Dhammapada, Dhamma-pada: 6 definitions

Introduction
In Buddhism
1. Theravada
2. General definition
Languages
1. Pali
2. Kannada
See also
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Introduction:

Dhammapada means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

The second book of the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka.

It is probably a later anthology than the Thera Theri Gatha, and its earliest mention by name is in the Milinda panha (p.408).

It includes gathas collected together from various books in the Canon, but contains hardly any from the Jataka collection, or directly derived from the Sutta Nipata.

The present text of the Dhammapada contains four hundred and twenty three verses divided into twenty six vaggas.

So far, five recensions of the Dhammapada have been discovered. (For details see Law: Pali Lit., pp.215f).

A commentary on it exists called the Dhammapadatthakatha.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Buddhist Door: GlossaryDhammapada in Pali, Dharmapada in Sanskrit. A sutra consisting of two sections and 39 chapters, with 423 short verses of the Buddha, teachings given at various times and places. It is regarded as the "original" teaching of the Buddha, which can be used for reference, moral instruction and inspiration. It was composed by Dharmatrata in 400-300 B.C.Source: WikiPedia: Buddhism

The Dhammapada (Pali; Prakrit: Dhamapada; Sanskrit Dharmapada) is a versified Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself. It is one of the best known texts from the Theravada canon.

According to tradition, the Dhammapadas verses were spoken by the Buddha on various occasions. Most verses deal with ethics. The text is part of the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka, although over half of the verses exist in other parts of the Pali Canon. A 4th or 5th century CE commentary attributed to Buddhaghosa includes 305 stories which give context to the verses.

Although the Pali edition is the best known, a number of other versions are known:

Gandhari Dharmapada - a version possibly of Dharmaguptaka or Kasyapiya origin in Gandhari written in Kharosthi script
Patna Dharmapada - a version in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit, most likely Sammatiya
Udanavarga - a seemingly related Mula Sarvastivada or Sarvastivada text in
- 3 Sanskrit versions
- a Tibetan translation, which is popular in traditional Tibetan Buddhism
Mahavastu - a Lokottaravada text with parallels to verses in the Pali Dhammapadas Sahassa Vagga and Bhikkhu Vagga.
Fajiu jing - 4 Chinese works; one of these appears to be an expanded translation of the Pali version; this has not traditionally been very popular.

The Dhammapada is considered one of the most popular pieces of Theravada literature. A critical edition of the Dhammapada was produced by Danish scholar Viggo Fausboll in 1855, becoming the first Pali text to receive this kind of examination by the European academic community.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

dhammapada : (nt.) a line or stanza of the Norm.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Dhammapada refers to: (nt.) a line or stanza of the Dhamma, a sentence containing an ethical aphorism; a portion or piece of the Dh. In the latter meaning given as 4 main subjects, viz. anabhijjhā, avyāpāda, sammā-sati, sammā-samādhi D.III, 229; A.II, 29 sq. (in detail); Nett 170.—S.I, 22 (dānā ca kho dh-padaṃ va seyyo). 202 (dh-padesu chando); A.II, 185; Sn.88 (dh-pade sudesite=nibbāna-dhammassa padattā SnA 164); J.III, 472 (=nibbāna); DhA.III, 190 (ekaṃ dh-padaṃ). As Np. title of a canonical book, included in the Khuddaka Nikāya;

Note: dhammapada is a Pali compound consisting of the words dhamma and pada.

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Dhammapada (ಧಮ್ಮಪದ):—[noun] the Buddhist scripture, containing the sayings of the Buddha.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 75 books and stories containing Dhammapada, Dhamma-pada; (plurals include: Dhammapadas, padas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Part 7 - Sense-control in the Gītā < [Chapter XIV - The Philosophy of the Bhagavad-gītā]

Part 7 - The Stage of the Saint (Jīvan-mukta) < [Chapter XII - The Philosophy of the Yogavāsiṣṭha]

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Dhamma Padam < [July – September, 1994]

Triple Stream < [July – September, 1994]

Age of Indian-English Writing < [January – March, 1994]

+ 23 more chapters / show preview

Part 2 - The Dhammapada Pali < [Chapter VIII - Khuddaka Nikaya]

Part 5 - Suttampata Pali < [Chapter VIII - Khuddaka Nikaya]

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Acknowledgements

Introduction