Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

30
PREFACE.
with this introductory phrase, " Thus have I heard." The
place where the sermon was preached is also given, and
the occasion and circumstances of it. It was from these
works that the Shamans, in after years, copied out the
various G§,thas, some of four lines, some of six lines, and
attached to each set a title according to the subject thereia
explained. But aU these verses, without exception, are
taken from some one or other of the accepted Scriptures,
and therefore they are called Law-verses (or Scripture
extracts), because they are found in the Canon.
Now the common edition used by people generally is
the one with 7bo Gathas. The meaning of these GS,th^s
is sometimes very obscure (deep), and men say that there
is no meaning at all in them. But let them consider that
as it is difficult to meet with a teacher like Buddha, so
the words of Buddha are naturally hard of explanation.
Moreover, all the literature of this religion is written in
the language of India, which widely differs from that of
China— ^the language and the books, in fact, are those of
the Devas (Heaven). So to translate them faithfully is
not an easy task.
The present work, the original of which consisted of 500
verses, was brought from India in the third year of the
reign of Hwang-wu (a.d. 223), by Wai-chi-lan, and, with
the help of another Indian called Tsiang-im, was first ex-
plained, and then translated intO' Chinese. On some objec-
tion being made as to the inelegance of the phrases
employed, Wai-chi-lan stated " that the words of Buddha
are holy words, not merely elegant or tasteful, and that
his Law is not designed to attract persons by its pleasing
character, but by its deep and spiritual meaning."
Finally, the work of translation was iinished, and after-
wards 1 3 additional sections added, making up the whole
to 752 verses, 14,580 words, and headings of chapters,
39-