Dhammapala
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- See also Dharmapala (disambiguation)
Dhammapala was a great Theravada Buddhist commentator who lived in the latter half of the 5th century CE at the Badara Tittha Vihgra, near the east coast of India, just a little south of where Chennai now stands. Note the Dhammapala was originally the name of one of the early disciples of the Buddha, and therefore continually chosen as their name in religion by Buddhist novices on their entering the brotherhood.
It is to Dhammapala we owe the commentaries on seven of the shorter canonical books, consisting almost entirely of verses, and also the commentary on the Netti, perhaps the oldest Pali work outside the canon. Extracts from the latter work, and the whole of three out of the seven others, have been published by the Pali Text Society. These works show great learning, exegetical skill and sound judgment. But as to the meaning of words, or to discussions of the ethical import of his texts, very little can be gathered from his writings of value for the social history of his time. For the right interpretation of the difficult texts on which he comments, they are indispensable.
Though in all probability a Tamil by birth, he declares, in the opening lines of those of his works that have been edited, that he followed the tradition of the Great Minister at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, and the works themselves confirm this in every respect. Xuanzang, the famous Chinese pilgrim, tells a quaint story of a Dhammapala of Kanchipura (the modern Konjevaram). He was a son of a high official, and betrothed to a daughter of the king, but escaped on the eve of the wedding feast, entered the order, and attained to reverence and distinction. It is most likely that this story, whether legendary or not (and Xuanzang heard the story at Kanchipura nearly two centuries after the date of Dhammapala), referred to this author. However, it might also refer, as Xuanzang gives it, to another author of the same name. Other unpublished works, besides those mentioned above, have been ascribed to Dhammapla, but it is very doubtful whether they are really by him.
[edit] Authorities
T. Watters, On Yuan Chwang (ed. Rhys Davidsand Bushell, London, 1905, ISBN B0000CR0WI), ii. 169, 228; Edmund Hardy in Zeitschrift der deutschen morgenlandischen Gesdllschaft (1898), pp. 97 foll.; Netti-ppakaranam: The guide, according to Kaccana There (ed. E. Hardy, London, Pali Text Society, 1902, ISBN B0000CLJ95), especially the Introduction, passim; Therl Gdtha Commentary, Peta Vatthu Commentary, and Vimna Vutthu Commentary, all three published by the Pali Text Society.
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
