Dhammapada, Dhamma Verses (KN 2)

Introduction – 9
These verses are indented further in order to distinguish them from the Siloka verses, and
in this case I have adopted decasyllabic blank verse as the structure in the English
translation, again though, for the previously stated reasons, there are some small
variations in length.
In the version included in the English Texts section I have adhered to the English verse
structure more strictly, believing that a version that reflects the metrical nature of the
original text adds something to the memorable nature of the translation itself.
But in the Texts and Translation version, which has the notes on grammar and difficult
points, I have been less strict with this, as that edition is meant to help the student in
reading the Pāḷi, it has therefore received a more literal rendering.
Normally I take one verse at a time, with a double spacing between verses, but
occasionally when a verse is connected intimately to the next verse or verses, and they
cannot be separated, I then drop the double space.
Example (vv. 58-59):
Yathā saṅkāradhānasmiṁ ujjhitasmiṁ mahāpathe
Just as in a forsaken and discarded heap along the highway
padumaṁ tattha jāyetha, sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ,
a lotus might arise in that place, with a pure fragrance, delighting the mind,
evaṁ saṅkārabhūtesu, andhabhūte puthujjane
* so amongst the forsaken, the Perfect Sambuddha’s disciple
atirocati paññāya Sammāsambuddhasāvako.
outshines the blind and ordinary folk through his wisdom.
Verses joined in this way include: 58-59, 73-74, 85-86, 104-105, 137-140, 153-154, 186-187,
188-189, 190-192, 195-196, 219-220, 229-230, 242-243, 246-247, 262-263, 271-272, 345-346,
360-361.
Conventions
I use certain conventions in all my documents, which I will repeat here for those who are
not familiar with them.
Normally I translate the Pāḷi line-by-line, but if two lines have to be taken together
for translation, then I usually mark the line with an asterisk (*, or in some documents a
circle o ) at the beginning of the first line, to indicate that this has been done.