themselves no matter how much they try (uppermost in my mind because I've read the beginning of James Rhodes' memoir Instrumental a couple of times and am waiting for it to become cheaper or borrowable), or perfectly nice people who get autistic-type meltdowns. It's often said that the greatest philosophical puzzle as regards religion is evil. I've always considered it to be people who can't help being mean because of an organic or severe psychological issue (whereas some 'evil' comes about simply because of social conditioning and norms of a time and place, e.g many Nazi soldiers) 鈥� but religions developed at times when these issues weren't scientifically understood, or when far fewer people survived long enough to suffer from these problems at all, or, with reference to lifelong issues, become adults. [In Europe 200+ years ago, some of these would have been done away with ; it seems likely there would have been similar practices elsewhere in the world.]
And that's why spiritual practice texts don't mention these people: they weren't present in significant numbers, or were implicitly written off unless the guru could deliver them in short order from their possession. [Though there must have been some monks prone to terrible bursts of temper, or who were forgetful and backsliding, and accepted for other reasons.] I'd rather this came across as an interesting point about historical contrasts, than as a rant about ablism. Not everything can be about everyone - I know that and I think that's correct. And an old book like this one is also a historical document. [A new modern edition could address this stuff in the introduction, however.]
Though one of the pitfalls I took much too long to realise about spiritual texts like this, or many self-help books, is that if you aren't very obviously not in the target group, just in a position that means you'll find things a bit more difficult than average, and haven't worked out what you need to filter, they can lead to tiring yourself out with excessively high expectations, beating yourself up, and overall feeling worse. For much modern self-help, you can learn to interpolate exceptions writers would make if they knew what life was like for everyone reading. With ancient advice like the Dhammapada it's more likely they meant to exclude in the first place.
2.
鈥�1/3 of which is Mascar贸's introduction, written in 1971. It's unusual for a Penguin Classic intro, being written from the viewpoint of a believer; there's still textual analysis, but much of that is a syncretic comparison of Buddhist ideas and excerpts of the Dhammapada with other religions' writings: the Bhagavad Gita (which he also translated), Hebrew philosophers, St Teresa, and Romantic poets. (I was hoping to fit in Father Ted's That would be an ecumenical matter somewhere, but unfortunately that term's specifically Christian. [Before the Graham Linehan trans mess.])
I was reading the Dhammapada mostly to have finally read it, but during the introduction had an epiphany which solved a philosophical (?) problem that had bothered me for eight years, approximately as long as I've had the book. Possibly I'd have got there quicker had I talked to others about it, but people who take this sort of thing relatively seriously and who don't entirely reject hedonism, and understand the relevant experiences aren't too easily found. (Well, on points 1 and 2, I suppose there was the time when, during a yoga class in London, I was next to Russell Brand the whole time and didn't realise who he was until we were in the lobby, but yeah, no thanks*.)
The problem is arguably more about contemporary 'mindfulness training' than about this 2500-year-old Pali text. These ways of thinking are supposed to be permanent, to prepare you for anything. But there are times when the mind cannot master the nervous system, times when the hardware becomes too damaged for the software to run properly, or at all. One obvious example, though distant to a lot of younger site users, is dementia. Other neurological problems also exist, intermittent or degenerative. Buddhism is a philosophy addressing impermanence; learning to be calm about things including impermanence is part of it - yet one that supposes the practitioner will always retain the calm if properly trained, and that if they don't, they need to try harder. But logically that can't be so for 100% of cases: it can be that the ability has gone, or is deteriorating, including at times of great need and trouble for which this training is implicitly intended. [A problem of horrible tragic irony; and in modern geek terms, the hardware can't run the software.]
Also, what if concentrating on breathing during meditation makes someone more aware of times when it has been, or when it will be, difficult to breathe for reasons beyond the mind's control? Concentrating on one's own breathing may be less calming than concentrating on an action movie!
(So many words to explain things that felt, in my head, like a couple of two-clause sentences.) [And it's an idea that's now a routine part of my world, and which feels on a certain level like it must have been there for more than five years. Strange to be confronted with notes from the moment when I first had the epiphany.]
What's perhaps neglected about meditation in general is that it, or feelings of calm can be enjoyable. [May have originally been related to the philosophy of non-attachment, and then, as mindfulness became more corporate, the general western idea of things that are good for you not being enjoyable.] It's often presented as something which is healthy but not exactly fun.
But if you're prone to a repeated sports injury, physical activities (as long as they don't directly set it off) can be fun at the times you're able to do them, even if you always are at a beginner-ish level in something you've spent years on and would love to be good at. When you're old you might not be able to do the sport at all. [i.e. Meditation has the potential to be enjoyable even if you have thought about, or can remember, times when you are unable to do it because of some illness. But it can be easier to get lost in sport, in flow, than in meditation, especially in emptying-the-mind meditations. Meditations in which you focus on something are better for that, and you can focus on things other than breathing.] Sport is a more wholesome analogy than the one I first thought of - a holiday, or sex, or a night out [to throw yourself into and make the most of while you can]. That's what first occurred to me though. With those hedonistic activities it's obvious you can't do them all the time - even if some celebrities try - but it's assumed everywhere about mindfulness that you will always be able to do it. In the past I'd looked through books on mindfulness for pain which I assumed would discuss this, but they didn't. Bit of an oversight, surely - that no one talks about when people can't actually do it temporarily, or permanently.
I couldn't have got to this realisation without having spent a long time not reading about mindfulness or Buddhism [after I first learnt much about them circa 2007-8. I find that these long gaps of being immersed in the real world after learning a discipline lead to more useful insights and integration of the topic with the rest of life than being 'inside' a subject constantly for years on end. That was certainly the case for me with psychology.] An analogy between meditation and sport or sex rejects central principles of Buddhism, like distancing oneself from worldly, sensory experience; it treats Buddhist practices as sensory, worldly experience. But if you don't believe in a life after death, what else are they?
It's not that I don't think Buddhist / mindful ideas about impermanence have no place; they help many people as unofficial, or formal, therapy. The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt - tellingly, published just before the financial crisis - said that Buddhism evolved in a time of great upheaval and so its philosophies of non-attachment &c were a bit much, not entirely necessary, for Westerners these days. [Quote here.] It might be so if you're healthy and totally financially secure. But he quite forgot all the people who, even before the crash and although they at least don't live in war zones, are at the mercy of fluctuating health problems, fickle welfare systems and short-term employment, or imprinted by serial experiences of severe trauma.
* Apologies to friends who've heard this before. The guy did look familiar; I assumed he was someone I'd seen across the room at a party, or on the tube.
3.
Notes
鈥淚t is the feeling that there is a division in us, a separation from something infinite with which we want to be reunited.鈥�
How Buddha speaks of love in the Majjhima Nikaya:
鈥淚f men speak evil of you, this you must think: 鈥淥ur heart shall not waver; and we will abide in compassion, in lovingkindness, without resentment. We will think of the man who speaks ill of us with thoughts of love, and in our thoughts of love shall we dwell. And from that abode of love we will fill the whole world with far-reaching, wide-spreading boundless love.
Moreover, if robbers should attack you and cut you in pieces with a two-handed saw, limb by limb, and one of you should feel hate, such a one is not a follower of my gospel.鈥�
The last bit may be a bit much to ask, (though perhaps what it makes me think of is if you have just enough evil inside to understand why, or how 鈥� but for you that's just a small part and it's not in control, that is being able to empathise with extremes as well as the nice bits)
I'm still nonplussed that SJWs don't think of the former as something one should ultimately aim for. Because I thought everyone except right wingers did, on some level - and anyone else hinting otherwise was essentially jocular 鈥� but they're deadly serious.
鈥淭he Upanishads are the path of light. The Bhagavad Gita is the path of love. The Dhammapada is the path of life.鈥�
鈥淒o not what is evil. Do what is good. Keep your mind pure. This is the teaching of Buddha. Is this all? says the man of arms, Every child of five knows this. It may be so, but few men of eighty can practise it.鈥�
--------
When I wrote the above, there wasn't any concerted criticism of ancient self-help texts, as there is now of Stoicism - part of the feminist clash with alt-right Classics fanboys. In the light of that it looks less strange to find these faults. I haven't seen anything similar about Buddhist texts, but that's probably because I don't read as much Buddhist content online.
So the two similar problems which concerned me - the person who is unable to do much of the training because of an illness, learning disability, effects of severe psychological trauma etc, and the tragic irony of the person who has done such training but loses the ability to use it because of illness or injury just when it would be most useful - these would be seen within a Buddhist system as individuals seriously afflicted by karma, often from a past life. "Bad behaviour" a person truly cannot control and which results from a karmic condition is considered involuntary and therefore does not generate further bad karma. Those with such lifelong problems would not have been in the purview of training like this in ancient times, and both types would have been understood by the writers and adepts as being explained in other sources. This side of karma is easy to talk about in an insensitive way or in the wrong place; notoriously, it got former England football manager sacked in 1999. Put in the right way, it shouldn't sound any more blaming than saying to a contemporary rationalist that someone has a genetic disease: they didn't choose it, and that they have it certainly doesn't preclude attempts to make it better. (That can also be part of their karma and/or that of those who help. By deliberately not helping when they could, someone may be storing up bad karma for themselves.)
It is satisfying that when I finally get round to dealing with a few of these old reviews I want to finish - in the case of the Dhammapada to explain that insolent 3-star rating, and because the book marked an important epiphany and conundrum for me - it's after I'd found answers for this one. But ironically - or aptly? - I can't find the notes for another one, Marie Kondo.
February 9, 2024
2024: third reread, this time the Penguin Little Black Classics鈥� translation. I could see the difference between this and the older review below鈥檚 translations; prefer the Oxford one, but the Penguin one works well also. A lot of Buddhist books reach a point of 'that鈥檚 nice鈥� BUT' - Dhammapada doesn鈥檛 seem to have this, and that鈥檚 why even rereading now it worked well. And this book would work well as a smaller book of Dhammapada to carry somewhre, if I needed such at some point (though I would miss the Oxford one a little, maybe haha)鈥�.
=
A re-read, this time in English translation. I got the Oxford version, because its form looked good in Amazon review (also its introduction is very clear and interesting; its explanatory notes are very useful too, very clear).
I think I got more out of this this time, maybe a few years really changed things. I'm not a Buddhist, not believing in reincarnation for example, but even so I got a lot of enjoyment and inspiration out of this. It's a slim volume, so it can be read quickly, but it can also be savoured by reading slowly.
One can see clearly how it can be such a classic, and a good starting place for anyone practicing Buddhism or just having an interest in it. Clear and simple yet also deep and visual, beautiful. Enjoyable and recommended. :)
=
A re-read, this time in English translation. I got the Oxford version, because its form looked good in Amazon review (also its introduction is very clear and interesting; its explanatory notes are very useful too, very clear).
I think I got more out of this this time, maybe a few years really changed things. I'm not a Buddhist, not believing in reincarnation for example, but even so I got a lot of enjoyment and inspiration out of this. It's a slim volume, so it can be read quickly, but it can also be savoured by reading slowly.
One can see clearly how it can be such a classic, and a good starting place for anyone practicing Buddhism or just having an interest in it. Clear and simple yet also deep and visual, beautiful. Enjoyable and recommended. :)
October 6, 2009
It's mostly just an assortment of platitudes.
Examples:
Ch. VI, 78.
>>"Let one not associate
With low persons, bad friends.
But let one associate
With noble persons, worthy friends."
Ch. VIII, stanza 100.
>>"Though a thousand the the statements,
With words of no avail,
Better is a single word of welfare,
Having heard which, one is pacified."
Ch. XXI, stanza 290.
>>"If by sacrificing a limited pleasure
An extensive pleasure one would see,
Let the wise one beholding extensive pleasure,
A limited pleasure forsake."
Thanks, I couldn't figure that out for myself.
Some of the passages are pretty cool though. Example:
Ch. XI, stanza 153-154.
"I ran through samsara, with its many births,
Searching for, but not finding, the house-builder.
Misery is birth again and again.
House-builder, you are seen!
The house you shall not build again!
Broken are your rafters, all,
Your roof beam destroyed.
Freedom from the samkharas has the mind attained.
To the end of cravings has it come."
The main theme, that since feelings of attachment and holding things dear (ch. XVI) are conditions necessary to create suffering, and that since unlike things' tendencies to decay and end it's possible to eliminate these conditions, you should not hold things dear or get attached to anything, is somewhat interesting. It also doesn't require a belief in a cycle of soul transmigration.
This might be problematic in a way, since the degree to which one is successful at this may reduce motivations or reasons for being good. For example, someone who holds their reputation dear will have more reason to avoid acting wrongly than one who doesn't, since "severe slander" (the book itself includes this as a reason for being good at ch. X, stanza 139) will affect them more strongly.
The introduction/commentary/historical criticism is very general and short, but otherwise okay. The annotations were helpful in explaining metaphors, connotations lost in translation, the religious tradition's take on some verses, a few of the assumptions common to the compilers, and untranslated terms.
Examples:
Ch. VI, 78.
>>"Let one not associate
With low persons, bad friends.
But let one associate
With noble persons, worthy friends."
Ch. VIII, stanza 100.
>>"Though a thousand the the statements,
With words of no avail,
Better is a single word of welfare,
Having heard which, one is pacified."
Ch. XXI, stanza 290.
>>"If by sacrificing a limited pleasure
An extensive pleasure one would see,
Let the wise one beholding extensive pleasure,
A limited pleasure forsake."
Thanks, I couldn't figure that out for myself.
Some of the passages are pretty cool though. Example:
Ch. XI, stanza 153-154.
"I ran through samsara, with its many births,
Searching for, but not finding, the house-builder.
Misery is birth again and again.
House-builder, you are seen!
The house you shall not build again!
Broken are your rafters, all,
Your roof beam destroyed.
Freedom from the samkharas has the mind attained.
To the end of cravings has it come."
The main theme, that since feelings of attachment and holding things dear (ch. XVI) are conditions necessary to create suffering, and that since unlike things' tendencies to decay and end it's possible to eliminate these conditions, you should not hold things dear or get attached to anything, is somewhat interesting. It also doesn't require a belief in a cycle of soul transmigration.
This might be problematic in a way, since the degree to which one is successful at this may reduce motivations or reasons for being good. For example, someone who holds their reputation dear will have more reason to avoid acting wrongly than one who doesn't, since "severe slander" (the book itself includes this as a reason for being good at ch. X, stanza 139) will affect them more strongly.
The introduction/commentary/historical criticism is very general and short, but otherwise okay. The annotations were helpful in explaining metaphors, connotations lost in translation, the religious tradition's take on some verses, a few of the assumptions common to the compilers, and untranslated terms.
January 19, 2025
Just like the Gita, I read this scripture through the official translation by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs (2011 edition). This scripture consists of 26 chapters, each containing concepts of Buddhist teachings.
There are many interesting insights I gained from this teaching. The core concept of Buddhism revolves around 鈥渕indfulness鈥� (sati), where we, as individuals, are encouraged to let go of desires and worldly pleasures in order to surrender ourselves to the path of liberation (Nibbana).
Last year, I read Nietzsche鈥檚 works, where he often criticized Buddhism. Nietzsche viewed Buddhism as a form of nihilism because it teaches detachment from life鈥檚 desires and denies the value of striving for power or vitality, which he considered essential for human greatness. However, isn鈥檛 it true that the interpretation of teachings from any religion ultimately depends on the individual?
Overall, I personally prefer this book over the Gita I read previously. This text is written in a poetic style, allowing readers to enjoy the beauty of Buddhist teachings.
Similar to the self-development book by a monk I read last year, 鈥淧eace is Every Step,鈥� I believe this scripture can be directly applied as a guide for meditation.
There are many interesting insights I gained from this teaching. The core concept of Buddhism revolves around 鈥渕indfulness鈥� (sati), where we, as individuals, are encouraged to let go of desires and worldly pleasures in order to surrender ourselves to the path of liberation (Nibbana).
Last year, I read Nietzsche鈥檚 works, where he often criticized Buddhism. Nietzsche viewed Buddhism as a form of nihilism because it teaches detachment from life鈥檚 desires and denies the value of striving for power or vitality, which he considered essential for human greatness. However, isn鈥檛 it true that the interpretation of teachings from any religion ultimately depends on the individual?
Overall, I personally prefer this book over the Gita I read previously. This text is written in a poetic style, allowing readers to enjoy the beauty of Buddhist teachings.
Similar to the self-development book by a monk I read last year, 鈥淧eace is Every Step,鈥� I believe this scripture can be directly applied as a guide for meditation.
June 30, 2024
This is my first reading by the translator and professor Eknath Easwaren and a beautiful translator he is. In addition to the translation itself, he includes a brief introduction on the teachings of the Buddha and a commentary for each section of the verses. He has also translated the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita- both of which I plan on reading this year.
I'm adding some quotes from the verses but I am noting that a sacred reading such as this is taken as a whole and within the context of its teaching.
For hatred can never put an end to hatred; love alone can.
Do not give your attention to what others do or fail to do; give it to what you do or fail to do.
Better than a poem of a thousand vain verses is one thoughtful line which brings peace to the mind.
Hasten to do good, refrain from evil. If you neglect the good, evil can enter your mind.
Do not find fault with others.
Take refuge in the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha and you will grasp the Four Noble Truths: suffering, the cause of suffering and the Noble Eightfold Path that takes you beyond suffering. That is your refuge. When you reach it, all sorrows fall away.
Not in the sky, not in the ocean, not in mountain canyons is there a place anywhere in the world where a person can hide from their evil deeds. Not in the sky, not in the ocean, not in the mountain canyons is there a place anywhere in the world where one can hide from death.
I'm adding some quotes from the verses but I am noting that a sacred reading such as this is taken as a whole and within the context of its teaching.
For hatred can never put an end to hatred; love alone can.
Do not give your attention to what others do or fail to do; give it to what you do or fail to do.
Better than a poem of a thousand vain verses is one thoughtful line which brings peace to the mind.
Hasten to do good, refrain from evil. If you neglect the good, evil can enter your mind.
Do not find fault with others.
Take refuge in the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha and you will grasp the Four Noble Truths: suffering, the cause of suffering and the Noble Eightfold Path that takes you beyond suffering. That is your refuge. When you reach it, all sorrows fall away.
Not in the sky, not in the ocean, not in mountain canyons is there a place anywhere in the world where a person can hide from their evil deeds. Not in the sky, not in the ocean, not in the mountain canyons is there a place anywhere in the world where one can hide from death.
June 28, 2015
So this happened to be the just-in-case-I-get-stuck-waiting-somewhere book I had thrown in my purse on the day my car, later, wouldn鈥檛 start as the temperature marched toward 100 degrees (F). I had plenty of time standing in the parking lot to consider Buddha鈥檚 message since the tow truck got stuck in Senior Open golf tournament traffic and took three hours to arrive. Did the advice to let go of sensory impressions, perceptions, anger and conditioned reactions help? Yes, I think it did, although I鈥檝e gotten there myself over the decades as well.
Easwaran鈥檚 overview of the Buddha鈥檚 life and the general tenets of Buddhism in the introduction are quite helpful, as are the introductions to each chapter. I am still confused by what the self atman that persists through multiple incarnations is, once the disparate components of form, personality, etc of a particular life are removed,but it seems as if I have plenty of company. I am also somewhat put off by all the numbered things: the Eightfold path, the four dhyanas, the four Noble sights, the four stages of enlightenment, the Four Noble Truths, the three Refuges. I was given just the trinity, which is enough to twist your mind up for a lifetime by itself.
As in most religions, it seems as if the subsequent legions of disciples have created libraries of volumes of exigesis, and multiple strands of practice, but this is reputedly the simple version for the masses, as the Buddha himself said it.
At any rate, it is a useful introduction for someone who wants an understanding of Buddhism to inform his or her reading of the history and literature of Asia.
Easwaran鈥檚 overview of the Buddha鈥檚 life and the general tenets of Buddhism in the introduction are quite helpful, as are the introductions to each chapter. I am still confused by what the self atman that persists through multiple incarnations is, once the disparate components of form, personality, etc of a particular life are removed,but it seems as if I have plenty of company. I am also somewhat put off by all the numbered things: the Eightfold path, the four dhyanas, the four Noble sights, the four stages of enlightenment, the Four Noble Truths, the three Refuges. I was given just the trinity, which is enough to twist your mind up for a lifetime by itself.
As in most religions, it seems as if the subsequent legions of disciples have created libraries of volumes of exigesis, and multiple strands of practice, but this is reputedly the simple version for the masses, as the Buddha himself said it.
At any rate, it is a useful introduction for someone who wants an understanding of Buddhism to inform his or her reading of the history and literature of Asia.
July 15, 2012
Just reread this. Little and big gems of wisdom throughout.
January 10, 2021
Notes on translations
#13. Desire, passion. Interesting distinction.
Chapter 1 - Twins
1. Mind is the forerunner of all actions.
All deeds are led by the mind, created by mind.
If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind,
suffering follows,
As the wheel follows the hoof of an ox pulling a cart.
*
Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.
Translator: Acharya Buddharakkhita
Phenomena are preceded by the heart, ruled by the heart, made of the heart. If you speak or act with a corrupted heart, then suffering follows you 鈥� as the wheel of the cart, the track of the ox that pulls it.
Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu
All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.
Translator: F. Max M眉ller
Fore-run by mind are mental states,
Ruled by mind, made of mind.
If you speak or act
With corrupt mind,
Suffering follows you,
As the wheel the foot of the ox.
Translator: Valerie J. Roebuck
Dec 01, 19
#13. Desire, passion. Interesting distinction.
Chapter 1 - Twins
1. Mind is the forerunner of all actions.
All deeds are led by the mind, created by mind.
If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind,
suffering follows,
As the wheel follows the hoof of an ox pulling a cart.
*
Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.
Translator: Acharya Buddharakkhita
Phenomena are preceded by the heart, ruled by the heart, made of the heart. If you speak or act with a corrupted heart, then suffering follows you 鈥� as the wheel of the cart, the track of the ox that pulls it.
Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu
All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.
Translator: F. Max M眉ller
Fore-run by mind are mental states,
Ruled by mind, made of mind.
If you speak or act
With corrupt mind,
Suffering follows you,
As the wheel the foot of the ox.
Translator: Valerie J. Roebuck
Dec 01, 19
January 6, 2016
賲賳 丕噩鬲賳亘 丕賱禺胤兀貙 爻賲賾賷 胤丕賴乇賸丕貙
賲賳 毓丕卮 賲鬲胤丕賲賳賸丕貙 爻賲賷 賲鬲賯卮賮賸丕貙
賵賲賳 鬲禺賱氐 賲賳 兀賵囟丕乇賴貙 爻賲賾賷 丨丕噩賾丕
賲賳 毓丕卮 賲鬲胤丕賲賳賸丕貙 爻賲賷 賲鬲賯卮賮賸丕貙
賵賲賳 鬲禺賱氐 賲賳 兀賵囟丕乇賴貙 爻賲賾賷 丨丕噩賾丕
August 6, 2017
亘乇 禺賱丕賮 丕賳鬲馗丕乇賲 禺賷賱賶 賲毓賲賵賱賶 亘賵丿. 賴賲趩賷賳 鬲噩乇亘賴 丕賶 乇賵 亘丕 噩賲賱丕鬲 賰賳賮賵爻賷賵爻 賴賲 丿丕卮鬲賲.
September 9, 2011
There are books to be read and books to be comprehended. The second class is like learning to ride a bike : you climb on it to fall down & you keep repeating the gesture until at least shakily you can move forth a few feet unaided. What is contained in this book while at a first read is absurdly simple in its spartan-ness is a very difficult set of guidelines to live with.
The inspiration to know more about the Buddha was an unlikely source, a little trinket I bought. It was a resemblance of the Ashoka Pillar. After glancing at it for long minutes during which it refused to do anything at all, I started checking the internet for the Buddhist Emperor and found it very amusing. A wildly passionate follower even drew a comparison saying that Alexander would have been but a Thug against the leadership practices of Ashoka. Everywhere resounded but one principle behind this legend of a man : Buddhism. Scouring this water body of information named the internet, I came up with the name of this book.
There is but one foundation that underlies Buddhism that I could comprehend even with what little reading I have on this topic. This is about suffering (in Buddhist terms Dukha ). The identification of pain or suffering, the cessation of pain and the path to the cessation of pain is what this entire belief system seems to be based out of. It is very easy to read a book that speaks to you on letting go of your desires but to implement that in practice would need more steel than even an army training camp can instill in you.
There are many parallels here to the Hindu & Eastern Mysticism schools of thought. For eg : There is mention of life lived without an eye to victory or loss for a life of tranquility. With a few modifications here and there, Krishna suggests the same to Arjuna during the discourse of the Bhagavad Gita. If memory serves me right, it was about the need to perform one's duties without a thought of victory or loss for it is such thoughts that lead one to sorrow. Then again many a teaching here are akin to the ten commandments in that all time bestseller as well.
The translation as offered by Glenn Wallis is interesting and insightful to read. I in fact spent more time going through his notes than reading through the core text. The next time around I would want to stick to the core text and take it in little sips as a hot brew on an extremely cold and wretched day. In short : It is an energizer !
Something from the text which bears an uncanny resemblance to the society we belong to now as it was centuries ago :
Atula, this is from long ago, it is not recent:
they find fault with one who sits silently,
they find fault with one who speaks much,
they find fault with one who speaks but little.
There is no one in this world who is not faulted.
The inspiration to know more about the Buddha was an unlikely source, a little trinket I bought. It was a resemblance of the Ashoka Pillar. After glancing at it for long minutes during which it refused to do anything at all, I started checking the internet for the Buddhist Emperor and found it very amusing. A wildly passionate follower even drew a comparison saying that Alexander would have been but a Thug against the leadership practices of Ashoka. Everywhere resounded but one principle behind this legend of a man : Buddhism. Scouring this water body of information named the internet, I came up with the name of this book.
There is but one foundation that underlies Buddhism that I could comprehend even with what little reading I have on this topic. This is about suffering (in Buddhist terms Dukha ). The identification of pain or suffering, the cessation of pain and the path to the cessation of pain is what this entire belief system seems to be based out of. It is very easy to read a book that speaks to you on letting go of your desires but to implement that in practice would need more steel than even an army training camp can instill in you.
There are many parallels here to the Hindu & Eastern Mysticism schools of thought. For eg : There is mention of life lived without an eye to victory or loss for a life of tranquility. With a few modifications here and there, Krishna suggests the same to Arjuna during the discourse of the Bhagavad Gita. If memory serves me right, it was about the need to perform one's duties without a thought of victory or loss for it is such thoughts that lead one to sorrow. Then again many a teaching here are akin to the ten commandments in that all time bestseller as well.
The translation as offered by Glenn Wallis is interesting and insightful to read. I in fact spent more time going through his notes than reading through the core text. The next time around I would want to stick to the core text and take it in little sips as a hot brew on an extremely cold and wretched day. In short : It is an energizer !
Something from the text which bears an uncanny resemblance to the society we belong to now as it was centuries ago :
Atula, this is from long ago, it is not recent:
they find fault with one who sits silently,
they find fault with one who speaks much,
they find fault with one who speaks but little.
There is no one in this world who is not faulted.
August 21, 2024
3.5. Il Dhammapada 猫 un testo del canone buddhista, particolarmente venerato nel buddhismo theravada, ossia il buddhismo dominante nell'Asia del sud. 脠 un tipo di predicazione ben differente rispetto a quella a cui siamo abituati noi occidentali: innanzitutto 猫 un'opera poetica, costituita prevalentemente di quartine (o in rari casi sestine) meravigliosamente semplici, perle di chiarezza limpide ed armoniche dal messaggio comprensibilissimo (se si eccettua qualche termine proprio del buddhismo, tuttavia costantemente evidenziato e glossato dalla buona edizione di cui disponevo, ossia l'edizione de La Vita Felice) e coadiuvate da costanti e facili similitudini. Alcuni versi sono splendidi, anche per la genialit脿 di certe immagini o l'efficacia del verso, ma alcuni versi risultano lievemente blandi nel messaggio, se non addirittura tautologici.
脠 una poesia che, quando necessario, sa anche essere cruda, macabra, fustigatrice: ci貌 dipende dall'essenza puramente etica dell'opera, che costituisce un ideale cammino dall'ignoranza all'illuminazione, attraverso un insegnamento piuttosto pratico, sia per quel che concerne il mondo esteriore, sia per quel che concerne l'illusoria dimensione della mente. Il distacco materiale ed affettivo dal mondo, lo spogliarsi di cose terrene e l'autocontrollo sono i principali fattori a cui l'uomo deve aspirare affinch茅 possa liberarsi dal fardello del Samsara (il ciclo di reincarnazioni), e in modo tale che il messaggio possa essere veicolato con maggiore efficacia, la ridondanza e la ripetizione del concetto diventano armi fondamentali dell'opera, che possono renderla a lungo andare un po' noiosetta. Ovviamente parlo da una prospettiva solo di godibilit脿 della lettura: nel suo contenuto spirituale, 猫 un'opera illuminante.
脠 una poesia che, quando necessario, sa anche essere cruda, macabra, fustigatrice: ci貌 dipende dall'essenza puramente etica dell'opera, che costituisce un ideale cammino dall'ignoranza all'illuminazione, attraverso un insegnamento piuttosto pratico, sia per quel che concerne il mondo esteriore, sia per quel che concerne l'illusoria dimensione della mente. Il distacco materiale ed affettivo dal mondo, lo spogliarsi di cose terrene e l'autocontrollo sono i principali fattori a cui l'uomo deve aspirare affinch茅 possa liberarsi dal fardello del Samsara (il ciclo di reincarnazioni), e in modo tale che il messaggio possa essere veicolato con maggiore efficacia, la ridondanza e la ripetizione del concetto diventano armi fondamentali dell'opera, che possono renderla a lungo andare un po' noiosetta. Ovviamente parlo da una prospettiva solo di godibilit脿 della lettura: nel suo contenuto spirituale, 猫 un'opera illuminante.
February 3, 2016
Brilliant. The Buddha is the closest figure I've had as a role model in my life and this elegantly translated compendium of his teachings rings very true to his word. Excellent work.
July 9, 2024
Just by coincidence I was reading an essay by Edward Surtz on Thomas More's Utopia. In the essay, he criticizes More for the "deliberately static nature of this ideal society and the failure to recognize the individual persona and his basic instincts, liberties, and even imperfections. The removal of all struggle and all insecurity would logically and psychologically lead to the prayer: 'Give me something to desire.'" I think that paragraph sums up my feelings about the Dhammapada perfectly.
***
The idea that I have been born many times is absurd and deserves to be called that. Nonsense needs to be called out for what it is.
***
How do the five star people defend the chapter on The Elephant. We are supposed to be tame elephants rather than wild elephants. Do people realize what it takes to make an elephant "tame"? The abuse it must go through? But that is the point. To quote: "Best among humans is the tamed person who endures verbal abuse."
***
This book is filled with hubris, excessive pride. To quote: "The Buddha's victory cannot be undone; No one in the world can approach it."
***
I prefer to live and deal with the real world. The one that's coming to an end.
***
The idea that I have been born many times is absurd and deserves to be called that. Nonsense needs to be called out for what it is.
***
How do the five star people defend the chapter on The Elephant. We are supposed to be tame elephants rather than wild elephants. Do people realize what it takes to make an elephant "tame"? The abuse it must go through? But that is the point. To quote: "Best among humans is the tamed person who endures verbal abuse."
***
This book is filled with hubris, excessive pride. To quote: "The Buddha's victory cannot be undone; No one in the world can approach it."
***
I prefer to live and deal with the real world. The one that's coming to an end.
June 25, 2020
賮賷 丕賱毓卮乇賷賳丕鬲 賲賳 毓賲乇賴 鬲乇賰 爻賷丿賴丕乇鬲丕 噩賵鬲丕賲丕 賯氐乇賴 賵丕爻乇鬲賴 丕賱賳亘賷賱丞 賱賷毓賷卮 丨賷丕丞 丕賱夭賴丿 賵丕賱鬲兀賲賱 亘丕丨孬丕 毓賳 賳賵乇 丕賱丨賯賷賯丞 馃挮 賵亘毓丿 爻賳賵丕鬲 賵氐賱 爻賷丿賴丕乇鬲丕 廿賱賶 丕賱鬲賳賵賷乇 賵兀氐亘丨 丕賱亘賵匕丕 "兀賵 丕賱卮禺氐 丕賱賲爻鬲賳賷乇" 賵賳卮乇 賮賱爻賮鬲賴 丕賱亘賵匕賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 兀氐亘丨 丕鬲亘丕毓賴丕 賷鬲禺胤賵賳 丕賰孬乇 賲賳 佶贍贍 賲賱賷賵賳 丨賵賱 丕賱毓丕賱賲 馃寗
.
丕賱賰孬賷乇 賷毓鬲亘乇 丕賱亘賵匕賷丞 賮賱爻賮丞 丕賰孬乇 賲賳賴丕 丿賷丕賳丞 賱丕爻鬲賳丕丿賴丕 毓賱賶 賲亘丕丿卅 丕賱鬲兀賲賱 賵丕賱鬲噩乇丿 賲賳 丕賱卮賴賵丕鬲 賵丕賱夭賴丿 賵賰丕賳 賴匕丕 賵丕囟丨丕 賲賳 丕賱賳氐賵氐 丕賱亘賵匕賷丞 丕賱賯丿賷賲丞 賵鬲毓丕賱賷賲 丕賱亘賵匕丕馃摐
.
丕丨鬲賵賶 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 毓賱賶 爻賷乇丞 賲亘爻胤丞 賱丨賷丕丞 爻賷丿賴丕乇鬲丕 噩賵鬲丕賲丕 賵鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱亘賵匕賷丞 賵乇賰丕卅夭賴丕 賵賲亘丕丿卅 賵鬲毓丕賱賷賲 丕賱亘賵匕丕 賲賯爻賲丞 毓賱賶 佗佴 賮氐賱馃槍
.
鬲毓丕賱賷賲 賵賯賷賲 乇丕賯賷丞 賵鬲乇噩賲丞 丕丨鬲乇丕賮賷丞 賵賰鬲丕亘 賷爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 馃摉馃摎
.
丕賱賰孬賷乇 賷毓鬲亘乇 丕賱亘賵匕賷丞 賮賱爻賮丞 丕賰孬乇 賲賳賴丕 丿賷丕賳丞 賱丕爻鬲賳丕丿賴丕 毓賱賶 賲亘丕丿卅 丕賱鬲兀賲賱 賵丕賱鬲噩乇丿 賲賳 丕賱卮賴賵丕鬲 賵丕賱夭賴丿 賵賰丕賳 賴匕丕 賵丕囟丨丕 賲賳 丕賱賳氐賵氐 丕賱亘賵匕賷丞 丕賱賯丿賷賲丞 賵鬲毓丕賱賷賲 丕賱亘賵匕丕馃摐
.
丕丨鬲賵賶 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 毓賱賶 爻賷乇丞 賲亘爻胤丞 賱丨賷丕丞 爻賷丿賴丕乇鬲丕 噩賵鬲丕賲丕 賵鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱亘賵匕賷丞 賵乇賰丕卅夭賴丕 賵賲亘丕丿卅 賵鬲毓丕賱賷賲 丕賱亘賵匕丕 賲賯爻賲丞 毓賱賶 佗佴 賮氐賱馃槍
.
鬲毓丕賱賷賲 賵賯賷賲 乇丕賯賷丞 賵鬲乇噩賲丞 丕丨鬲乇丕賮賷丞 賵賰鬲丕亘 賷爻鬲丨賯 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 馃摉馃摎
April 18, 2022
鈥淭he one who has conquered himself is a far greater hero than he who has defeated a thousand times a thousand men.鈥�
The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings by Gautam Buddha and one of the most popular Buddhist scriptures.
The sayings are, obviously, easier said than done. But even following just a fraction of them can bring a drastic change in one's life and perspective.
The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings by Gautam Buddha and one of the most popular Buddhist scriptures.
The sayings are, obviously, easier said than done. But even following just a fraction of them can bring a drastic change in one's life and perspective.
June 2, 2008
To read forever.
February 3, 2016
亘賵匕丕 丕賱乇丕卅毓貙 丕賷賳 丕賳鬲 毓賳丕責!
January 10, 2021
Chapter 1 - Twins
1. Fore-run by mind are mental states,
Ruled by mind, made of mind.
If you speak or act
With corrupt mind,
Suffering follows you,
As the wheel the foot of the ox.
*
Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.
Translator: Acharya Buddharakkhita
Phenomena are preceded by the heart, ruled by the heart, made of the heart. If you speak or act with a corrupted heart, then suffering follows you 鈥� as the wheel of the cart, the track of the ox that pulls it.
Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu
All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.
Translator: F. Max M眉ller
Mind is the forerunner of all actions.
All deeds are led by the mind, created by mind.
If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind,
suffering follows,
As the wheel follows the hoof of an ox pulling a cart.
Translator: Ananda Maitreya
Dec 01, 19
*
3.5 stars for this edition.
Jan 10, 21
1. Fore-run by mind are mental states,
Ruled by mind, made of mind.
If you speak or act
With corrupt mind,
Suffering follows you,
As the wheel the foot of the ox.
*
Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.
Translator: Acharya Buddharakkhita
Phenomena are preceded by the heart, ruled by the heart, made of the heart. If you speak or act with a corrupted heart, then suffering follows you 鈥� as the wheel of the cart, the track of the ox that pulls it.
Translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu
All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.
Translator: F. Max M眉ller
Mind is the forerunner of all actions.
All deeds are led by the mind, created by mind.
If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind,
suffering follows,
As the wheel follows the hoof of an ox pulling a cart.
Translator: Ananda Maitreya
Dec 01, 19
*
3.5 stars for this edition.
Jan 10, 21
April 29, 2011
Very good edition. The text is beautiful. The message is good. This is the kind of thing that can be read and reread throughout your lifetime and will bring different meanings at different places in your life. I got a copy at the library. I will be looking for a personal copy to keep for my own. So beautiful. I really appreciated the accompanying notes.
August 23, 2019
Siempre he admirado, y hasta envidiado, a las personas que tienen la capacidad de encontrar metasignificados en lo que leen o lo que llaman 鈥渓eer entre l铆neas鈥�. Significados con frecuencia muy personales y cargados de subjetividad, otros quiz谩s sentir谩n que han encontrado o se les ha revelado la VERDAD. Sea el uno o el otro poco me importa ahora; lo que me importa y me deslumbra es el encuentro que esto significa; c贸mo un individuo logra alcanzar otra verdad, apropiarse de ella, y para este caso de los textos sagrados, hacerla trascender en su vida. No importa la confesi贸n religiosa o espiritual a la que se acerquen, encuentran un significado trascendente. De esta manera, he admirado mucho a autores que ya he trabajado como Wayne Dyer, Louisa Hay o F茅lix Tor谩n. Y cada vez que los le铆a me fascinaba la posibilidad de tener alg煤n encuentro con lo que estaba leyendo o meditando, pero cuando me propon铆a la idea de leer alg煤n texto sagrado pensaba que no estaba lo suficientemente preparada para abordarlo y que s铆 lo hac铆a me iba a aburrir. Hace unas noches, despu茅s de una lectura angustiante me anim茅 a leer esta edici贸n del Dhammapada, aprovechando su forma de vers铆culos cortos, ya que pod铆a leerlos despacio e interiorizarlos cada noche.
El Dhammapada es considerado el texto cumbre del budismo. Tiene m谩s de 2300 a帽os de antig眉edad y se compone de 423 versos categorizados en veintis茅is cap铆tulos.
鈥︹€滵hamma procede de la ra铆z s谩nscrita DHR, que significa 鈥渟ostener, permanecer鈥� y el de ley, una 鈥渓ey moral, una ley espiritual de rectitud, la ley eterna del Universo, la verdad鈥�. En t茅rminos cristianos corresponde a 鈥渓a voluntad de Dios鈥�. Pada significa, tanto en s谩nscrito como en pali 鈥減ie, paso鈥� y por tanto entra帽a el significado de una senda. As铆 pues, Dhammapada indica la senda del dhamma, la senda correcta de la vida que hacemos con nuestros propios pasos, con nuestras propias acciones y que nos conduce hasta la verdad suprema. El Dhammapada es la senda de la verdad, de la luz, del amor, de la vida, del nirvana. En t茅rminos cristianos es la senda de Dios鈥濃€�
Para m铆 el Dhammapada responde a la necesidad de experimentar la existencia, una existencia real e inefable, inherente a nosotros mismos. Tambi茅n hace un llamado al actuar con principios 茅ticos. Una lectura que me llev贸 a la contemplaci贸n, que a煤n cuando s茅 que se me escaparon muchas cosas, pude intuir, y a veces sentir, 鈥渆so鈥� de lo que me estaba hablando, eso que es existir, como individuo y como parte. Y creo que poder lograr digerir el libro, sin sentirme excluida o ajena a sus contenidos, es gracias a la introducci贸n realizada por Juan Mascar贸, ya que adem谩s de contextualizar el libro y los conceptos, 茅l tambi茅n ubica al lector occidental descubriendo c贸mo los principios espirituales y morales al que buscan llevarnos los diferentes textos sagrados son uno, haciendo contrastes entre el cristianismo y el budismo.
Cualquier cosa m谩s que pueda yo escribir sobre el libro es irrelevante, ya que cada uno llegar谩 con un proceso e ideas distintos y tendr谩 una lectura distinta. As铆 que espero se den la oportunidad de vivenciar estas ense帽anzas atemporales, con esta lectura tranquila y trascendente.
鈥︹€滱煤n cuando no alcancemos el final de la senda, los gozos del peregrinaje son nuestros鈥濃€�
El Dhammapada es considerado el texto cumbre del budismo. Tiene m谩s de 2300 a帽os de antig眉edad y se compone de 423 versos categorizados en veintis茅is cap铆tulos.
鈥︹€滵hamma procede de la ra铆z s谩nscrita DHR, que significa 鈥渟ostener, permanecer鈥� y el de ley, una 鈥渓ey moral, una ley espiritual de rectitud, la ley eterna del Universo, la verdad鈥�. En t茅rminos cristianos corresponde a 鈥渓a voluntad de Dios鈥�. Pada significa, tanto en s谩nscrito como en pali 鈥減ie, paso鈥� y por tanto entra帽a el significado de una senda. As铆 pues, Dhammapada indica la senda del dhamma, la senda correcta de la vida que hacemos con nuestros propios pasos, con nuestras propias acciones y que nos conduce hasta la verdad suprema. El Dhammapada es la senda de la verdad, de la luz, del amor, de la vida, del nirvana. En t茅rminos cristianos es la senda de Dios鈥濃€�
Para m铆 el Dhammapada responde a la necesidad de experimentar la existencia, una existencia real e inefable, inherente a nosotros mismos. Tambi茅n hace un llamado al actuar con principios 茅ticos. Una lectura que me llev贸 a la contemplaci贸n, que a煤n cuando s茅 que se me escaparon muchas cosas, pude intuir, y a veces sentir, 鈥渆so鈥� de lo que me estaba hablando, eso que es existir, como individuo y como parte. Y creo que poder lograr digerir el libro, sin sentirme excluida o ajena a sus contenidos, es gracias a la introducci贸n realizada por Juan Mascar贸, ya que adem谩s de contextualizar el libro y los conceptos, 茅l tambi茅n ubica al lector occidental descubriendo c贸mo los principios espirituales y morales al que buscan llevarnos los diferentes textos sagrados son uno, haciendo contrastes entre el cristianismo y el budismo.
Cualquier cosa m谩s que pueda yo escribir sobre el libro es irrelevante, ya que cada uno llegar谩 con un proceso e ideas distintos y tendr谩 una lectura distinta. As铆 que espero se den la oportunidad de vivenciar estas ense帽anzas atemporales, con esta lectura tranquila y trascendente.
鈥︹€滱煤n cuando no alcancemos el final de la senda, los gozos del peregrinaje son nuestros鈥濃€�
September 19, 2019
I'm attempting to read a few non-Western classics of philosophy, and this was my first real brush with Buddhism. I didn't find the Dhammapada quite as interesting as the Tao Te Ching, but (perhaps through naivete) I was surprised how Christian the path to perfection was, how deeply Franciscan.
"This world is indeed in darkness, and how few can see the light! Just as few birds escape from a net, few souls can fly into the freedom of heaven."
"But he who lives not for pleasures, and whose soul is in self-harmony, who eats or fasts with moderation, and has faith and the power of virtue - this man is not moved by temptations, as a great rock is not shaken by the wind."
"Neither in the sky, nor deep in the ocean, nor in a mountain-cave, nor anywhere, can a man be free from the power of death."
"This world is indeed in darkness, and how few can see the light! Just as few birds escape from a net, few souls can fly into the freedom of heaven."
"But he who lives not for pleasures, and whose soul is in self-harmony, who eats or fasts with moderation, and has faith and the power of virtue - this man is not moved by temptations, as a great rock is not shaken by the wind."
"Neither in the sky, nor deep in the ocean, nor in a mountain-cave, nor anywhere, can a man be free from the power of death."
Read
March 29, 2007Very reflective and wholesome moral truths for living, quite a fresh read in the world of inconsequential candy reads. While one might not agree with every Buddhist principle for living, as I myself don't, the general truths that you pick up and contemplate throughout the day are hard to escape. Easy and quick, yet full of substance and worthy of review time and again.
October 30, 2011
The first two pages of the preface to Gil Fronsdal's translation say it all: Fronsdal lays out the challenges a translator of an ancient text faces. He talks about the Dhammapada's history in English, about how "a translation mirrors the viewpoint of the translator" (pp. xi-xii)-something Easwaran never did. Most pointedly, he notes that "Hindu concepts appear in English translations done in India" (p. xii)-or by a Hindu, I might add. (Hint: think Easwaran.) He goes on to say (p. xii) "In this translation, I have tried to put aside my own interpretations and preferences, insofar as possible, in favor of accuracy." I believe he has done exactly this.
Fronsdal's introduction (the preface discusses the translation issues) is not so far ranging as Easwaran's, and certainly not as lengthy, but I found it more insightful and refreshingly accurate. (Readers of my May 15, 2011 review of Easwaran's Dhammapada will understand my relief.) For example, I thought he hit the nail on the head with this pointed remark (p. xx):
"The Dhammapada originated in a time, culture, and spiritual tradition very different from what is familiar to most Western readers today. We might be alerted to this difference if we compare the beginning of the Dhammapada with the opening lines of the Bible, which emphasize God's role as Creator and, by extension, our reliance on God's power. In contrast, the first two verses of the Dhammapada emphasize the power of the human mind in shaping our lives, and the importance and effectiveness of a person's own actions and choices... Ethical and mental purity [he goes on to say]...cannot be achieved through the intervention of others: `By oneself alone is one purified' (verse 165)."
How different this is from Easwaran's constant-and fatuous-comparisons to Jesus and, even, Albert Einstein.
The remainder of Fronsdal's introduction looks at its contrasting emotional moods-"energy and peace"-its themes, and the effects reading it have had on him. Fronsdal again demonstrates his penetration of basic Buddhist teachings when he writes on page xxix "[I]t is not the world that is negated in the Dhammapada, but rather attachment to the world (as in verse 171)." In the margin of my copy I scribbled YES!
In other words, Fronsdal gets it-which is not so surprising when you consider the man has trained in both the Soto Zen and Theravadan traditions, has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Stanford, and is a teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. In other words, he has every qualification needed to interpret the Buddha's teaching, qualifications Easwaran seemed to have but in fact was sorely lacking. Anyway, on to the text proper.
Despite my above praise, Fronsdal does make some interpretations I thought odd, though this is not to say I didn't understand his reasoning. For example, the title of the Dhammapada's first chapter, usually rendered as "Twin Verses" or "Paired Verses," Fronsdal names "Dichotomies." Fortunately, he explains this and other such choices-which he (much to his credit) acknowledges as controversial-in detailed endnotes signified by asterisks. (This was another problem I had with Easwaran's text-I could not tell which verses his endnotes pertained to unless I went to the back of the book.) This is much appreciated; one important characteristic of any good translator is candor and clarity as to what sort of interpretive choices s/he makes and why. Fronsdal maintains high standards in this regard; he explains his choices in detail in the endnotes, and having done so the reader can then appreciate that while some of his word choices are unorthodox, they are not without merit or insight. I realize not every reader will be interested in such linguistic and terminological details, but they need to be discussed somewhere if the translator is to maintain legitimacy.
As for the reading experience of Fronsdal's Dhammapada: it has the spare, poetic feel I am familiar with from other translations of Pali Buddhist texts. Also, as previously noted, he does seem to fulfill the aspiration he stated in the preface-that of producing a relatively literal translation, one reflecting its original time and place as opposed to the layers of (mis)interpretation later commentators and cultures have often imposed on the text. As a result, Fronsdal's translation feels definitively like a Buddhist text, one that should be instructive to any newcomers to the Buddha's Dhamma. I hope they will leave it wanting more.
Fronsdal's introduction (the preface discusses the translation issues) is not so far ranging as Easwaran's, and certainly not as lengthy, but I found it more insightful and refreshingly accurate. (Readers of my May 15, 2011 review of Easwaran's Dhammapada will understand my relief.) For example, I thought he hit the nail on the head with this pointed remark (p. xx):
"The Dhammapada originated in a time, culture, and spiritual tradition very different from what is familiar to most Western readers today. We might be alerted to this difference if we compare the beginning of the Dhammapada with the opening lines of the Bible, which emphasize God's role as Creator and, by extension, our reliance on God's power. In contrast, the first two verses of the Dhammapada emphasize the power of the human mind in shaping our lives, and the importance and effectiveness of a person's own actions and choices... Ethical and mental purity [he goes on to say]...cannot be achieved through the intervention of others: `By oneself alone is one purified' (verse 165)."
How different this is from Easwaran's constant-and fatuous-comparisons to Jesus and, even, Albert Einstein.
The remainder of Fronsdal's introduction looks at its contrasting emotional moods-"energy and peace"-its themes, and the effects reading it have had on him. Fronsdal again demonstrates his penetration of basic Buddhist teachings when he writes on page xxix "[I]t is not the world that is negated in the Dhammapada, but rather attachment to the world (as in verse 171)." In the margin of my copy I scribbled YES!
In other words, Fronsdal gets it-which is not so surprising when you consider the man has trained in both the Soto Zen and Theravadan traditions, has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Stanford, and is a teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. In other words, he has every qualification needed to interpret the Buddha's teaching, qualifications Easwaran seemed to have but in fact was sorely lacking. Anyway, on to the text proper.
Despite my above praise, Fronsdal does make some interpretations I thought odd, though this is not to say I didn't understand his reasoning. For example, the title of the Dhammapada's first chapter, usually rendered as "Twin Verses" or "Paired Verses," Fronsdal names "Dichotomies." Fortunately, he explains this and other such choices-which he (much to his credit) acknowledges as controversial-in detailed endnotes signified by asterisks. (This was another problem I had with Easwaran's text-I could not tell which verses his endnotes pertained to unless I went to the back of the book.) This is much appreciated; one important characteristic of any good translator is candor and clarity as to what sort of interpretive choices s/he makes and why. Fronsdal maintains high standards in this regard; he explains his choices in detail in the endnotes, and having done so the reader can then appreciate that while some of his word choices are unorthodox, they are not without merit or insight. I realize not every reader will be interested in such linguistic and terminological details, but they need to be discussed somewhere if the translator is to maintain legitimacy.
As for the reading experience of Fronsdal's Dhammapada: it has the spare, poetic feel I am familiar with from other translations of Pali Buddhist texts. Also, as previously noted, he does seem to fulfill the aspiration he stated in the preface-that of producing a relatively literal translation, one reflecting its original time and place as opposed to the layers of (mis)interpretation later commentators and cultures have often imposed on the text. As a result, Fronsdal's translation feels definitively like a Buddhist text, one that should be instructive to any newcomers to the Buddha's Dhamma. I hope they will leave it wanting more.
August 31, 2022
Forget religion for a second, lets just focus on philosophy, because as a philosophy on how to live your life, this book is a pretty damn good one.
This book speaks of peace, love, harmony, wisdom and self-improvement through realising you aren't always perfect, but you can always try to do better. It does not go in to what happens after death or any of that nonsense, just how a Buddhist goes about life in simple verse.
I'm already too far down the rabbit hole of being an insensitive, sarcastic, cunt for it to become a way of life for me though, still, I agree with peace and harmony and I found this to be an enjoyable, optimistic and quick read... Surprisingly enjoyable in fact, like, it was fun to read in the same way the Art of War was, they just give you these infinitely quotable lines that make a whole damn heap of sense.
This book speaks of peace, love, harmony, wisdom and self-improvement through realising you aren't always perfect, but you can always try to do better. It does not go in to what happens after death or any of that nonsense, just how a Buddhist goes about life in simple verse.
I'm already too far down the rabbit hole of being an insensitive, sarcastic, cunt for it to become a way of life for me though, still, I agree with peace and harmony and I found this to be an enjoyable, optimistic and quick read... Surprisingly enjoyable in fact, like, it was fun to read in the same way the Art of War was, they just give you these infinitely quotable lines that make a whole damn heap of sense.
February 28, 2016
..丕賱丿丕賲丕亘丕丿丕 賵 亘賰賱 鬲兀賰賷丿 賱賷爻 亘賰鬲丕亘 賱賲噩乇丿 賯乇丕亍丞 賵丕丨丿丞貙 賴匕丕 賰鬲丕亘 賱丕夭賲 鬲丨賮馗 賲丕 噩丕亍 賮賷賴 賵 鬲毓賲賱 亘賴
.鬲賯乇丕 丕賱丿丕賲丕亘丕丿丕 鬲賮賴賲 賱賷卮 鬲賳馗賷賲 胤丕賱亘丕賳 爻賳丞 2001 賱賲丕 丿禺賱賵丕 亘丕賲賷丕賳 兀賵賱 卮卅 丨胤賲賵丕 鬲賲丕孬賷賱 丕賱賲購亘噩賱 亘賵匕丕
..兀賳丕 兀購丨亘 亘賵匕丕 貙 兀丨亘 鬲毓賱賷賲丕鬲賴 賵 賲丕 賷賳丕丿賷 亘賴貙 丕賱爻賱丕賲 丕賱丿丕禺賱賷 賵 兀賳 賳氐賱 賱賱賳賷乇賮丕賳丕 貙 丕賱賳賷乇賮賭賭丕賳丕
鬲丨賮馗丕鬲賷
亘爻 丕氐乇丕乇賴 丕賱丿丕卅賲 毓賱賷 囟乇賵乇丞 "丕胤賮丕亍 丕賱卮賴賵丞" 丕胤賮丕亍 賲卮 丕賱鬲丨賰賲 賵 丕賱賱賷 丕乇丕賴 賲亘丿兀 賲禺丕賱賮 賱賱賮胤乇丞 丕賱亘卮乇賷丞 貙賵 丿丕卅賲丕 鬲乇賵丕丿賳賷 賰孬賷乇 丕賱丕爻卅賱丞 毓賳 丕賱賲賮賴賵賲 丕賱亘賵匕賷 賱丨賷丕丞 賲丕 亘毓丿 丕賱丨賷丕丞..
賲賴賲丕 賰丕賳 禺賱賮賷鬲賰 丕賱丿賷賳賷丞貙 賲爻賱賲貙 賲爻賷丨賷貙賰賵賳賮賵卮賷賵爻賷 貙 賲賱丨丿 貙賱丕 丿賷賳賷..兀賱禺 賮丕賱丿丕賲丕亘丕丿丕 賰鬲丕亘 賱丕夭賲 鬲賯乇兀賴 賱丕賳賴 賲乇噩毓 賲賱卅 亘丕賱丕禺賱丕賯 賵 丕賱丨賰賲丞
<3
February 19, 2025
People can approach this work in all kinds of legitimate ways. Reading it as a piece of literature, to appreciate the language, or to study religion casually, or academically. But I didn't read it in any of those ways. I read this as if it was speaking directly to me in a existential and immediately relevant manner. As a demand on how to live; a guide on how to treat my mind and intensions.
Its focus on work and watchfulness spoke to me. So much of modern spirituality is about views, seeing the world non-dually or in some holistic way, or focusing on balance. Here was a radical/extreme call to work, be steadfast in your intention, and practice, practice! Help is available but you much do the work, you must have the dedication and ultimately you much change how you are in the world, not just think differently or have a experience but BE different internally and externally.
I read it a few times, but then I got a audiobook read by the brilliant Jacob Needleman of the text translated by Thomas Byron. Jacob Needleman also did great readings of the Bhagavad Gita and Tao Te Ching, all three of which I got on cassettes!! to listen to in my car (this was when I was 21). I would drive daily in my twenties to school, work and pretty much everywhere; so there was a lot of time spend in that car listening to these three texts(occasionally I would also listen to music on the radio, I wasn't completely psychotic :). I must have listed to the Bhagavad Gita and Tao Te Ching 50 plus times over that decade, but it was The Dhammapada that spoke to me the most (especially early on) and thus I easily listened to it over a hundred times. I do not have it all memorized but parts of it live in my memory clear as anything. I picked a small selection from some of those memorable parts to share and comment on as my "review." Not sure how else to even review a text like this in any meaningful way. All quotes are from the Thomas Byron translation.
From Chapter l. Choices:
"We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our
thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws
the cart."
The opening is etched into my memory. I can literally hear every intonation of Jacob Needleman's voice! Also, this is the core bedrock of Buddhism in whatever form. The mind's centrality in suffering, and its centrality to the way that leads to the end of suffering.
"'Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed
me.'
Live with such thoughts and you live in
hate.
'Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed
me.'
Abandon such thoughts, and live in love.
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate."
This one was very literal at one point. I recall getting beat up and mugged by a large group of young people and feeling anger after the initial shock. Maybe a hour or two after, this part of the Dhammapada ran through my mind and I felt how easy hate and anger are and how far I was from overcoming that kind of immediate reaction. A wake up call. Also a realization of how radical was the demand of this text for love as the only non self-involved and non-binding response to the world(negative or positive).
------------------
From Chapter 8. The Thousands:
"Better than a hundred years of mischief
Is one day spent in contemplation.
Better than a hundred years of ignorance
Is one day spent in reflection.
Better than a hundred years of idleness
Is one day spent in determination.
Better to live one day
Wondering
How all things arise and pass away.
Better to live one hour
Seeing
The one life beyond the way.
Better to live one moment
In the moment
Of the way beyond the way. "
This part is really poetic. The immense importance of even one moment of real turning towards the way, towards the truth, towards even the contemplation of wonder at what it is to be alive, this mystery of life arising and passing away...in any moment.
-----------------------------
From Chapter 12. Yourself
"No one purifies another.
Never neglect your work
For another's,
However great his need.
Your work is to discover your work
And then with all your heart
To give yourself to it. "
This section really focusing in on the work only you can do for yourself. The second stanza is just a beautiful call to give your whole self to the work without reservation or self regard.
-----------
From Chapter 18. Impurity
"The way is not in the sky.
The way is in the heart.
See how you love
Whatever keeps you from your
journey"
Honestly this part kind of blew my mind, because of the use of the word love to describe our relationship to obstacles and hindrances. It just rang true, real loving desire for things and aspects of life that bind the mind in delusion. To surrender what you love(which is very hard) and through that surrender to discover deeper love..."the way is in the heart"
---------------------
From Chapter 21. Out Of The Forest
"There is pleasure
And there is bliss.
Forgo the first to possess the second.
If you are happy
At the expense of another man's
happiness,
You are forever bound.
You do not what you should.
You do what you should not.
You are reckless, and desire grows.
But the master is wakeful.
He watches his body.
In all his actions he discriminates,
And he becomes pure."
There's that dialogue from the Brothers Karamazov that if the worlds harmony and salvation depend on the suffering of innocent children than the harmony and salvation are worthless; are even evil. Here the text is clear. Happiness at the expense of ANYONE else is bondage. (the last time I read the Brothers Karamazov was in high school so I'm sure I'm not remembering it exactly right)
------------------
Chapter 24. Desire
"Quieten your mind.
Reflect.
Watch.
Nothing binds you.
You are free.
You are strong.
You have come to the end.
Free from passion and desire,
You have stripped the thorns from the
stem.
This is your last body.
You are wise.
You are free from desire
And you understand words
And the stitching together of words.
And you want nothing...."
"I found my way.
What shall I call Teacher?
The gift of truth is beyond giving.
The taste beyond sweetness,
The joy beyond joy."
Buddhism, especially early Buddhism has a reputation for being harsh and not prone to describing realization/enlightenment in any positive terms; mostly just negating what it isn't: the literal blowing out of delusions, self....
But like most things if you look closely, and read a bit it's more diverse then that. Here we get a very straightforward, empowering, and even celebratory description of what it is to awaken. The last two lines in particular are great descriptors and hint towards the literary devices some future Buddhist schools would use to describe through pointing beyond the words.
*Just so it's clear, I'm not a practicing Buddhist, just someone influenced by Buddhism. I'm writing these reviews for my own self-reflection on my reading and to share my opinions/experiences reading books.
Its focus on work and watchfulness spoke to me. So much of modern spirituality is about views, seeing the world non-dually or in some holistic way, or focusing on balance. Here was a radical/extreme call to work, be steadfast in your intention, and practice, practice! Help is available but you much do the work, you must have the dedication and ultimately you much change how you are in the world, not just think differently or have a experience but BE different internally and externally.
I read it a few times, but then I got a audiobook read by the brilliant Jacob Needleman of the text translated by Thomas Byron. Jacob Needleman also did great readings of the Bhagavad Gita and Tao Te Ching, all three of which I got on cassettes!! to listen to in my car (this was when I was 21). I would drive daily in my twenties to school, work and pretty much everywhere; so there was a lot of time spend in that car listening to these three texts(occasionally I would also listen to music on the radio, I wasn't completely psychotic :). I must have listed to the Bhagavad Gita and Tao Te Ching 50 plus times over that decade, but it was The Dhammapada that spoke to me the most (especially early on) and thus I easily listened to it over a hundred times. I do not have it all memorized but parts of it live in my memory clear as anything. I picked a small selection from some of those memorable parts to share and comment on as my "review." Not sure how else to even review a text like this in any meaningful way. All quotes are from the Thomas Byron translation.
From Chapter l. Choices:
"We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our
thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws
the cart."
The opening is etched into my memory. I can literally hear every intonation of Jacob Needleman's voice! Also, this is the core bedrock of Buddhism in whatever form. The mind's centrality in suffering, and its centrality to the way that leads to the end of suffering.
"'Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed
me.'
Live with such thoughts and you live in
hate.
'Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed
me.'
Abandon such thoughts, and live in love.
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate."
This one was very literal at one point. I recall getting beat up and mugged by a large group of young people and feeling anger after the initial shock. Maybe a hour or two after, this part of the Dhammapada ran through my mind and I felt how easy hate and anger are and how far I was from overcoming that kind of immediate reaction. A wake up call. Also a realization of how radical was the demand of this text for love as the only non self-involved and non-binding response to the world(negative or positive).
------------------
From Chapter 8. The Thousands:
"Better than a hundred years of mischief
Is one day spent in contemplation.
Better than a hundred years of ignorance
Is one day spent in reflection.
Better than a hundred years of idleness
Is one day spent in determination.
Better to live one day
Wondering
How all things arise and pass away.
Better to live one hour
Seeing
The one life beyond the way.
Better to live one moment
In the moment
Of the way beyond the way. "
This part is really poetic. The immense importance of even one moment of real turning towards the way, towards the truth, towards even the contemplation of wonder at what it is to be alive, this mystery of life arising and passing away...in any moment.
-----------------------------
From Chapter 12. Yourself
"No one purifies another.
Never neglect your work
For another's,
However great his need.
Your work is to discover your work
And then with all your heart
To give yourself to it. "
This section really focusing in on the work only you can do for yourself. The second stanza is just a beautiful call to give your whole self to the work without reservation or self regard.
-----------
From Chapter 18. Impurity
"The way is not in the sky.
The way is in the heart.
See how you love
Whatever keeps you from your
journey"
Honestly this part kind of blew my mind, because of the use of the word love to describe our relationship to obstacles and hindrances. It just rang true, real loving desire for things and aspects of life that bind the mind in delusion. To surrender what you love(which is very hard) and through that surrender to discover deeper love..."the way is in the heart"
---------------------
From Chapter 21. Out Of The Forest
"There is pleasure
And there is bliss.
Forgo the first to possess the second.
If you are happy
At the expense of another man's
happiness,
You are forever bound.
You do not what you should.
You do what you should not.
You are reckless, and desire grows.
But the master is wakeful.
He watches his body.
In all his actions he discriminates,
And he becomes pure."
There's that dialogue from the Brothers Karamazov that if the worlds harmony and salvation depend on the suffering of innocent children than the harmony and salvation are worthless; are even evil. Here the text is clear. Happiness at the expense of ANYONE else is bondage. (the last time I read the Brothers Karamazov was in high school so I'm sure I'm not remembering it exactly right)
------------------
Chapter 24. Desire
"Quieten your mind.
Reflect.
Watch.
Nothing binds you.
You are free.
You are strong.
You have come to the end.
Free from passion and desire,
You have stripped the thorns from the
stem.
This is your last body.
You are wise.
You are free from desire
And you understand words
And the stitching together of words.
And you want nothing...."
"I found my way.
What shall I call Teacher?
The gift of truth is beyond giving.
The taste beyond sweetness,
The joy beyond joy."
Buddhism, especially early Buddhism has a reputation for being harsh and not prone to describing realization/enlightenment in any positive terms; mostly just negating what it isn't: the literal blowing out of delusions, self....
But like most things if you look closely, and read a bit it's more diverse then that. Here we get a very straightforward, empowering, and even celebratory description of what it is to awaken. The last two lines in particular are great descriptors and hint towards the literary devices some future Buddhist schools would use to describe through pointing beyond the words.
*Just so it's clear, I'm not a practicing Buddhist, just someone influenced by Buddhism. I'm writing these reviews for my own self-reflection on my reading and to share my opinions/experiences reading books.
January 14, 2018
鬲毓乇賮鬲 毓賱賶 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賲氐丕丿賮丞 兀孬賳丕亍 丨囟賵乇賷 賱賲爻丕賯 毓賱賶 賰賵乇爻賷乇丕 亘毓賳賵丕賳 [ 丕賱亘賵匕賷丞 ]
:)
賱丕 賷夭賵賱 毓噩亘賷 丨賷賳 丕胤賾賱毓 毓賱賶 賲丕 爻胤賾乇賴 丕賱丨賰賲丕亍 賯丿賷賲丕賸 賵賰賷賮 兀賳 ( 賳亘毓 丕賱丨賰賲丞 賵丕丨丿)賵賰賷賮 兀賳 卮乇丕卅毓 丕賱兀禺賱丕賯 丕賱丨爻賳丞 鬲鬲卮丕亘賴 賮賷 噩賵賴乇賴丕 賵廿賳 丕禺鬲賱賮 丕賱鬲毓亘賷乇 毓賳賴丕
賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賷噩賲毓 賲丕 賳購爻亘 賱賱丨賰賷賲 亘賵匕丕
賮賷 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱孬丕賱孬 賯亘賱 丕賱賲賷賱丕丿.
亘毓囟 丕賱亘丕丨孬賷賳 賷賯賵賱賵賳 廿賳 亘賵匕丕 賯丿 賷賰賵賳 賳亘賷丕賸 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱毓氐賵乇 ( 賵賱丕 兀乇賶 賲丕賳毓丕賸 毓賯賱賷丕賸 賱匕賱賰) 賮丕賱兀賳亘賷丕亍 賰賲丕 兀禺亘乇賳丕 丕賱賴丕丿賷 鈥忊仹 锓� 賰購孬乇 賵賱丕 賷毓賱賲 毓丿丿賴賲 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷 廿賱丕 丕賱賱賴 鬲亘丕乇賰 賵鬲毓丕賱賶.
賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱禺賱丕氐丞 鬲噩丿 賳賮丕卅爻 丕賱丨賰賲丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱賵 賵囟毓鬲賴丕 賲毓 賲賯賵賱丕鬲 毓賱賲丕亍 丕賱賲爻賱賲賷賳 丕賱爻丕亘賯賷賳 兀賵 丨賰賲丕亍 丕賱賴賳丿 賱賲丕 賵噩丿鬲賻 賮賷賴丕 賮乇賵賯丕鬲 噩賵賴乇賷丞
賮賰賱賴丕 鬲爻毓賶 賱鬲丨乇賷乇 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賲賳 卮賴賵丕鬲賴 賵丕賱鬲丨乇賷囟 毓賱賶 丕賱禺賱賯 丕賱丨爻賳 賲毓 丕賱毓亘丕丿 賵丕賱亘毓丿 毓賳 賯丕匕賵乇丕鬲 丕賱賳賮爻 賰丕賱卮賴賵丞 賵丕賱胤賲毓 賵丕賱丨賯丿 賵丕賱睾囟亘 賵丕賱丨爻丿.
賯爻賲 丕賱賲鬲乇噩賲 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 廿賱賶 佗伲 爻賵乇丞 賵兀爻賲丕賴 ( 賯乇丌賳 亘賵匕丕)
賵賮賷賴 亘毓囟 丕賱丨賰賲 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲卮丕亘賴 賲毓 鬲乇丕孬賳丕 丕賱廿爻賱丕賲賷 亘卮賰賱 丿賯賷賯 賲孬賱
"賲丕 賳賮毓 鬲賱丕賵鬲賰 丕賱丌賷丕鬲 廿賳 賱賲 鬲兀禺匕 兀賳鬲賻 亘賴丕 "
賷卮亘賴賴 賯賵賱賴 鬲毓丕賱賶 :
锎控ＸＹ呚辟堎� 丕賱賳丕爻 亘丕賱亘乇 賵鬲賳爻賵賳 兀賳賮爻賰賲 賵兀賳鬲賲 鬲鬲賱賵賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 兀賮賱丕 鬲毓賯賱賵賳锎� [丕賱亘賯乇丞: 伽伽]
"賱丕 賮賷 丕賱爻賲丕亍 賵賱丕 賮賷 丕賱亘丨乇 丕賱賲丨賷胤 賵賱丕 賮賷 賰賴賵賮 丕賱噩亘丕賱 賱賷爻 賮賷 丕賱兀乇囟 賰賱賴丕 賲兀賲賳 賲賳 丕賱賲賵鬲 "
賷卮亘賴賴 賯賵賱賴 鬲毓丕賱賶 :
锎控Ｙ娰嗁呚� 鬲賰賵賳賵丕 賷丿乇賰賰賲 丕賱賲賵鬲 賵賱賵 賰賳鬲賲 賮賷 亘乇賵噩 賲卮賷丿丞锎� [丕賱賳爻丕亍: 侑侉]
"賰賱 賲禺賱賵賯 賮丕賳"
賵賲孬賱賴 賯賵賱賴 鬲毓丕賱賶 :
锎抠冑� 賲賳 毓賱賷賴丕 賮丕賳锎� [丕賱乇丨賲賳: 佗佴]
賵睾賷乇賴丕 賰孬賷乇.
賲賲丕 兀毓噩亘賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱噩賷丿丞
亘毓囟 丕賱丕賯鬲亘丕爻丕鬲
"賲孬賱 賯賱毓丞 丨丿賵丿賷丞 賲丨乇賵爻丞 噩賷丿丕 賲賳 丕賱丿丕禺賱 賵丕賱禺丕乇噩 毓賱賷賰 兀賳 鬲丨乇爻 賳賮爻賰 "
"賲賳 丕爻鬲胤丕毓 兀賳 賷噩賱爻 賵丨賷丿丕 賵賷乇鬲丕丨 賵丨賷丿丕 賵賷丿亘乇 兀賲乇賴 賵丨賷丿丕 賮賱爻賵賮 賷賱賯賶 丕賱爻毓丕丿丞 賮賷 胤乇賮 丕賱睾丕亘丞 "
丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賱胤賷賮 賵氐睾賷乇 (佟伽贍) 氐賮丨丞 賵鬲賮乇睾 賲賳賴 賮賷 噩賱爻丞 賵丕丨丿丞.
亘賯賷 兀賳 兀卮賷乇 廿賱賶 兀賳賾 賲毓賳賶 賰賱賲丞 [ 丿丕賲丕] 兀賷 丕賱卮乇毓 丕賵 丕賱毓丿賱 兀賵 丕賱丨賰賲丞
賵[ 亘丕丿丕 ] 鬲毓賳賷 丕賱爻亘賷賱|
:)
賱丕 賷夭賵賱 毓噩亘賷 丨賷賳 丕胤賾賱毓 毓賱賶 賲丕 爻胤賾乇賴 丕賱丨賰賲丕亍 賯丿賷賲丕賸 賵賰賷賮 兀賳 ( 賳亘毓 丕賱丨賰賲丞 賵丕丨丿)賵賰賷賮 兀賳 卮乇丕卅毓 丕賱兀禺賱丕賯 丕賱丨爻賳丞 鬲鬲卮丕亘賴 賮賷 噩賵賴乇賴丕 賵廿賳 丕禺鬲賱賮 丕賱鬲毓亘賷乇 毓賳賴丕
賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賷噩賲毓 賲丕 賳購爻亘 賱賱丨賰賷賲 亘賵匕丕
賮賷 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱孬丕賱孬 賯亘賱 丕賱賲賷賱丕丿.
亘毓囟 丕賱亘丕丨孬賷賳 賷賯賵賱賵賳 廿賳 亘賵匕丕 賯丿 賷賰賵賳 賳亘賷丕賸 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱毓氐賵乇 ( 賵賱丕 兀乇賶 賲丕賳毓丕賸 毓賯賱賷丕賸 賱匕賱賰) 賮丕賱兀賳亘賷丕亍 賰賲丕 兀禺亘乇賳丕 丕賱賴丕丿賷 鈥忊仹 锓� 賰購孬乇 賵賱丕 賷毓賱賲 毓丿丿賴賲 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷 廿賱丕 丕賱賱賴 鬲亘丕乇賰 賵鬲毓丕賱賶.
賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱禺賱丕氐丞 鬲噩丿 賳賮丕卅爻 丕賱丨賰賲丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱賵 賵囟毓鬲賴丕 賲毓 賲賯賵賱丕鬲 毓賱賲丕亍 丕賱賲爻賱賲賷賳 丕賱爻丕亘賯賷賳 兀賵 丨賰賲丕亍 丕賱賴賳丿 賱賲丕 賵噩丿鬲賻 賮賷賴丕 賮乇賵賯丕鬲 噩賵賴乇賷丞
賮賰賱賴丕 鬲爻毓賶 賱鬲丨乇賷乇 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賲賳 卮賴賵丕鬲賴 賵丕賱鬲丨乇賷囟 毓賱賶 丕賱禺賱賯 丕賱丨爻賳 賲毓 丕賱毓亘丕丿 賵丕賱亘毓丿 毓賳 賯丕匕賵乇丕鬲 丕賱賳賮爻 賰丕賱卮賴賵丞 賵丕賱胤賲毓 賵丕賱丨賯丿 賵丕賱睾囟亘 賵丕賱丨爻丿.
賯爻賲 丕賱賲鬲乇噩賲 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 廿賱賶 佗伲 爻賵乇丞 賵兀爻賲丕賴 ( 賯乇丌賳 亘賵匕丕)
賵賮賷賴 亘毓囟 丕賱丨賰賲 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲卮丕亘賴 賲毓 鬲乇丕孬賳丕 丕賱廿爻賱丕賲賷 亘卮賰賱 丿賯賷賯 賲孬賱
"賲丕 賳賮毓 鬲賱丕賵鬲賰 丕賱丌賷丕鬲 廿賳 賱賲 鬲兀禺匕 兀賳鬲賻 亘賴丕 "
賷卮亘賴賴 賯賵賱賴 鬲毓丕賱賶 :
锎控ＸＹ呚辟堎� 丕賱賳丕爻 亘丕賱亘乇 賵鬲賳爻賵賳 兀賳賮爻賰賲 賵兀賳鬲賲 鬲鬲賱賵賳 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 兀賮賱丕 鬲毓賯賱賵賳锎� [丕賱亘賯乇丞: 伽伽]
"賱丕 賮賷 丕賱爻賲丕亍 賵賱丕 賮賷 丕賱亘丨乇 丕賱賲丨賷胤 賵賱丕 賮賷 賰賴賵賮 丕賱噩亘丕賱 賱賷爻 賮賷 丕賱兀乇囟 賰賱賴丕 賲兀賲賳 賲賳 丕賱賲賵鬲 "
賷卮亘賴賴 賯賵賱賴 鬲毓丕賱賶 :
锎控Ｙ娰嗁呚� 鬲賰賵賳賵丕 賷丿乇賰賰賲 丕賱賲賵鬲 賵賱賵 賰賳鬲賲 賮賷 亘乇賵噩 賲卮賷丿丞锎� [丕賱賳爻丕亍: 侑侉]
"賰賱 賲禺賱賵賯 賮丕賳"
賵賲孬賱賴 賯賵賱賴 鬲毓丕賱賶 :
锎抠冑� 賲賳 毓賱賷賴丕 賮丕賳锎� [丕賱乇丨賲賳: 佗佴]
賵睾賷乇賴丕 賰孬賷乇.
賲賲丕 兀毓噩亘賳賷 賮賷 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱噩賷丿丞
亘毓囟 丕賱丕賯鬲亘丕爻丕鬲
"賲孬賱 賯賱毓丞 丨丿賵丿賷丞 賲丨乇賵爻丞 噩賷丿丕 賲賳 丕賱丿丕禺賱 賵丕賱禺丕乇噩 毓賱賷賰 兀賳 鬲丨乇爻 賳賮爻賰 "
"賲賳 丕爻鬲胤丕毓 兀賳 賷噩賱爻 賵丨賷丿丕 賵賷乇鬲丕丨 賵丨賷丿丕 賵賷丿亘乇 兀賲乇賴 賵丨賷丿丕 賮賱爻賵賮 賷賱賯賶 丕賱爻毓丕丿丞 賮賷 胤乇賮 丕賱睾丕亘丞 "
丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賱胤賷賮 賵氐睾賷乇 (佟伽贍) 氐賮丨丞 賵鬲賮乇睾 賲賳賴 賮賷 噩賱爻丞 賵丕丨丿丞.
亘賯賷 兀賳 兀卮賷乇 廿賱賶 兀賳賾 賲毓賳賶 賰賱賲丞 [ 丿丕賲丕] 兀賷 丕賱卮乇毓 丕賵 丕賱毓丿賱 兀賵 丕賱丨賰賲丞
賵[ 亘丕丿丕 ] 鬲毓賳賷 丕賱爻亘賷賱|
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