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Dhammapada 44–59

Pupphavagga

4. Flowers · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Ko imaṁ pathaviṁ vicessati,
Yamalokañca imaṁ sadevakaṁ;
Ko dhammapadaṁ sudesitaṁ,
Kusalo pupphamiva pacessati.

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?

Sekho pathaviṁ vicessati,
Yamalokañca imaṁ sadevakaṁ;
Sekho dhammapadaṁ sudesitaṁ,
Kusalo pupphamiva pacessati.

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.

Pheṇūpamaṁ kāyamimaṁ viditvā,
Marīcidhammaṁ abhisambudhāno;
Chetvāna mārassa papupphakāni,
Adassanaṁ maccurājassa gacche.

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.

Pupphāni heva pacinantaṁ,
byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ;
Suttaṁ gāmaṁ mahoghova,
maccu ādāya gacchati.

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.

Pupphāni heva pacinantaṁ,
byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ;
Atittaññeva kāmesu,
antako kurute vasaṁ.

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.

Yathāpi bhamaro pupphaṁ,
vaṇṇagandhamaheṭhayaṁ;
Paleti rasamādāya,
evaṁ gāme munī care.

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.

Na paresaṁ vilomāni,
na paresaṁ katākataṁ;
Attanova avekkheyya,
katāni akatāni ca.

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.

Yathāpi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ,
vaṇṇavantaṁ agandhakaṁ;
Evaṁ subhāsitā vācā,
aphalā hoti akubbato.

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

Yathāpi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ,
Vaṇṇavantaṁ sagandhakaṁ;
Evaṁ subhāsitā vācā,
Saphalā hoti kubbato.

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

Yathāpi puppharāsimhā,
kayirā mālāguṇe bahū;
Evaṁ jātena maccena,
kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ bahuṁ.

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.

Na pupphagandho paṭivātameti,
Na candanaṁ tagaramallikā vā;
Satañca gandho paṭivātameti,
Sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyati.

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.

Candanaṁ tagaraṁ vāpi,
uppalaṁ atha vassikī;
Etesaṁ gandhajātānaṁ,
sīlagandho anuttaro.

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

Appamatto ayaṁ gandho,
yāyaṁ tagaracandanī;
Yo ca sīlavataṁ gandho,
vāti devesu uttamo.

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

Tesaṁ sampannasīlānaṁ,
appamādavihārinaṁ;
Sammadaññāvimuttānaṁ,
māro maggaṁ na vindati.

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

Yathā saṅkāradhānasmiṁ,
ujjhitasmiṁ mahāpathe;
Padumaṁ tattha jāyetha,
sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ.

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

Evaṁ saṅkārabhūtesu,
andhabhūte puthujjane;
Atirocati paññāya,
sammāsambuddhasāvako.
Pupphavaggo catuttho.

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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