Dhammapada Primary Source Paper

Keegan McNamara Dr. Matthew Kuiper REL-281-02 20 March 2024 Primary Source Paper - the Dhammapada In this paper, I will analyze the Dhammapada and answer sayings attributed to the Buddha. The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form. These verses cover various aspects of Buddhist teachings and are highly regarded within the Buddhist community for their valuable teachings. It is one of the most widely read and studied Buddhist scriptures. I will analyze and interpret four questions attributed to the Buddha’s sayings and conclude the paper with my own personal questions and interests. The first proposed question is, “What things are wrong with the world and with people?” In the very beginning of the Dhammapada, the text

It conveys the idea that hatred leads to continued suffering and resentment. From my interpretation, it seems that hate cannot exist in a perfectly Buddhist society. Furthermore, another proposed mishap with our world the Dhammapada makes aware of is pleasure, “7 He who lives looking for pleasure only, his senses uncontrolled, immoderate in his food, idle, and weak, Mara (the tempter) will certainly overthrow him, as the wind throws down a weak tree. 8 He who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well controlled, moderate in his food, faithful and strong, him Mara will certainly not overthrow, any more than the wind throws down a rocky mountain” (Dhammapada I:7-8). Once again, the Dhammapada employs contradiction to argue right and wrong while simultaneously portraying the wrong in our world. It compares a person always seeking pleasures as a “weak tree” whereas, it argues that a person not looking for pleasures is metaphorically a “rocky mountain.” Through this contradiction, the Dhammapada exemplifies how seeking out pleasures is something wrong with people in our world and argues that one who is not seeking pleasures and living moderately is much