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Dhammapada 44–59

Pupphavagga

4. Flowers · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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whoKo thisimaṁ earthpathaviṁ will bestirvicessati,
Yama·realm + andYamalokañca thisimaṁ with its godssadevakaṁ;
whoKo the word of truthdhammapadaṁ well-taughtsudesitaṁ,
an expertKusalo as a flowerpupphamiva sets outpacessati.

Who bestirs this earth, and the Yama realm with its gods? Who sets out the well-taught word of truth, as an expert a flower?

a traineeSekho the earthpathaviṁ will bestirvicessati,
Yama-realm + andYamalokañca thisimaṁ with its godssadevakaṁ;
a traineeSekho truth·worddhammapadaṁ well-taughtsudesitaṁ,
an expertKusalo flower·likepupphamiva will set outpacessati.

A trainee bestirs this earth, and the Yama realm with its gods. A trainee sets out the well-taught word of truth, as an expert a flower.

foam·likePheṇūpamaṁ body + thiskāyamimaṁ having knownviditvā,
mirage·natureMarīcidhammaṁ having fully understoodabhisambudhāno;
having cut offChetvāna of Māramārassa flowerspapupphakāni,
not·seeingAdassanaṁ of the King of Deathmaccurājassa may gogacche.

Knowing this body’s like foam, realizing it’s all just a mirage, and cutting off Māra’s blossoming, vanish from the King of Death.

flowersPupphāni indeedheva forth·gatherpacinantaṁ,
apart·attached·mindbyāsattamanasaṁ mannaraṁ;
sleepingSuttaṁ villagegāmaṁ great·flood + likemahoghova,
deathmaccu to·takeādāya goesgacchati.

As a mighty flood sweeps off a sleeping village, death steals away a man even as he gathers flowers, his mind caught up in them.

flowersPupphāni indeedheva forth·gatherpacinantaṁ,
apart·attached·mindbyāsattamanasaṁ mannaraṁ;
unsated + indeedAtittaññeva in pleasureskāmesu,
terminatorantako gains controlkurute controlvasaṁ.

The terminator gains control of the man who has not had his fill of pleasures, even as he gathers flowers, his mind caught up in them.

just asYathāpi a beebhamaro flowerpupphaṁ,
beauty·fragrance·not harmingvaṇṇagandhamaheṭhayaṁ;
moves onPaleti nectar·takingrasamādāya,
thusevaṁ in the villagegāme a sagemunī should walkcare.

A bee takes the nectar and moves on, doing no damage to the flower’s beauty and fragrance; and that’s how a sage should walk in the village.

notNa of othersparesaṁ faultsvilomāni,
notna of othersparesaṁ done or left undonekatākataṁ;
one's own onlyAttanova should watchavekkheyya,
donekatāni left undoneakatāni andca.

Don’t find fault with others, with what they’ve done or left undone. You should only watch yourself, what you’ve done or left undone.

just likeYathāpi gloriousruciraṁ flowerpupphaṁ,
colorfulvaṇṇavantaṁ not·fragrantagandhakaṁ;
soEvaṁ well·spokensubhāsitā speechvācā,
not·fruitaphalā ishoti not·doingakubbato.

Just like a glorious flower that’s colorful but lacks fragrance; eloquent speech is fruitless for one who does not act on it.

as·indeedYathāpi gloriousruciraṁ flowerpupphaṁ,
colorfulVaṇṇavantaṁ with·fragrantsagandhakaṁ;
soEvaṁ well·spokensubhāsitā speechvācā,
with·fruitfulSaphalā ishoti for one who actskubbato.

Just like a glorious flower that’s both colorful and fragrant, eloquent speech is fruitful for one who acts on it.

just asYathāpi flower·heappuppharāsimhā,
one would createkayirā garland·stringmālāguṇe manybahū;
soEvaṁ by one who has been bornjātena by a mortalmaccena,
to be donekattabbaṁ skillfulkusalaṁ manybahuṁ.

Just as one would create many garlands from a heap of flowers, when a person has come to be born, they should do many skillful things.

notNa flower·fragrancepupphagandho spreads upwindpaṭivātameti,
notNa sandalwoodcandanaṁ pinwheel·jasminetagaramallikā orvā;
good + butSatañca fragrancegandho spreads upwindpaṭivātameti,
allSabbā directionsdisā a true personsappuriso spreads virtuepavāyati.

The fragrance of flowers doesn’t spread upwind, nor sandalwood, pinwheel, or jasmine; but the fragrance of the good spreads upwind; a true person’s virtue spreads in every direction.

sandalwoodCandanaṁ pinwheeltagaraṁ or evenvāpi,
lotusuppalaṁ andatha jasminevassikī;
of theseEtesaṁ fragrance·kindsgandhajātānaṁ,
virtue·fragrancesīlagandho supremeanuttaro.

Among all the fragrances— sandalwood or pinwheel or lotus or jasmine— the fragrance of virtue is supreme.

faintAppamatto thisayaṁ fragrance,gandho,
which + thisyāyaṁ pinwheel·sandal;tagaracandanī;
whichYo butca virtue·possessingsīlavataṁ fragrance,gandho,
floatsvāti among godsdevesu highest.uttamo.

Faint is the fragrance of sandal or pinwheel; but the fragrance of the virtuous floats to the highest gods.

for thoseTesaṁ accomplished·ethicssampannasīlānaṁ,
diligence·dwellingappamādavihārinaṁ;
highest knowledge·freedSammadaññāvimuttānaṁ,
Māramāro pathmaggaṁ notna findsvindati.

For those accomplished in ethics, meditating diligently, freed through the highest knowledge, Māra cannot find their path.

just asYathā trash·heapsaṅkāradhānasmiṁ,
discardedujjhitasmiṁ great·pathmahāpathe;
a lotusPadumaṁ theretattha might blossomjāyetha,
pure·scentsucigandhaṁ mind·delightingmanoramaṁ.

From a heap of trash discarded on the highway, a lotus might blossom, fragrant and delightful.

soEvaṁ among those thought of as trashsaṅkārabhūtesu,
blind·beingsandhabhūte ordinary folkputhujjane;
outshinesAtirocati with wisdompaññāya,
a disciple of the perfect Buddhasammāsambuddhasāvako.
flower·chapterPupphavaggo fourthcatuttho.

So too, among those thought of as trash, a disciple of the perfect Buddha outshines with their wisdom the blind ordinary folk.

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