Dhammapada
A collection of the Buddha's sayings in verse form.
The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form, widely read and best known among Buddhist scriptures. Its original version is part of the Khuddaka Nikāya, a division of the Pāli Canon of Theravāda Buddhism.
- Title
- Dhammapada
- Language
- Pāli (original); also Sanskrit, Gāndhārī, Chinese, Tibetan
- Part of
- Khuddaka Nikāya, Sutta Piṭaka, Pāli Canon
- Number of chapters
- 26
Lore & Background
According to tradition, the verses of the Dhammapada were spoken by the Buddha on various occasions. The Buddhist scholar and commentator Buddhaghosa explains that each saying was made in response to a unique situation in the life of the Buddha and his monastic community. His commentary, the Dhammapada Aṭṭhakatha, presents the details of these events and is a rich source of legend for the Buddha's life and times.
Reader's Guide
The Dhammapada is one of the most popular pieces of Theravāda literature. Its verses distill the Buddha's teachings into concise, crystalline form, making the Buddhist way of life accessible to anyone. The text is part of the Khuddaka Nikāya, though over half of its verses exist elsewhere in the Pāli Canon. The Pāli edition is the best-known, but several other versions exist, including the Gāndhārī Dharmapada, the Patna Dharmapada, the Udānavarga, and four Chinese works.
Did You Know?
- The title 'Dhammapada' is a compound of dhamma (doctrine, truth, phenomena) and pada (foot, path, or verse).
- Over half of the Dhammapada's verses exist in other parts of the Pāli Canon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dhammapada?
The Dhammapada is a verse anthology of the Buddha's spoken teachings, often regarded as the single most popular text across all of Buddhism. It is organized into 26 thematic chapters drawn from the Pāli Canon.
Where does the Dhammapada sit within the Buddhist scriptures?
It belongs to the Khuddaka Nikāya, a sub-collection of the Sutta Piṭaka (Discourse Basket) in the Pāli Canon of Theravāda Buddhism.
What language was the Dhammapada originally composed in?
The original text is in Pāli, though it has also been transmitted in Sanskrit, Gāndhārī, Chinese, and Tibetan versions over the centuries.
How many chapters are in the Dhammapada?
The text is divided into 26 chapters, each grouping related verses around a particular theme such as the mind, anger, or purity.
Why is the Dhammapada so widely read by Buddhists?
Because it presents the Buddha's core ethical and meditative teachings in short, memorable verse, it has become the most accessible and frequently recited scripture across virtually every Buddhist tradition.
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