The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddaka Nikaya, a division of the Pali canon of Theravada Buddhism.

It is a sympathetic counsellor and its direct teachings inspire humility and reflection for the seekers and is a source of inspiration and practical instruction. It is also an authoritative treatise whoever earnestly practices the teachings found in Dhammapada will taste the bliss of emancipation.

Shri R.N. Gautam, who has been taking Vipasana Meditation Courses for the last many years under the organisation of Vipasana Research Institute (V.R.I. Igatpuri) has prepared this English version for the benefit of those who are not well versed in the Hindi language.

R.N. Gautam, b. 1949, Delhi

Class-I Officer, Govt. of India (Retd.) Research Scholar on Buddhism from University of Delhi, studied Pali, Tibetan and Hindi literatures

M.Phil, M.A. (Pali), M.A. (Hindi), Diploma in Pali and Tibetan, P.G.D., worked with Acharya S.N. Goenka since 1989 and now running Vipasana Meditation Courses since 2000.

Published articles in the journals from Delhi, Jaipur and Bareilly Universities, besides poems in Dhamma Darpana, Dharmacakra Parvartan etc., edited Thera Gatha

Books: The Dhammapada, Pali Text with Hindi translation.