4. Flowers · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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whoKo
thisimaṁ
earthpathaviṁ
will bestirvicessati,
and the Yama realmYamalokañca
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,
and the Yama realmYamalokañca
thisimaṁ
with its godssadevakaṁ;
a traineeSekho
the word of truthdhammapadaṁ
well-taughtsudesitaṁ,
an expertKusalo
as a flowerpupphamiva
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
this bodykāyamimaṁ
having knownviditvā,
a mirageMarīcidhammaṁ
having fully understoodabhisambudhāno;
having cut offChetvāna
of Māramārassa
flowerspapupphakāni,
invisibilityAdassanaṁ
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
gatheringpacinantaṁ,
mind caught upbyāsattamanasaṁ
mannaraṁ;
sleepingSuttaṁ
villagegāmaṁ
like a mighty floodmahoghova,
deathmaccu
having takenādāya
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
gatheringpacinantaṁ,
mind caught upbyāsattamanasaṁ
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,
not harming beauty and fragrancevaṇṇagandhamaheṭhayaṁ;
moves onPaleti
taking the nectarrasamādāya,
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
lacking fragranceagandhakaṁ;
soEvaṁ
well spokensubhāsitā
speechvācā,
fruitlessaphalā
ishoti
for one who does not actakubbato.
Just like a glorious flower that’s colorful but lacks fragrance; eloquent speech is fruitless for one who does not act on it.
just asYathāpi
gloriousruciraṁ
flowerpupphaṁ,
colorfulVaṇṇavantaṁ
fragrantsagandhakaṁ;
soEvaṁ
eloquentsubhāsitā
speechvācā,
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
from a heap of flowerspuppharāsimhā,
one would createkayirā
many garlandsmālāguṇe
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
fragrance of flowerspupphagandho
spreads upwindpaṭivātameti,
notNa
sandalwoodcandanaṁ
pinwheel or jasminetagaramallikā
orvā;
but fragrance of the goodSatañca
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
of fragrancesgandhajātānaṁ,
the fragrance of virtuesīlagandho
supremeanuttaro.
Among all the fragrances— sandalwood or pinwheel or lotus or jasmine— the fragrance of virtue is supreme.
faintAppamatto
thisayaṁ
fragrance,gandho,
which is thisyāyaṁ
of sandal or pinwheel;tagaracandanī;
whichYo
butca
of the virtuoussīlavataṁ
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 in ethicssampannasīlānaṁ,
meditating diligentlyappamādavihārinaṁ;
freed through the highest knowledgeSammadaññāvimuttānaṁ,
Māramāro
pathmaggaṁ
notna
findsvindati.
For those accomplished in ethics, meditating diligently, freed through the highest knowledge, Māra cannot find their path.
just asYathā
in a heap of trashsaṅkāradhānasmiṁ,
discardedujjhitasmiṁ
on the highwaymahāpathe;
a lotusPadumaṁ
theretattha
might blossomjāyetha,
fragrantsucigandhaṁ
delightfulmanoramaṁ.
From a heap of trash discarded on the highway, a lotus might blossom, fragrant and delightful.
soEvaṁ
among those thought of as trashsaṅkārabhūtesu,
blindandhabhūte
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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