The Dhammapada - Buddha, Gautama

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Résumé :
A foundational collection of verses from early Buddhist tradition, presenting concise teachings on conduct, mind, and the path to liberation. The Dhammapada is one of the most widely read texts in Buddhist literature, drawn from the Pali Canon and traditionally attributed to the teachings of Gautama Buddha. Composed as a series of short, aphoristic verses, it addresses the nature of thought, the consequences of action, and the discipline required to overcome suffering. Its structure allows for both reflective reading and sustained study, with each verse offering a distilled expression of moral and philosophical insight. Organised thematically, the text explores subjects such as vigilance, self-mastery, wisdom, and the impermanence of worldly conditions. Its language is direct yet suggestive, emphasising clarity of perception and the cultivation of an ordered inner life. The Dhammapada has served for centuries as an introduction to Buddhist teaching as well as a companion for continued reflection, retaining its relevance across cultural and historical contexts....

Biographie:
Gautama Buddha, born as Prince Siddh?rtha, was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. Gautama is the primary figure in Buddhism, and accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules are believed by Buddhists to have been summarized after his death and memorized by his followers. Various collections of teachings attributed to him were passed down by oral tradition, and first committed to writing about 400 years later. The time of Gautama's birth and death is uncertain: most historians in the early 20th century dated his lifetime as circa 563 BCE to 483 BCE, but more recent opinion dates his death to between 486 and 483 BCE or, according to some, between 411 and 400 BCE. However, at a specialist symposium on this question held in 1988 in G?ttingen, the majority of those scholars who presented definite opinions gave dates within 20 years either side of 400 BCE for the Buddha's death, with others supporting earlier or later dates. These alternative chronologies, however, have not yet been accepted by all other historians.

Sommaire:
The Dhammapada is traditionally attributed to Gautama Buddha (c. 5th-4th century BCE), the founder of Buddhism. The text forms part of the Khuddaka Nikaya within the Pali Canon and consists of verses believed to reflect the Buddha's teachings as preserved by early Buddhist communities. While compiled after his lifetime, the Dhammapada remains one of the most influential and accessible expressions of Buddhist ethical and philosophical thought....