---
name: "xdp"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "display-dhammapada"
version: "0.21-3"
release: "Debian 3.1 (Sarge)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/display-dhammapada"
---

# xdp(1)

display a verse from the Dhammapada

Part of [display-dhammapada(1)](/display-dhammapada/1.md).

## NAME

display-dhammapada - display a verse from the Dhammapada

## SYNOPSIS

**display-dhammapada** \[-r \| -m \| -b\] \[\<num\> \| all\]\
 **dp** \[-r \| -m \| -b\] \[\<num\> \| all\]\
 **xdp** \[\<num\>\]

## OPTIONS

- **-r**

  Use the Richards translation (default).

- **-m**

  Use the Muller translation.

- **-b**

  Display corresponding verses from both translations.

- **\<num\>**

  Print the given number verse.

- **all**

  Print all the verses.

With no arguments a random verse is printed.

## DESCRIPTION

The Dhammapada is an anthology of 423 verses from the Kuddaka Nikaya part of the Theravada Pali Canon.  It contains Buddhist ethical and spiritual precepts.  One of the translations is by John Richards; the other is an older translation by F. Max Muller.

**display-dhammapada** prints to the standard output.

**xdp** prints using **xmessage** on an X Window screen, or in bold using **tputs** on a text terminal.

## EXAMPLES

To display a verse each time you log in on a terminal, put **display-dhammapada** or **xdp** in your *~/.profile*, *~/.bash\_profile* or *~/.login*, as appropriate for your shell.

To display a verse each time you log in on X Window, put **xdp** in your *~/.xsession*.

KDE 2.1 has "amor" toy that can display various tips.  To use the dhammapada for that enter these commands at shell prompt: mkdir ~/.kde/share/apps/amor display-dhammapada -r all \|perl -0777 -pe 's/\\n\\s\*\\n\\s\*\\n/\\n%\\n/g' \>~/.kde/share/apps/amor/tips Then start amor K-\>Toys-\>Amor, right click on amor animation, select "Options" and select "Allow application tips" and "Show random tips".

## FILES

*/usr/share/display-dhammapada/dhammapada-english-transl.txt*\
 */usr/share/display-dhammapada/dhammapada-alternate.txt*

## SEE ALSO

[**xmessage**(1)](/xmessage/1.md), [**tput**(1)](/tput/1.md).

## BUGS

You may found that xmessage and hence xdp is broken on XFree 4.0x.

## AUTHORS

Program: Copyright (C) 1997-2001 Richard Cepas, placed in the public domain.\
 See http://unicode.richard.eu.org/me/rch/dd.html

Richards' English translation of the Dhammapada: Copyright (C) 1993 John Richards, Pembrokeshire (UK), permission granted for use here. See ftp://coombs.anu.edu.au/coombspapers/otherarchives/electronic-buddhist-archives/buddhism-general/e-texts/sutras-translations/dhammapada-english-transl.txt

Muller's translation of the Dhammapada: Public Domain, used here courtesy of Project Gutenberg.