Dates: September 7 until 23  Monday, Wednesday and Wednesday (2026)

Time: 18:00 to 20:00 PM IST (India Time) 12:30 PM GMT  / 14:30 PM GMT

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INTRODUCTION

The Dhammapada is a revered Buddhist scripture containing the Buddha's teachings in verse form. Each teaching, as explained by the great master Buddhaghosa, was a response to specific situations in the monastic community. It serves as a guide to enlightenment through ethical and meaningful daily conduct. Studying the Dhammapada offers profound wisdom, inspiring and guiding individuals toward a virtuous path. Its teachings remain timeless and relevant, as exemplified in the first chapter, ‘Yamak Vagga’, emphasizing the power of thoughts in shaping one's destiny:

All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage... all that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.

Extremely relevant in this age of violence and terrorism is verse 5 that tell us:

Hatred does not cease by hatred. It ceases only by love, compassion, goodwill and friendship.

Many conflicts between individuals, families, communities and nations would not have arisen had the Dhammapada been more widely known.

Recommended Readings: 

• The Dhammapada, compiled by Hrishikesh Sharan
• The Light of Asia by Sir Edwin Arnold
• Mahatma Letters: series 1 and 2 by C. Jinarajadasa
• The Masters and the Path by CW Leadbeater
• Jataka Stories (a collection of Buddhist stories)

FACILITATOR

Hrishikesh Sharan holds a Postgraduate Degree in Physics from Patna University and joined the Indian Revenue Service in 1975. He later earned an LLB and a Postgraduate Diploma in Operational Research. 

A dedicated scholar of Buddhist teachings for over 37 years, he has translated and edited multiple works, including The Light of Asia, Dhammapada: Gatha & Katha, and Mantras of Mathematics. A member of the Theosophical Society, he has lectured widely on Buddhism, holistic management, and mathematics, both in India and abroad. In 1994, he led the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra as a Liaison Officer. Mr Sharan is a forceful motivational speaker and his Mantra is" By Doing Extra, Ordinary People Start Becoming Extra-Ordinary".