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conversations.value: Provide a description for a book titled Essence of the Dhammapada about I>The, Dhammapada.</I, Indian with the genre: Health, Fitness & Dieting, Alternative Medicine.
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conversations.value: &#147;Our favorite translation is the author&#8217;s <I>The Dhammapada.</I> His Indian heritage, literary gifts, and spiritual sensibilities here produce a sublime rendering of the words of the Buddha. Verse after verse shimmers with quiet, confident authority.&#8221;<BR>&#150; Huston Smith & Philip Novak,<BR>[Reviewing the author&#8217;s translation, <I>The Dhammapada,</I> in <I>Buddhism</I>]<BR>
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Provide the first five paragraphs for this book.. Start with the sentence 'Essence of the Dhammapada
  Yet it is true that in the case of a few extremely rare saints and sages, there is reason to believe that illumination can come all of a sudden'.
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conversations.value: Essence of the Dhammapada
  Yet it is true that in the case of a few extremely rare saints and sages, there is reason to believe that illumination can come all of a sudden. Ramana Maharshi became illumined when he was a boy of sixteen, and the impact was so tremendous that for a long time afterward he could not adjust himself to the world at all. It took a number of years for him to recover his balance and begin his teaching.
  That is why we can be grateful that in the case of ordinary people like you and me, awakening will come just as the lotus opens its petals: gently, naturally, gracefully, so that our balance will not be disturbed.
  That one I call a brahmin who has crossed the river difficult and dangerous to cross, and safely reached the other shore. [414]
  Once we glimpse the glory of the ultimate goal of nirvana, we begin to take all the difficulties of the journey in our stride. But the Buddha never wants us to forget that the way is durga, "a hard road," terribly difficult to traverse. Everywhere there are warnings: Difficult. Dangerous. Impossible. We should be astonished if anyone tells us the path is smooth. "How could that be?" we should protest. "Then there would be no challenge in it: no opportunity to develop, to grow, to strengthen my muscles."
  Blessed is the birth of the Buddha, blessed is the teaching of the dharma; blessed is the sangha, where all live in harmony. [194]
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conversations.value: Provide three more paragraphs.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Like the flight of birds in the sky, the path of the selfless is hard to follow. They have no possessions, but live on alms in a world of freedom.
  Like the flight of birds in the sky, their path is hard to follow. With their senses under control, temperate in eating, they know the meaning of freedom. [92–93]
  Now we come to one of the most magical words in Buddhism, shunyata. Wherever students of the Buddha gather they cannot help talking about shunyata, which comes from the Sanskrit word shunya meaning "a zero, a void, an emptiness." The concept of zero was first discovered in India, and perhaps the Buddhist idea of emptiness could have come only from a culture in which the mathematical zero had first been used.
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conversations.value: Provide the last four paragraphs.
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conversations.value: The Katha Upanishad, one of India's classic wisdom texts, embraces all the key ideas of Indian spirituality within the context of a powerful mythic quest. Set in the shadowy kingdom of Death, the Katha opens with the young hero, Nachiketa, seeking answers to the age-old questions: "What is the purpose of life? And what will happen to me after I die?" The King of Death emerges as the perfect spiritual guide – challenging, uncompromising, and direct.
  But the insights of the Katha, as with all the Upanishads, are scattered, hard to understand. Easwaran explains the core concepts and presents them systematically, illustrating them through everyday examples and analogies, as a way to explore deeper and deeper levels of personality. Taken this way, the Katha provides a comprehensive answer to the question "Who am I?"
  In Easwaran's universal method of passage meditation, you choose a spiritual text from the world's great traditions that embodies your highest ideals. You memorize it and then send it deep into consciousness through slow, sustained attention. With regular practice, the passages become lifelines, taking you to the source of wisdom deep within and then guiding you through all the challenges of daily life.
  Getting caught in unwanted thoughts and emotions can feel like an inevitable part of life – but Easwaran shows how to break free. Just as a fitness routine can result in a strong, supple body, spiritual disciplines can shape a secure, loving mind. With insights from the Buddha, everyday examples, and practical exercises, Easwaran explains how we can train the mind not just in meditation but throughout the day.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Reverse the sentences.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: With insights from the Buddha, everyday examples, and practical exercises, Easwaran explains how we can train the mind not just in meditation but throughout the day.. Just as a fitness routine can result in a strong, supple body, spiritual disciplines can shape a secure, loving mind.
  Getting caught in unwanted thoughts and emotions can feel like an inevitable part of life – but Easwaran shows how to break free. With regular practice, the passages become lifelines, taking you to the source of wisdom deep within and then guiding you through all the challenges of daily life. You memorize it and then send it deep into consciousness through slow, sustained attention. Taken this way, the Katha provides a comprehensive answer to the question "Who am I?"
  In Easwaran's universal method of passage meditation, you choose a spiritual text from the world's great traditions that embodies your highest ideals. Easwaran explains the core concepts and presents them systematically, illustrating them through everyday examples and analogies, as a way to explore deeper and deeper levels of personality.
  But the insights of the Katha, as with all the Upanishads, are scattered, hard to understand. Set in the shadowy kingdom of Death, the Katha opens with the young hero, Nachiketa, seeking answers to the age-old questions: "What is the purpose of life? And what will happen to me after I die?" The King of Death emerges as the perfect spiritual guide – challenging, uncompromising, and direct.The Katha Upanishad, one of India's classic wisdom texts, embraces all the key ideas of Indian spirituality within the context of a powerful mythic quest