According to the Theraváda Buddhist tradition, each verse in the Dhammapada was originally spoken by the Buddha in response to a particular episode. Accounts of these, along with exegeses of the verses, are preserved in the classic commentary to the work, compiled by Bhadantácariya Buddhaghosa in the fifth century C.E. on the basis of material, orally transmitted, going back 500 years at the time of his compilation. We just celebrated the Buddha's 2,569th birthday this month of May 2025.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npYTJ3kA5mw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD6TCxizFjs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogJ3NI107Bw
https://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/scrndhamma.pdf
https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp203s_Buddharakkhita_Dhammapada.pdf
https://www.buddhistelibrary.org/buddhism-online/e-books/dhammapada-txt.pdf
1. 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.
2. Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.
3 "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who harbor such thoughts will never find peace.
4 "He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me." Those who do not harbor such thoughts will find peace.
129. All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.
163. Easy to do are things that are bad and harmful to oneself, but exceedingly difficult to do are things that are good and beneficial.
165. By oneself is evil done, by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone, by oneself is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself—no one can purify another.
169. Lead a life of good conduct. Do not lead a base life. The righteous live happily both in this world and the next.
170. When one looks upon the world as a bubble and a mirage, him the King of Death sees not.
178. Better than sole sovereignty over the earth, better than going to heaven, better even than lordship over all the worlds is the fruition of stream-entry (sotápatti, the first stage of supramundane attainment).
182. Hard is it to be born a human being, hard is the life of mortals. Hard is it to gain the opportunity to hear the Good Dhamma, and hard, indeed, to encounter the arising of the Buddhas.
183. To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one’s own mind—this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
185. Not despising, not harming, restraint according to the code of monastic discipline, moderation in food, dwelling in solitude, devotion to meditation—this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
188. People, driven by fear, go for refuge to many places—to hills, woods, groves, trees, and shrines.
189. This, indeed, is no safe refuge; this is not the refuge supreme. Not by resorting to such a refuge is one released from all suffering.
190–191. One who has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, penetrates with wisdom the Four Noble Truths—suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the Noble Eightfold Path leading to the cessation of suffering.
192. This, indeed, is the safe refuge, this is the refuge supreme. Having gone to such a refuge, one is released from all suffering.
193. Hard to find is the thoroughbred man (the Buddha). He is not born everywhere. Where such a wise man is born, that clan thrives happily.
194. Blessed is the birth of the Buddhas; blessed is the enunciation of the Good Dhamma; blessed is harmony in the Sangha; and blessed is the spiritual pursuit of the united truth-seekers.
197. Happy indeed we live, friendly amidst the hostile! Amidst hostile people we dwell free from hatred.
198. Happy indeed we live, unafflicted amidst those afflicted (by craving)! Amidst afflicted people we dwell free from affliction.
199. Happy indeed we live, free from avarice amidst the avaricious! Amidst avaricious people we dwell free from avarice.
200. Happy indeed we live, we who possess nothing! We shall be feeders on joy, like the radiant gods (devá ábhassará, a class of gods in the realm of subtle form (rúpa-dhátu), they are said to subsist on joy instead of food).
201. Victory begets enmity, the defeated dwell in pain. Happily the peaceful live, discarding both victory and defeat.
202. There is no fire like lust, no crime like hatred. There is no ill like the aggregates, no bliss higher than the peace (of Nibbána).
203. Hunger is the worst disease, conditioned things the worst suffering. Knowing this as it really is, the wise realize Nibbána, the highest bliss.
204. Health is the highest gain, contentment the greatest wealth. A trustworthy person is the best kinsman, Nibbána the highest bliss.
221. One should give up anger, renounce pride, and overcome all fetters. Suffering never befalls him who clings not to mind and body and is detached.
223. Overcome the angry by non-anger; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth.
224. Speak the truth; do not give way to anger; give of your little to him that asks of you; by these three things one may go to the realm of gods.
235. Like a withered leaf are you now; death’s messengers are waiting for you. You stand on the eve of your departure, yet you have made no provision for your journey!
244. Easy is life for the shameless one who is as impudent as a crow, back-biting and forward, arrogant and corrupt.
245. Difficult is life for the modest one who always seeks purity, who is detached and unassuming, clean in life, and discerning.
273. Of all paths the Eightfold Path is the best; of all truths the Four Noble Truths are the best; of all things passionlessness is the best; of humans, the Seeing One (the Buddha) is the best.
277. “All conditioned things are impermanent”—when one sees this with wisdom one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.
278. “All conditioned things are unsatisfactory”—when one sees this with wisdom one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.
279. “All things are not self”—when one sees this with wisdom one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.
280. The idler who does not exert himself when he should, who though young and strong is full of sloth, with a mind full of vain thoughts—such an indolent man does not find the path to wisdom.
282. Wisdom springs from meditation, without meditation wisdom wanes. Having known these two paths of progress and decline, one should so conduct oneself that wisdom increases.
