Stories inspired from the Dhammapada - An Introduction

The most amazing aspect of the verses of the Dhammapada is that they are very simple and easy to read. And yet, each time I read and re-read them, I find that I am unable to understand them in a simple and easy manner. Every day of our lives has different circumstances that change our understanding of the verses. I have therefore begun an attempt to write short stories to help me tryto remember the manner of understanding of the verses of the Dhammapada. I fear that if I would not do so, I would be denied the opportunity of walking ahead on the path of dhamma that has been given to us, for us to hold on to, and learn and understand.

I have also included a list of further reading to help everyone to begin this attempt to understand. One such reference mentions that each verse of the Dhammapada can “release potential mind energy that you never knew existed within you.” This is so amazingly said, and it is in fact, very simplistically, true. These basic tenets of the teachings are indeed a vast ocean of knowledge in the universe, and one has to, some day, make a beginning.

The Buddha frequently made use of easily understood simile-led verses in his discourses during the forty-five years of his teaching. The Dhammapada is the most valuable collection of his teachings later compiled in 423 verses in twenty-six chapters and has its own treasured position in the Pitaka. Each verse has been explained along with a short story by the Buddha, and sometimes it refers to the earlier births of the Most Enlightened One and on other occasions, refers to contemporary human society of those times.

The Pitaka, or the Tipitaka is the collection of the teachings of the Buddha in the Pali language and is divided into the “three baskets”, the Vinaya Pitaka, the Suttanta Pitaka and the Abhidhamma Pitaka. The Dhammapada is the second book of the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Suttanta Pitaka and enshrines the very basic, most easily understandable tenets of Buddha’s teaching about the questions, riddles and parables of humanity, human life and attachments. The characters, well defined, within the stories accompanying the verses are on some occasions, to be found in both the Dhammapada and the Jatakamala. The collection of 540 poems, comprising the Jatakamala, is also found dispersed in the Khuddaka Nikaya and other books of the Tipitaka.

Each verse of the Dhammapada is a gem by itself. They are merely two phrases in four lines, usually witty, and yet a vast horizon of understanding. Each time that a verse is read, one begins to dive deeper and deeper in the magic and marvel of the context of the human condition that is depicted. The Buddha has emphasized the relevance of knowing one’s mind within all responses, action and speech and helps us understand that there are unstoppable consequences to our reactions, deeds and the spoken word. Each verse extends a truth (dhamma) by the Buddha, as a simple understanding of the human mind and the cause and effect of action and reaction.

The earliest translation of the Dhammapada from Pali into English by Max Muller in 1870 is available. Similarly, there are various translations in other languages that are equally proficient and excellent in their attempt at understanding the Dhammapada. I have referred to some of the most respected and authorized versions of the Dhammapada and the translations of the verses in helping me with this work.

I have merely attempted to present the stories that I have been inspired to write, after an attempt to try to understand the teachings from the verses of the Dhammapada. It is entirely possible that I am totally wrong in my understanding. I would be most happy to know that I am wrong, for it would only require of me to read the verses again and again and again. Nothing would be more fulfilling. These are merely stories, and there is no attempt here to convey any actual quotation or parable from the Most Enlightened One, except for the Dhammapada verses.

I have retained the presence of the Most Enlightened One in the stories that I have adapted from the versions thus written by more learned and studied authors of the Tipitaka and the Dhammapada. This has been attempted with the best of efforts to be faithful to the manner in which the earlier story has been presented by these expert authors. Except for such stories, most other stories in this series are totally original. The mention and linkage to the Buddha within these newly written tales are enabled through the references that I have found. There could of course, be more references. There is so much more to learn. There is so little time. Start. And, start again.

Khuddaka Nikaya - An introduction

The Khuddaka Nikaya is one of the five Nikayas in the Sutta Pitaka, one of the ‘three baskets’ of the Tipitaka. The Nikaya consists of 15 (Thailand), 17 (Sri Lanka) or 18 (Burma) clusters of suttas. The Khuddaka Nikaya is one of the very few, or perhaps the only one, where new suttas were added after the completion of the Tipitaka. Whenever possible or required, the new sutta was not added to the other nikayas of the Sutta Pitaka but, always added within the Khuddaka Nikaya. This was true of all the schools of the Pali Agamas or Canon – Mahisasaka, Dharmaguptaka and the Mahasanghika.

  

The Khuddaka Nikaya is comprised of – Khuddakapatha, Dhammapada, Udana, Itivuttaka, Suttanipata, Vimanavatthu, Petavatthu, Theragatha, Therigatha, Jataka, Niddesa, Patisambhidamagga, Apadana, Buddhavamsa, Cariyapitaka, Netti or Nettipakarana, Petakopadesa and Milindapanha clusters of suttas.   

There are various references in the Sumangalavilasini – being the commentary on the Digha Nikaya, and later in the Majjhima Nikaya and the Vinaya and Abhidhamma Pitakas that refer to differing numbers of clusters of suttas in the Khuddaka Nikaya. It is to be noted however, that the list of 18 clusters were approved by the Fifth Council held at Burma.

It is known that the texts – Suttanipata, Itivuttaka, Dhammapada, Theragatha, Udana and Jataka were among the earlier written clusters of suttas in the Khuddaka Nikaya. As the Tipitaka kept getting compiled and completed, much later, the Khuddakapatha, Vimanavatthu, Petavatthu, Niddesa, Patisambhida, Apadana, Buddhavamsa and Cariyapitaka were written and included.

Khuddakapatha – ‘The short passages’ – is a collection of nine texts that is presumably a textbook of sorts for newly inducted bhikkhus and bhikkhunis. Some of these texts are regularly changed and recited in many monasteries. The short passages comprise the (1) Saranagamana – ‘Going for refuge’, (2) Dasa Sikkhapada – ‘The ten training rules’, (3) Dvattimsakara – ‘The 32 parts’, (4) Samanera Pañha – ‘The novice’s questions’, (5) Mangala Sutta – ‘Protection’, (6) Ratana Sutta – ‘Treasures’, (7) Tirokudda Kanda – ‘Hungry shades – Outside the walls’, (8) Nidhi Kanda – ‘The reserve fund’, and the (9) Karaniya Metta Sutta – ‘Goodwill’.

Dhammapada – collection of about 423 short suttas.

Udana – ‘Exclamations’ – is a collection of short suttas, being concluded in each sutta with a short verse uttered by the Buddha. This precious collection includes the story of the blind men and the elephant, the story of the dove-footed nymphs among others.

Itivuttaka – ‘The Thus-saids’ – collection of 112 short suttas, in prose and verse, with a focus on a single topic of Dhamma. The phrase comes from – ‘iti vuttam Bhagavata’ – ‘Thus was said by the Buddha’.

Sutta Nipata or Suttanipata – ‘The Sutta collection’ – comprising 71 short suttas, including Karaniya metta sutta (goodwill or loving kindness), Mahamangala Sutta, and Atthaka Vagga.

Vimanavatthu – ‘Stories of the celestial mansions’ – 85 poems, explaining about deeds that led to the rebirth of deities in heavenly realms.

Petavatthu – ‘Stories of the hungry ghosts’ – 51 poems, explaining about wrongful deeds that led to the rebirth of beings into ghostly realms.

Theragatha and Therigatha – ‘Verses of the Elder Monks’, and ‘Verses of the Elder Nuns’ – with personal renditions in verse of the lives of the earlier monks and nuns, and culminating in descriptions of their awakening or understanding.

Jataka – ‘Stories of Birth’ – 547 stories that speak about some former lives of the Buddha, and his long journey as a Bodhisatta with intent and aspiration to enlightenment.

Niddesa – ‘Exposition’ – commentaries on Sutta Nipata, perhaps by Buddha’s disciple, Sariputta.

Patisambhidamagga – ‘Path of discrimination’ – an analysis of some Abhidhamma concepts.

Apadana – ‘Stories’ – Biographies in verse of the Buddha, 41 Paccekabuddhas (“silent” Buddhas), 549 arahant bhikkhus and 40 arahant bhikkhunis.

Buddhavamsa – ‘History of the Buddhas’ – about Gautama Buddha and of the 24 Buddhas before him.

Cariyapitaka – ‘Basket of conduct’ – Stories in verse, of thirty-five of the Buddha’s previous lives. Retold by Gautama Buddha at the request of Sariputta, and illustrating the Master’s practice of seven of the 10 paramis (‘perfections’).

Nettippakarana and Petakopadesa – in the Thai and the Burmese Tipitaka only. Methodological books.

Milindapañha – Burmese Tipitaka only – ‘Questions of Milinda’ – dialogue between the arahat Nagasena and the Greek King Milinda (Menander). 

Sutta Piṭaka - an introduction

Sūtra Piṭaka (Sanskrit) or Sutta Piṭaka (Pali) is the major division of the Tipiṭaka. The Sutta Piṭaka comprises more than 10,000 sūtras or suttas that are the Teachings of Gautama Buddha. The extensive collections of sūtras are classified into five Nikayas. These include the – Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya, Anguttara Nikaya and Khuddaka Nikaya.

Shortly after the Master’s parinibbãna, the greatest of his disciples and arahants came together, in what is now recognized as the First Council and collated the Sutta Piṭaka and classified them into the five Nikayas. It is recognized that there were no additions or editing to the original texts and the Canon was as exactly rendered as Gautama Buddha had meant it to be delivered to his disciples, bhikkhus and bhikkhunis. There are several arguments to this aspect, but that is not for us to delve into.

The five Nikayas of the Sutta Piṭaka were classified according to their content and rendition. Thus, the five Suttas were expounded in separate collections.

(1) Digha Nikaya or Dīghanikāya, the ‘digha = long (Pali)’ discourses: Comprising 34 long suttas, these include the greater discourses on the Mahasatipatthana Sutta or the ‘foundations of mindfulness’, the Samaññaphala Sutta or the ‘fruits of contemplative life’ and the Mahaparinibbana Sutta or ‘the last days’, among others. Mostly folklore-like renditions of spiritual realms, and also include instructions on meditation and other perspectives.

(2) Majjhima Nikaya, the ‘majjhima = middle-length (Pali)’ discourses: Comprising 152 medium-length suttas, this Nikaya includes discourses on the Sabbasava Sutta or ‘All the Taints’, Culakammavibhanga Sutta or ‘exposition of kamma’, Anapanasati Sutta or ‘mindfulness of breathing’ and Kayagatasati Sutta or the ‘mindfulness of the body’ and the Angulimala Sutta or the ‘story of Angulimala’. The majjhima suttas are some of the most profound and difficult, and include discourses on human aspects and about action and results on ones’ life and after-life.

(3) Samyutta Nikaya or Saṃyuttanikāya, the ‘connected’ discourses: The numbers vary, and there could be 2,889 suttas. However, according to another reckoning, the Samyukta Nikaya includes about 7,762 shorter suttas. The samyutta (Pali) – ‘grouped’ or ‘connected’ discourses are in 56 clusters.

(4) Anguttara Nikaya or Aṅguttaranikāya, the ‘numerical’ discourses: Comprising 9,565 short suttas arranged numerically, the Nikaya is grouped in clusters of numbers of suttas. While some are singular, the largest cluster comprises eleven suttas. Anga (Pali) – ‘factor’ + Uttara – ‘further’ = Anguttara consisted of several thousand short suttas that were grouped together into one-to-eleven nipatas, such as eka-nipata (Book-of-Ones) and duka-nipata, (Book-of-Twos) that comprised a single sutta about Dhamma, or two suttas about Dhamma, and onwards to clusters of eleven suttas.

(5) Khuddaka Nikaya, the khudda (Pali) = ‘smaller’ or ‘lesser’ being the ‘minor collection’: Comprising several different forms of suttas, including sermons, discourses, poetry and teachings by the Master and his disciples, the numbers of clusters vary from 15 (Thai), 17 (Sinhalese) and 18 (Burmese). The Dhammapada and the Jataka are the most well known and easily recognizable collections of suttas within the Khuddaka Nikaya. On their own, the Dhammapada and the Jataka are recognized texts that stand out for their simplicity, clarity and relevance across hundreds of years.

The Khuddaka Nikaya includes – Khuddakapatha or the ‘Short Passages’, Dhammapada or the ‘Path of Dhamma’, Udana or the ‘Exclamations’, Itivuttaka or the ‘Thus-saids’, Suttanipata or the ‘Sutta Collections’, Vimanavatthu or the ‘Stories of the Celestial Mansions’, Petavatthu or the ‘Stories of the Hungry Ghosts’, Theragatha or the ‘Verses of the Elder Monks’, Therigatha or the ‘Verses of the Elder Nuns’, Jataka or the ‘Birth Stories’, Niddesa or the ‘Exposition’, Patisambhidamagga or the ‘Path of Discrimination’, Apadana or the ‘Stories’, Buddhavamsa or the ‘History of the Buddhas’, Cariyapitaka or the ‘Basket of Conduct’, Nettipakarana or Netti, Petakopadesa and Milinda Panha or the ‘Questions of Milinda’.

We are concerned with the Khuddaka Nikaya from the Sutta Pitaka of the Tipitaka. In order to understand the relevance, value and gem-like quality of the concise and precise verses of the Dhammapada, it is necessary to know that the clusters of suttas did not occur in a random manner. Of the many groups of suttas in the Khuddaka Nikaya, the Jataka alone has more contemporary recognition and repetitive memory among people.

The Angulimala Sutta and the Anapanasati Sutta are the most useful and relevant in terms of human society and individual behavior. Vipassana as an accepted form of meditation and in the understanding of one’s own breath is an extremely valuable elucidation of human survival. The story of Angulimala in comparison to the several hundred stories in the Dhammapada provides the perspective.