best/favourite translation of dhammapada

[delora]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for a translation of the Dhammapada?

I currently have Ajahn Munindo's translation. I find it okay, but it's a bit too proscriptive/moralistic/british(!) in tone for me. anyone have any other suggestions?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Delora,

Welcome to Dhamma Wheel.

Buddharakkhita's translation is good, and online for free at Access To Insight.

The Dhammapada: The Buddha's Path of Wisdom translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .budd.html

Metta,
Retro.

[Sekha]

This one is nice: http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/dhp/index.php Thorough work. You will find there also the pali text + a summary of the related story from Buddhagosa.

it is sometimes overinterpretated as it sticks very much to the remarks of the commetary, but most of the time, it is the most accurate translation I have found:

We have tried to make the translation as close to the text as possible, but sometimes it is very difficult, if not impossible, to find an English word that would exactly correspond to a Pali word (...)

When there is any doubt in the interpretation of the dhamma concept of the verses or when the literal meaning is vague or unintelligible, we have referred to the Commentary (in Pali) and the Burmese translation of the Commentary by the Nyaunglebin Sayadaw, a very learned thera. On many occasions we have also consulted the teachers of the Dhamma (Dhammacariyas) for elucidation of perplexing words and sentences.

In addition we have also consulted Burmese translations of the Dhammapada, especially the translation by the Union Buddha Sasana Council, the translation by the Sangaja Sayadaw (1805-1876), a leading Maha thera in the time of King Mindon and King Thibaw, and also the translation by Sayadaw U Thittila, an Ovadacariya Maha thera of the Burma Pitaka Association. The book by the Sangaja Sayadaw also includes paraphrases and abridgements of the Dhammapada stories.

Otherwise, this ressource is also very helpful to understand more deeply the meaning of the pali text:

http://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/BDLM/en/ ... _pali3.htm

[mikenz66]

See also this thread:
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1025

Mike

[texastheravadin]

I've read Buddharakkhita's translation and liked it a lot. I tried to read Thanissaro Bhikku's version, also available on Access to Insight, but I did not enjoy it as much.

I recently found a copy of Gil Fronsdal's translation (with audio CD's, read by Jack Kornfield) at my local used book store for like $10, so I'm gonna dive into that one today.



Josh

[Refugee]

............I recently found a copy of Gil Fronsdal's translation (with audio CD's, read by Jack Kornfield) at my local used book store for like $10, so I'm gonna dive into that one today......

That's the one I read almost daily. I keep the CD's in my car, listen to it whilst waiting to pick up family members. I found it to be one of the better translations so far.

[jackson]

Where did you find Ajahn Munindo's version? Does it include his reflections? As for me, I've been working my way through the Dhammapada translated by John Ross Carter and Mahinda Palihawadana, which contains the Pali Commentary. It's not the most poetic version I've read, but I've found it to be very much worth it for the commentary, although with the verses it seems they favored accuracy of translation and somewhat sacrificed the flow of the lines, which is not a bad thing at all in my opinion but may not be what you're looking for. Anyway, best of luck!
With Metta,
Jackson

[mikenz66]

http://aruno.org//index.php?option=com_ ... &Itemid=49

Mike

[delora]

thanks for the replies..

jackson: the uk monasteries in the ajahn sumedho 'lineage' usually have a lot of his books for free distribution

[Dhammakid]

Hello all,
The version I read I purchased at my college campus some years ago - Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya's pocket translation (1995, Parallax Press; originally published by Lotsawa Publications, 1988). It was revised by a Rose Kramer and the forward was written by Thich Nhat Hahn. It contains some very helpul footnotes.

I didn't (and still don't) know anything about the quality of different translations of text. I bought it because I wanted a hard copy to carry everyday with me and it was the only copy being sold at the campus bookstore.

I've also made my way through the A2I version. They both have been very helpful for me.

Here's a link to the free online text from Google Books - http://books.google.com/books?id=7fvGjm ... &q&f=false


Dhammakid

[texastheravadin]

That's the one I read almost daily. I keep the CD's in my car, listen to it whilst waiting to pick up family members. I found it to be one of the better translations so far.

That's a great idea! I'll have to steal it!



Josh

[MJS]

I have a paperback of the Glenn Wallis translation/commentary, Not sure if it's the best but i like it

[Ytrog]

If have this book: https://www.milinda-uitgevers.nl/asoka/ ... -teksten-1

It's a translation to Dutch of both the Sutta Nipata and the Dhammapada.

[Su Dongpo]

Hello.

I have been reading and comparing translations as well (sorry, only English). Here's a thread I started at FS:

http://www.freesangha.com/forums/index. ... 1#msg31141

and another we have going at Buddha Forum:

http://buddhaforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=77&t=1198

I think several translation appeal to me for various reasons (I don't read Pali so I am only judging them on their own merits), but I also find, somewhat to my surprise, that I prefer the first major English translation, by a German scholar, F. Max Muller, in 1881. It is available at many sites online and has never gone out of print.

Here's one example:
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dhammapada_(Muller)

[Viscid]

I have a paperback of the Glenn Wallis translation/commentary, Not sure if it's the best but i like it

I highly recommend this. I was quite blown away by it.

[bodom]

I like Gil Fronsdal's translation.

http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/ ... hammapada/

[texastheravadin]

Me too, I've already read it once and am really enjoying getting to read through it again

[BD1]

I too enjoy Gil Fronsdal's translation, I even put the audiobook on my ipod to listen while I fight the drudgery at work.

[Nibbida]

"Best" is a matter of preference.

I like Easwaran's
http://books.google.com/books?id=ZtYYu6Z6_V0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=inauthor:%22Eknath+Easwaran%22+dhammapada&hl=en&ei=qm05TvyGKMG50AGfw6jtAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

But also Fronsdal's and Byrom's.

[Jason]

Here's a list of some of my favourite translations online.