Dhammapada A Valuational Study

Abstract

Dhammapada, a pali text, is one of the most popular and widely read scriptures in Theravada Buddhism. It is a collection of Buddha sayings in the verse form. It forms the second part of Khuddaka Nikaya of Suttapitaka. It is said to have been collected after Buddha demise(B.C.477). The text comprises 423 verses in 26 chapters, each chapter being designated as Vagga. Each verse in the text is said to have been made on different occasions in response to the unique situation that arose in Buddha life. Dhammapada has a commentary in pali by Buddhaghosha, entitled Dhammapada Atthakatha, written probably during 5th Century A.D. In this commentary, Buddhaghosha expounds each verse of the original text, by narrating a story related to the verse. The story narrated is attributed to Buddha himself. Dhammapada distils the complex theories of Buddhism into concise and crystalline form, makes Buddhistic way of life available to the common man. The title Dhammapada is a compound word comprising two words namely, Dhamma and Pada. Each word has varied connotations. Gogerly means the term Footsteps of Religion and Spence Hardy means The Paths of Religion. But the popular connotation of the term is Sayings of Dharma.