The Dhammapada has long been recognized as one of the masterpieces of early Buddhist literature. Only more recently have scholars realized that it is also one of the early masterpieces of the Indian tradition of Kavya, or belles lettres. This translation is an attempt to render the verses into English in a way that does justice to both of the traditions to which the text belongs. Although it is tempting to view these traditions as distinct, dealing with form (Kavya) and content (Buddhism), the ideals of Kavya aimed at combining form and content into a seamless whole.
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