Imagine voices carried across villages and forest groves, passing from teacher to student for centuries. The Dhammapada began its life as part of that living oral tradition, probably molded into shape around the time of the Third Buddhist Council (c. 250 BCE) under Emperor Aśoka’s watchful eye. Scholars often pinpoint its compilation in Pāli on the island of Sri Lanka somewhere between the 3rd and 1st centuries BCE.

The verses themselves likely trace back even further—echoes of teachings delivered by the Buddha in the 5th century BCE—but they weren’t set down in writing until palm leaf manuscripts showed up, roughly 2,100 to 2,300 years ago. Those fragile leaves carried wisdom that’s now more than two millennia old, yet it still resonates. During this spring’s Vesak celebrations, for instance, monks streamed live readings of the Dhammapada across social media, reminding modern seekers just how timeless its counsel remains.

Recent discoveries of fragments in Nepal and new critical editions by the Pāli Text Society keep sharpening the text’s edges, much like updating a classic film for high-definition screens. Whether swiping through a mindfulness app at dawn or quoting verse 276 (“You yourselves must strive”), it’s clear that these sayings have stood the test of time. More than 2,200 years on, the Dhammapada continues to feel as fresh as ever—proof that some ideas really can age like fine wine.