At the base of Buddhist practice is the Dhammapada, a collection of the Buddha's sayings written originally in Sri Lanka in 100 BC and compiled in northern India in the third century. This translation contains hundreds of highlights of the Buddha's wisdom, divided into 26 chapters. "Dhamma "means law and truth, "pada "means path or foundation, and the meditations in this book are the timeless core texts of Buddhist thought. All other literature and teaching stems from the simple, thoughtful words in this "bible" for those on the path of peaceful enlightenment. For all those following Buddhism, and for those interested in taking moments for personal reflection each day, this gathering of wisdom is an indispensable map for a rich spiritual life.