| Author: | Susan Brassfield Cogan | ISBN: | 9781476162331 |
| Publisher: | Susan Brassfield Cogan | Publication: | May 1, 2012 |
| Imprint: | Smashwords Edition | Language: | English |
| Author: | Susan Brassfield Cogan |
| ISBN: | 9781476162331 |
| Publisher: | Susan Brassfield Cogan |
| Publication: | May 1, 2012 |
| Imprint: | Smashwords Edition |
| Language: | English |
So I told myself the Dhammapada is one of the oldest books of Buddhist thought. I should read it. What I wanted was a nice simple readable version that I could dip into. The Dhammapada isn’t something you read straight through like a novel. It’s basically a collection of aphorisms, little short sayings, like a box of really, really good fortune cookies.
I quickly discovered that most translations are completely unreadable, some more than others. A few of the more modern ones attempt to clarify the language—I don’t think I’m the first person to notice the readability problem. However, I may be the first person that noticed the problem who was a writer and not a translator.
So I told myself the Dhammapada is one of the oldest books of Buddhist thought. I should read it. What I wanted was a nice simple readable version that I could dip into. The Dhammapada isn’t something you read straight through like a novel. It’s basically a collection of aphorisms, little short sayings, like a box of really, really good fortune cookies.
I quickly discovered that most translations are completely unreadable, some more than others. A few of the more modern ones attempt to clarify the language—I don’t think I’m the first person to notice the readability problem. However, I may be the first person that noticed the problem who was a writer and not a translator.
