In short: Chapter 20 of the Dhammapada, The Path (Maggavagga), verses 273 to 289. The eightfold path as the best of paths, and the three marks: impermanence, suffering and not-self.
Of paths, the eightfold is the best; of truths, the four statements; dispassion is the best of things, and the Clear-eyed One is the best of humans.
Dhammapada 273, the chapter's first verse.
Pāli and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral. The introduction is ANEW's.
The verses in Pāli and English
| Verse | Pāli | English |
|---|---|---|
| 273 | Maggānaṭṭhaṅgiko seṭṭho, | Of paths, the eightfold is the best; |
| saccānaṁ caturo padā; | of truths, the four statements; | |
| Virāgo seṭṭho dhammānaṁ, | dispassion is the best of things, | |
| dvipadānañca cakkhumā. | and the Clear-eyed One is the best of humans. | |
| 274 | Eseva maggo natthañño, | <em>This</em> is the path, there is no other |
| Dassanassa visuddhiyā; | for the purification of vision. | |
| Etañhi tumhe paṭipajjatha, | You all must practice this, | |
| Mārassetaṁ pamohanaṁ. | it is the way to baffle Māra. | |
| 275 | Etañhi tumhe paṭipannā, | When you all are practicing this, |
| dukkhassantaṁ karissatha; | you’ll make an end of suffering. | |
| Akkhāto vo mayā maggo, | I have explained the path to you | |
| aññāya sallakantanaṁ. | for extracting the thorn with wisdom. | |
| 276 | Tumhehi kiccamātappaṁ, | You yourselves must do the work, |
| akkhātāro tathāgatā; | the Realized Ones just show the way. | |
| Paṭipannā pamokkhanti, | Meditators practicing absorption | |
| jhāyino mārabandhanā. | are released from Māra’s bonds. | |
| 277 | “Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā”ti, | All conditions are impermanent— |
| yadā paññāya passati; | when this is seen with wisdom, | |
| Atha nibbindati dukkhe, | one grows disillusioned with suffering: | |
| esa maggo visuddhiyā. | this is the path to purity. | |
| 278 | “Sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā”ti, | All conditions are suffering— |
| yadā paññāya passati; | when this is seen with wisdom, | |
| Atha nibbindati dukkhe, | one grows disillusioned with suffering: | |
| esa maggo visuddhiyā. | this is the path to purity. | |
| 279 | “Sabbe dhammā anattā”ti, | All things are not-self— |
| yadā paññāya passati; | when this is seen with wisdom, | |
| Atha nibbindati dukkhe, | one grows disillusioned with suffering: | |
| esa maggo visuddhiyā. | this is the path to purity. | |
| 280 | Uṭṭhānakālamhi anuṭṭhahāno, | They don’t get going when it’s time to start; |
| Yuvā balī ālasiyaṁ upeto; | they’re young and strong, but given to sloth. | |
| Saṁsannasaṅkappamano kusīto, | Their mind depressed in sunken thought, | |
| Paññāya maggaṁ alaso na vindati. | lazy and slothful, they can’t discern the path. | |
| 281 | Vācānurakkhī manasā susaṁvuto, | Guarded in speech, restrained in mind, |
| Kāyena ca nākusalaṁ kayirā; | doing no unskillful bodily deed. | |
| Ete tayo kammapathe visodhaye, | Purify these three ways of performing deeds, | |
| Ārādhaye maggamisippaveditaṁ. | and win the path known to seers. | |
| 282 | Yogā ve jāyatī bhūri, | From meditation springs wisdom, |
| ayogā bhūrisaṅkhayo; | without meditation, wisdom ends. | |
| Etaṁ dvedhāpathaṁ ñatvā, | Knowing these two paths— | |
| bhavāya vibhavāya ca; | of progress and decline— | |
| Tathāttānaṁ niveseyya, | you should conduct yourself | |
| yathā bhūri pavaḍḍhati. | so that wisdom grows. | |
| 283 | Vanaṁ chindatha mā rukkhaṁ, | Cut down the jungle, not just a tree; |
| vanato jāyate bhayaṁ; | from the jungle springs fear. | |
| Chetvā vanañca vanathañca, | Having cut down jungle and snarl, | |
| nibbanā hotha bhikkhavo. | be free of jungles, mendicants! | |
| 284 | Yāva hi vanatho na chijjati, | So long as the vine, no matter how small, |
| Aṇumattopi narassa nārisu; | that ties a man to women is not cut, | |
| Paṭibaddhamanova tāva so, | his mind remains trapped, | |
| Vaccho khīrapakova mātari. | like a calf suckling its mother. | |
| 285 | Ucchinda sinehamattano, | Cut out affection for oneself, |
| Kumudaṁ sāradikaṁva pāṇinā; | like plucking an autumn lotus. | |
| Santimaggameva brūhaya, | Foster only the path to peace, | |
| Nibbānaṁ sugatena desitaṁ. | the extinguishment the Holy One taught. | |
| 286 | Idha vassaṁ vasissāmi, | “Here I will stay for the rains; |
| idha hemantagimhisu; | here for winter, here the summer”; | |
| Iti bālo vicinteti, | thus the fool thinks, | |
| antarāyaṁ na bujjhati. | not realizing the danger. | |
| 287 | Taṁ puttapasusammattaṁ, | As a mighty flood sweeps away a sleeping village, |
| byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ; | death steals away a man | |
| Suttaṁ gāmaṁ mahoghova, | who dotes on children and cattle, | |
| maccu ādāya gacchati. | his mind caught up in them. | |
| 288 | Na santi puttā tāṇāya, | Children provide you no shelter, |
| na pitā nāpi bandhavā; | nor does father, nor relatives. | |
| Antakenādhipannassa, | When you’re seized by the terminator, | |
| natthi ñātīsu tāṇatā. | there’s no shelter in family. | |
| 289 | Etamatthavasaṁ ñatvā, | Knowing the reason for this, |
| paṇḍito sīlasaṁvuto; | astute, and ethically restrained, | |
| Nibbānagamanaṁ maggaṁ, | one would quickly clear the path | |
| khippameva visodhaye. | that leads to extinguishment. |
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Questions people ask
What is chapter 20 of the Dhammapada about?
The eightfold path as the best of paths, and the three marks: impermanence, suffering and not-self.
Which verses are in Dhammapada chapter 20?
Chapter 20, The Path (Maggavagga), contains verses 273 to 289.