Customer Reviews

The Dhammapada: The Path of Perfection (Penguin Classics)

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The Dhammapada is one of the essential works of Buddhist scripture, and this book represents Juan Mascaro's translation of that timeless classic from Pali into English. Not knowing Pali, I cannot judge the linguistic accuracy of Mascaro's translation. But as a lover of both poetry and spiritual philosophy, I can say that this English text is a quiet masterpiece.

The text is divided up into 423 short verses, each of which represents a teaching of the Buddha. This is one of those marvelous books which one can open at any page and begin reading. Often poetic, often practical, but always intriguing, the Dhammapada invites the reader to return again and again. Through its verses we can hear the Buddha challenging us to look at life from a radically new perspective; we hear him encouraging us to break free from the psychological prisons which we too often help build ourselves.

Also fascinating is Juan Mascaro's substantial introduction, in which he discusses the life of the historical Buddha and puts his legacy in a broad context that is both multifaith and multicultural. Scholars of comparative religion will probably be as interested in Mascaro's introduction as they are in the actual translation of the Dhammapada.

In the Dhammapada, we read, "Better than a thousand useless verses is one single verse that gives peace" (verse 101). Juan Mascaro's version of the Dhammapada is certainly a beautiful work of literature. But it is also a profoundly moving spiritual classic. Whatever your religious inclination (or lack thereof), you just might find in this wonderful book some verses that do indeed bring you closer to inner peace.

The Dhammapada is one of the world's great religious classics, and its pithy, poetic style makes it very direct and inspiring. Like some of the other reviewers, I don't read Pali, and it's probably true that this isn't the most literal translation. However, I've read several translations of the Dhammapada and this has been my favorite for a long time. In any translation of a poetic nature, the translator must choose a certain balance between a strictly literal translation of the source material and a poetic rendering of the material in the target language, and Mascaro leans a little toward the latter. I've been a student of Buddhism for some years, though, and I find very few places where Mascaro's translation seems to be inaccurate --- even though there are other translations that may be a little more precise and literal. In any case, there are many Buddhist philosophical works where precision of terminology is critical, but, since the Dhammapada is a more general work consisting mainly of aphorisms, it's one work where a little poetic license seems acceptable.

Having read Max Muller's over 100 year misleading translation, Carter's and Palihawadana's philosophical, dry, but excellent translation, which, with annonations builds up whole buddhist philosophical system, Mascaro's translation is deeply disappointing. While I can't understand Pali, Carter's translation is -or at least seems to be very convincing translation. Mascarara's translation is beatiful and poetic but has same grave philosophical errors than Muller's outdated translations. Let's see one example.

Chapter one, verse one is translated by Muller as:
All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage

Mascaro's also misleading translation goes like:
What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and out present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: our life is the creation of our mind.
If a man speaks or act with an impure mind, suffering follows him as the wheel of the cart follows the beast that draws the cart.

But Carter's et al. translation reveals the (propably) true (philosophical) meaning of the verse:
Proceeded by perception are mental states,*1
for them is perception supreme,
from them perception have they sprung.
If, with perception polluted*2, one speaks or acts,
Thence suffering follows
As a wheel the draughts wheel ox's foot.

annonations of Carter's book:

*1 perception...mental states: the pure event of seeing, hearing, smelling etc. an object is 'perception'; the concurrent rise of attachment, hate, anger, desire etc. with regard to it ís the mental states.

*2 polluted: that is, with mental states such as anger.

This has been the single most important book in my life for many years now. Some reviews dislike the translation, well I have never read another version of this book, but this version has brought me peace and clarity many times with the wisdom found within it.

I recommend the Dhammapada to anyone who wants to travel the road of peace and self discovery. Read one chapter a day, every day, and you will find new meaning each day even if the chapter has been read many times.

As stated in the title, the book is my foundation.

I've read about 100 buddhism books, and so far, I think this one (this translation of the Dhammapada) and the Dalai Lama's "A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night - A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" are the best buddhism teachings I've read to date.

I read the earlier reviews by some stating this translation is not accurate. Maybe other translations are more literally word for word correct with the original; however, I feel that this translation conveys the teaching the best.

Read the various translations that Riku Simonen presented in his post, and the one that Thomas gave in the comment to Simonen's post. Forget about the accuracy of the translation, which one makes the most sense?

Supposively Buddha stated that a person should not follow any teaching based on blind faith, that all teachings should be questioned, and only the ones that are true to a person's heart should be followed.

There are excellent translations of this seminar work around. This is a not too good one. Juan Mascaro has tried a bit to hard to make people understand what the Buddha meant so much that he allow him self too many interpretations.

In the very first verse he translates "What we are today comes from the thoughts of yesterday...." when a more faith full translation from the Pali original would simply say: "we are what we think, all what we are comes from our mind..." so one asks are the "yesterdays" and the "todays" really necessary? Can we not allow the Buddha to say what he said with out adding more? Another interpretative word is when Mr Mascaro translates as soul, what most other translators translate as mind. Mascaro gives to the very simple statements of the Buddha a rather Christian connotation (the word soul is not used in Buddhism at all and it is not that they didn't have that concept then, they did! Anatman, but the Buddha thought of it as mistaken and fictitious and the root cause of dilution). One could say that it is used in a poetic sense the word soul, but in a religious text terms such as soul are used to mean something doctrinal not poetic, this is not exception.

I would suggest to anyone interested in these verses a simpler and much more faith full translation. The one of Sangharakshita is pretty good. He leaves some times with in brackets the pali term of key words or when there could be more than one meaning, as it is usually the case.

I personally own ten English versions of the Dhammapada. Juan Mascaro's translation is the most beautiful and poetic I have read. The last chapter in particular (ch. 26 "The Brahmin") is a poetic masterpiece, highly evocative of the sacred. I disagree with other reviewers who believe Mascaro's translation is not accurate. Although I do not read Pali, I have studied the transliterated Pali and believe that Mascaro's translation is accurate enough. He takes minor poetic liberties, staying close to the original meaning of the text. (For scholarly study you may wish to supplement this version with a more literal translation such as that of Irving Babbitt.) This is an elegant translation of one of the world's greatest scriptures.

The Dhammapada is such a short read, but what a read! It is literally 90 pages. You can finish it in a couple of hours, OR take your time, read a chapter a day and just let the knowledge soak in. This was required school reading (years ago). I remembered the name and purchased the book once more. This is a fantastic translation; I can't imagine another edition being as easy and understandable.

I think we can all come to an agreement that many religions have a similar universal truth. Those interested in the "I Ching" and the "Tao Te Ching" - you need to add this book to your collection. Here we find another short masterpiece filled to the brim with words of wisdom. I mean it really makes you think that if everyone read this book and made a small conscious effort, the world would be a much better place to live in. Well, forget world peace for a second; if you're looking for inner peace, get this book and you'll be on the right track...

Let me end off with a few precious notes:

"To live one day full of virtue, wisdom, courage & deep contemplation is better than 100 years without it". Every day, one should take a few minutes to reflect and appreciate all of the little things that life has to offer.

We are all filled with pride - way too much pride. It is imperative that we rid ourselves of this awful trait, and fill its' void with healthier qualities such as virtue, humility, meekness, simplicity, humbleness, sincerity and truth above all. Every day, we need to strive for the betterment of ourselves: to seek wisdom from others and apply it so that we can perfect our own personality, our own nature. In this life, you reap what you sow therefore; take advantage of the true treasures around you while you can. For once these priceless gifts are gone - they will not return so, use your time wisely and live in harmony.

Goodness is a habit - a beautiful habit!!! Plant its' seed and watch it grow and cultivate!!!

The book is a good source of information for someone who is starting to study Buddhism. The language is simple and clear to understand. I recommend it for a starter student of Buddhism. This is truly the bible of the Buddhists.

Despite what it says, when you receive your Kindle book, you will find that this is a translation by F. Max Muller. I just returned mine for a refund. So far, however, Amazon has not changed the description. So if you really want the Mascaro translation, you'll have to buy a hard copy verion of the book. The Muller translation is not bad, but it lacks the poetry of the Mascaro. If you don't care about which one you're getting, then this is a fine version.