Essence of the Dhammapada

The Dhammapada. is practical, free from speculation and theory. It’s suitable for people living in the world, with a family, a career, and all the problems of daily life. Most of the Buddhist scriptures are addressed to monks and nuns, but The Dhammapada. is addressed to all, and if we look at the Buddha’s life, we see that those attracted to him were often ordinary men and women like you and me. In later centuries the body of Buddhist scripture grew to be more voluminous than the Bible, but I would say that we need nothing more than The Dhammapada. to answer the Buddha’s call to nirvana. It is the perfect map for the spiritual journey. - Eknath Easwaran