Dhp2 - Dhammapada 002 Glossed

The Dhammadharini community has been studying the Dhammapada as a tool for learning Pali as well as a source of Dhamma. This exercise has led to many vibrant conversations. As we go back through our work, attempting to clean it up further, we would like to share it here for comment and further discussion.

I will be able to post some in the next week or so and then we will have a community retreat for six weeks, so the posts would likely resume in late May.

Here is the link to the second gatha,

Metta,
Sister Niyyanika

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The 1st and 2nd Dhammapada verses have 2 similes (Translations by Sujato):

(1) … like a wheel, the ox’s foot. (Dhp1)

(2) … like a shadow that never left. (Dhp2 and also 3 verses in Thag17.3)

Interestingly, the second simile is for positive things: (Translations by K.R. Norman)

Dhp2: … happiness follows him, like a shadow not going away.

Thag17.3: For 25 years I served the blessed one with loving deeds/words/thoughts, like a shadow not going away from him.

From this, it appears that the Good lingers and sticks more.

Whereas, the Bad can cause damage (if pulled too hard, the wheel will hit the foot), needs work and can be dropped off (let go, let it be, make peace) at any time.