6 Main Teachings of the Dhammapada

Last Updated on September 22, 2024 by The Unbounded Thinker

The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings of the Buddha that offers practical advice on how to attain nirvana.  It is an amazing ancient text with powerful teachings that enlighten readers and show the path to a good and fulfilling life. Here are six main teachings of the Dhammapada.

Teaching 1. Thought is Powerful

Our thoughts are powerful creators of our reality. A mind dominated by negative thoughts attracts a life of pain and suffering, while a mind dominated by positive thoughts attracts a happy life. We should, therefore, learn to control our thoughts if we want to live a joyful life.

Teaching 2. Virtue leads to Happiness

People should rely on virtue rather than material possessions, as a source of true happiness. A virtuous life guarantees happiness in the physical world and in life after death. Thinking about the virtuous acts performed in the past or present brings true happiness and even greater happiness is found in striving to become virtuous.

Teaching 3. Inner Peace Occurs as a Result of Controlling the Senses

An individual experiences inner peace when they control their sensory desires instead of constantly trying to satisfy them. Avoiding the pursuit of sensory pleasures results in true peace by freeing the mind from the cycle of craving and dissatisfaction, which usually causes stress and a sense of emptiness.

Teaching 4. The Body is a Fragile and Temporary Entity

The body is vulnerable to sickness, old age, and death. We should not strive to find pleasure or pride in it because it is weak, impermanent, and designed to decay. No matter how healthy or attractive your body is, you will get old, die, and your body will decay.

Teaching 5. Detach Yourself from the World

Detach yourself from the world and don’t cling to its pleasures. See the world as a temporary and fragile realm that only appears attractive to the unenlightened, and you’ll realize that it cannot be relied upon as a source of true and lasting happiness.  Appreciate worldly life but don’t cling to it. Engage with the world but don’t become entangled in its allure.

Teaching 6. True Wisdom is Attained by Controlling the Body, Mind, and Speech

You control the body by overcoming sensory temptations and understanding that these temptations only provide temporary satisfaction and can eventually cause pain.

You control the mind by calming its chatter through meditation and positive thinking, and you control the speech by practicing silence and choosing to speak positively. 

Check out my article: 61 Powerful Buddha Quotes From The Dhammapada