~~~ Selected Verses From The Dhammapada & The Stories Behind Them, All Depicted In Thirty-two Beautiful Illustractions ~~~
Introduction
THE BUDDHIST CANON, otherwise known as the Tipitaka, is the collection of the entire teachings of the Buddha. From out of this vast collection, inspirational verses which touch the essence of what the Buddha taught were compiled and recorded in a book called DHAMMAPADA. These verses, arranged under twenty-six chapters with such headings as the Wise, Mindfulness, and Happiness are part of the earliest extant records of words uttered by the Buddha himself.
There are 423 verses in the Dhammapada, and behind each one of them is a story which bears a lesson of great moral value whether they concern such human flaws as pride and greed, or such virtues as compassion and generosity. It is primarily for this reason that for centuries throughout Southeast Asia, the Dhammapada stories have been used by parents to instruct and entertain their children and have been recounted by monks to inspire and enlighten those who came to seek their guidance.
As to whether the stories are really based on historical fact or merely the products of vividly imaginative minds, discussion still goes on, but it is evident that the stories may not be entirely precise in detail nor free from exaggeration. One is nevertheless advised to keep an open mind in order to be able to appreciate the moral lessons the stories are trying to convey. In any case, even those who do doubt their authenticity would have to agree that the lessons they teach provide food for reflection which may consequently give a whole new direction to the way one thinks and lives. Moreover, because the Buddha always suited his teachings to the age, temperament, character, and mental state of his listeners, one may just be able to identify with any of the characters that are depicted in the Dhammapada stories and benefit from that identification.
In addition, the Dhammapada stories are a valuable source of information regarding the personality of the Buddha himself: his temperament—the Buddha was always calm, patient and compassionate (no instance can be cited where the Buddha ever displayed any anger or spoke harshly); his great humility—he accepted food even from lowly servants and slaves, sometimes food that had already been partially eaten; his wisdom and skill in teaching—he was able to uproot the deep-seated unwholesome attitudes of even his most abusive and stubborn accusers and bring them to accept Right View.
“It is impossible to estimate how many human beings have refrained from telling a lie, killing an insect, spreading a rumor, or taking what is not given, by calling to mind a story from the Dhammapada at the right moment. If the world has experienced moments of compassion and wisdom in the face of greed, hatred, and delusion, the Dhammapada must be given its due share of credit for it.”
No doubt the Dhammapada will continue to be a source of inspiration and edification to all who seek spiritual upliftment within its pages.
I do believe you all would be able to extract morale of these stories and get moral benefits from these; then my efforts wouldn’t be in vain!
Contents
☢ Introduction
☢ Acknowledgement
☢ The Lady and the Ogress
☢ The Cruel Butcher
☢ The Scholar Monk and the Arahat
☢ Mindfulness Means Life
☢ The Wandering Mind
☢ The Fickle-Minded Monk
☢ The Monk Whose Body Stunk
☢ A Father who became a Mother
☢ The Cure for Death
☢ Bilalapadaka, The Selfish Rich Man
☢ The Wise Merchant
☢ The Innocent Monk
☢ The Unfortunate Hunter
☢ Kamma is Inescapable
☢ The Self-Pampered Monk
☢ Bhikkhu or Brahmana?
☢ Not Even for Free
☢ The Impermanence of Beauty
☢ Practise What You Preach
☢ The Pregnant Bhikkhuni
☢ The Necklace of Fingers
☢ The Cloth Baby
☢ The Power of Loving Kindness
☢ The Diligent Do Not Sleep
☢ The Great Pretenders
☢ The Ungrateful Sons
☢ Sainthood on Top of a Pole
☢ Alms-food is Alms-food
☢ The Abusive Brothers
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