The Udana & The Dhammapada

To me, it’s like a Buddhist version of Pascal’s Wager, from hundreds of years before the birth of Pascal.

In the Pali scriptures, the Buddha also says that if there turns out to be no afterlife, we can at least enjoy the rewards of abstaining from evil in this life.

Besides the Sigalovada Sutta, can you please recommend some other suttas which are also directed to householders? I really appreciate it.

There is in fact a whole thread devoted to this. My own contribution is post #40, consisting of a list of suttas recommended to laypeople by the late Ven. Ñāṇavimala.

Inspiring Suttas for Non-monastics

5 Likes

That’s really cool. Thank you.

2 Likes

Just as Muslims have the Koran and Christians have the Bible, many seek after one text which summarizes the essence of Buddhism.

For many East Asians throughout history, this text has been the Lotus Sutra. For many in Southeast Asia, this text has been the Dhammapada.

It seems only natural that people would desire one text which authoritatively summarizes the essence of a religion.

I wonder if the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka’s homophobic proscriptions in its Sukhavihāraparivarta could be explained as some of the leaven behind the occasional upflare up Chinese anti-gay sentiment, historically.

Obviously homophobia is a polyvalent and many-faceted societal phenomenon, and many factors go into it, but the prohibitions of association between the bodhisattva & and pañca paṇḍakāḥ would likely add to that leaven of malice, not detract from it. A pity. AFAIK none of the Sinitic recensions of the Dharmapada have homophobic insertions. Nor does the Udānavarga, mostly extant in Chinese AFAIK, for instance.

Incidentally, upon re-reading this thread, up there when I said:

I realize now I was mistaking the Pāli Udāna literature with the Sarvāstivāda Udānavarga. My mistake, originating from me not being sufficiently acquainted with Pāli texts.

I finished reading the Udana and it didn’t seem as interesting or insightful as the Dhammapada. Has anyone read the Udana and felt the same way afterward?

The only thing I don’t particularly like about the Pali suttas is that they are often clunky to read and not particularly well-written.

The Dhammapada, on the other hand, is one of the greatest works of religious literature I have ever read.

I feel like I’ve had a spiritual experience, however subtle, every time I finish reading the Dhammapada.