DhammapadaDhammapada chapter 4: Flowers
Verses 44 to 59, in Max Muller's translation.
About this chapter
This chapter uses the image of flowers to speak about practice: the person who gathers flowers and the one who is gathered by death; and the sweet scent of virtue, which, unlike the scent of flowers, travels against the wind.
It has 15 verses (44 to 59). « Chapter 3 · Chapter 5 »
Who shall overcome this earth, and the world of Yama (the lord of the departed), and the world of the gods? Who shall find out the plainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds out the (right) flower?
The disciple will overcome the earth, and the world of Yama, and the world of the gods. The disciple will find out the plainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds out the (right) flower.
He who knows that this body is like froth, and has learnt that it is as unsubstantial as a mirage, will break the flower-pointed arrow of Mara, and never see the king of death.
Death carries off a man who is gathering flowers and whose mind is distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village.
Death subdues a man who is gathering flowers, and whose mind is distracted, before he is satiated in his pleasures.
As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or its colour or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village.
Not the perversities of others, not their sins of commission or omission, but his own misdeeds and negligences should a sage take notice of.
Like a beautiful flower, full of colour, but without scent, are the fine but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly.
But, like a beautiful flower, full of colour and full of scent, are the fine and fruitful words of him who acts accordingly.
As many kinds of wreaths can be made from a heap of flowers, so many good things may be achieved by a mortal when once he is born.
The scent of flowers does not travel against the wind, nor (that of) sandal-wood, or of Tagara and Mallika flowers; but the odour of good people travels even against the wind; a good man pervades every place.
Sandal-wood or Tagara, a lotus-flower, or a Vassiki, among these sorts of perfumes, the perfume of virtue is unsurpassed.
Mean is the scent that comes from Tagara and sandal-wood;--the perfume of those who possess virtue rises up to the gods as the highest.
Of the people who possess these virtues, who live without thoughtlessness, and who are emancipated through true knowledge, Mara, the tempter, never finds the way.
As on a heap of rubbish cast upon the highway the lily will grow full of sweet perfume and delight, thus the disciple of the truly enlightened Buddha shines forth by his knowledge among those who are like rubbish, among the people that walk in darkness.
The verses are F. Max Muller's English translation of 1881, in the public domain; its wording is of its time. The notes are our own. This site is an introduction and not a substitute for a teacher, and it is independent of any Buddhist organisation.