Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

4
INTRODUCTION.
stanzas." Of course, the Chinese affords no assistance in
solving the question " whether ' pada/ in the singular, can
ever mean a collection of verses,"! and the other difficulties
attaching to the correct rendering of this word from the
P§,li ; but as an independent testimony to the sense of the
expression " Dhammapada," as it was understood by the old
translators in China, it may be of value.2 The Preface
further explains that these verses are "choice selections
from aU. the Siitras," which agrees with what we kn6w from
actual comparison, as also from the testimony of indepen-
dent writers.3 The Chinese Sutras, e.g., contain many pas-
sages found in Dhammapada—compare the following, p. 49
" As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring
the flower or its colour and scent, so let the sage dwell
upon earth," with Catena, p. 150, "As the butterfly alights
on the flower and destroys not its form or its sweetness, but
takes a sip and then departs, so the mendicant follower of
Buddha (sage) takes not nor hurts another's possessions."
And the stanza following this (N"o. 50) is but a part
of the same traditional record as coming -from a former
Buddha {Wcssallid) :
"Not the failure of others, nor their
sins of commission or omission, but his own misdeeds and
negligences should the sage take notice of" So in the
Chinese : " He observes not another man's actions or
omissions, looks only to his own behaviour and conduct."
(Op. cit, p. 159.) Again, let us compare v. 183 with the
Chinese record of Konagamana Buddha (Catena, 159),
1 But we must rememter the re- deuj.—" JuL M^thode," p. 71), where
mark of the translator of " Sutta "pada" is equal to the Chinese
Nip&ta," that in old PaU works the "tsi," which means "a trace," or
singular is frequently used for the "footstep." (For other example's vide
plural.—"Sutta NipMa," hf Sir N. the Chinese version of the "Lotus "
Coom&ra Swami. Introd. xix. (Trub- compared with that by Eurnouf, p.
^^^l^Go.) 155. Also "Jul. Hiouen Thsang,"
' It may be as well to state, how- iii. p. 498, &c.)
ever, that the word "pada " Is in vari- ' Mr. James D'Alwis, for example
ous compounds rendered by "traces," in his "Eeview of Max MiiUer's
or "vestigia," in the Chinese, such, Dhammapada," pp. 92, 93 ss. and
for example, as in the word " Kari- elsewhere. ' '
padadeva " [elephantis vestigia habens
: