The Dhammapada
April 2007
Trade Paperback · 256 Pages
$10.95 U.S. · £6.99 U.K. · €7.99 E.U.
ISBN 9781586380205
Nilgiri Press
Trade Paperback · 256 Pages
$10.95 U.S. · £6.99 U.K. · €7.99 E.U.
ISBN 9781586380205
Nilgiri Press
Description
Easwaran’s edition of the Buddha’s Dhammapada is based on the oldest and best-known version of the text, originally in Pali, derived from Sanskrit. Dhammapada means “the path of dharma,” the path of harmony and righteousness that anyone can follow to reach the highest good.
The introduction to this edition is a small, self-contained book in its own right—a comprehensive overview of the Buddha’s teachings that is both thorough and engaging. Easwaran is a master storyteller, and the introduction includes many episodes that make moving, memorable reading, bringing the young prince Siddhartha and his heroic spiritual quest vividly to life. Chapter introductions place individual verses into the context of the broader Buddhist canon.
His main qualification for interpreting the Dhammapada, Easwaran says, is his own knowledge from personal experience that these verses can transform lives. This faithful rendition brings us closer to the compassionate heart of the Buddha.
Eknath Easwaran (1919–1999) brings to these volumes a rare blend of credentials: knowledge of Sanskrit and Pali, an intuitive understanding of his Indian spiritual legacy, and a mastery of English. He was chairman of the English department at a major Indian university when he came to the United States on the Fulbright Exchange program in 1959. A gifted teacher who lived for many years in the West, Easwaran explains the concepts underlying the classics of Indian spirituality in fresh, authoritative, and profoundly simple ways.
The introduction to this edition is a small, self-contained book in its own right—a comprehensive overview of the Buddha’s teachings that is both thorough and engaging. Easwaran is a master storyteller, and the introduction includes many episodes that make moving, memorable reading, bringing the young prince Siddhartha and his heroic spiritual quest vividly to life. Chapter introductions place individual verses into the context of the broader Buddhist canon.
His main qualification for interpreting the Dhammapada, Easwaran says, is his own knowledge from personal experience that these verses can transform lives. This faithful rendition brings us closer to the compassionate heart of the Buddha.
Eknath Easwaran (1919–1999) brings to these volumes a rare blend of credentials: knowledge of Sanskrit and Pali, an intuitive understanding of his Indian spiritual legacy, and a mastery of English. He was chairman of the English department at a major Indian university when he came to the United States on the Fulbright Exchange program in 1959. A gifted teacher who lived for many years in the West, Easwaran explains the concepts underlying the classics of Indian spirituality in fresh, authoritative, and profoundly simple ways.