Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

INTEODUCTOEY EEMAEKS.
Dhammapada (which, according to the Chinese Gloss,
may be rendered " Scriptural Texts " or " Verses ") is a
work of much importance in the study of Buddhism. It
contains, as its title signifies, authentic Texts gathered
from ancient canonical books—and these Texts are gener-
ally connected with some incident or other in the His-
tory of Buddha, helping to illustrate everyday life in
India at the time when they were written, as well- as
the method of teaching adopted by the Founder of this
remarkable Religion. Not only does the general tone
pervading these verses illustrate the spirit of Buddha's
doctrine,! but by a, critical examination of particular
passages, we are enabled to solve some of the difficul-
ties which always attend the interpretation of words and
phrases used in a religious sense. We already possess
two translations of this work from the PaU,—one by
V. Fausboll (1855), the other by Max MiiUer (1870)2—
and in addition to these there are the criticisms of Mr.
James D'Alwis and the late Professor Childers on the latter
translation—so that for all necessary- purposes we have
^ Mr. Spence Hardy has observed ' Mr. Gogerly has also translated-
that a collection might be made from 350 verses of Dhammapada (out of
the prec^ts of this work, that in the 423).—Spence Hardy, "B. M." p. 28.
purity of its ethics could scarcely [A. Weber's German translation apbe
equalled from any other heathen peaied in i3&o.]
author.— "Eastern Monachism," 169
A