A trainee bestirs this earth,Sekho pathaviṁ vicessati, and the Yama realm with its gods.Yamalokañca imaṁ sadevakaṁ; A trainee sets out the well-taught word of truth,Sekho dhammapadaṁ sudesitaṁ, as an expert a flower.Kusalo pupphamiva pacessati.
- Minor CollectionKhuddakanikāya
- Sayings of the Dhamma 44–59Dhammapada
4. FlowersPupphavagga
Who bestirs this earth,Ko imaṁ pathaviṁ vicessati, and the Yama realm with its gods?Yamalokañca imaṁ sadevakaṁ; Who sets out the well-taught word of truth,Ko dhammapadaṁ sudesitaṁ, as an expert a flower?Kusalo pupphamiva pacessati.
Knowing this body’s like foam,Pheṇūpamaṁ kāyamimaṁ viditvā, realizing it’s all just a mirage,Marīcidhammaṁ abhisambudhāno; and cutting off Māra’s blossoming,Chetvāna mārassa papupphakāni, vanish from the King of Death.Adassanaṁ maccurājassa gacche.
As a mighty flood sweeps off a sleeping village,Pupphāni heva pacinantaṁ, death steals away a manbyāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ; even as he gathers flowers,Suttaṁ gāmaṁ mahoghova, his mind caught up in them.maccu ādāya gacchati.
The terminator gains control of the manPupphāni heva pacinantaṁ, who has not had his fill of pleasures,byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ; even as he gathers flowers,Atittaññeva kāmesu, his mind caught up in them.antako kurute vasaṁ.
A bee takes the nectarYathāpi bhamaro pupphaṁ, and moves on, doing no damagevaṇṇagandhamaheṭhayaṁ; to the flower’s beauty and fragrance;Paleti rasamādāya, and that’s how a sage should walk in the village.evaṁ gāme munī care.
Don’t find fault with others,Na paresaṁ vilomāni, with what they’ve done or left undone.na paresaṁ katākataṁ; You should only watch yourself,Attanova avekkheyya, what you’ve done or left undone.katāni akatāni ca.
Just like a glorious flowerYathāpi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ, that’s colorful but lacks fragrance;vaṇṇavantaṁ agandhakaṁ; eloquent speech is fruitlessEvaṁ subhāsitā vācā, for one who does not act on it.aphalā hoti akubbato.
Just like a glorious flowerYathāpi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ, that’s both colorful and fragrant,Vaṇṇavantaṁ sagandhakaṁ; eloquent speech is fruitfulEvaṁ subhāsitā vācā, for one who acts on it.Saphalā hoti kubbato.
Just as one would create many garlandsYathāpi puppharāsimhā, from a heap of flowers,kayirā mālāguṇe bahū; when a person has come to be born,Evaṁ jātena maccena, they should do many skillful things.kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ bahuṁ.
The fragrance of flowers doesn’t spread upwind,Na pupphagandho paṭivātameti, nor sandalwood, pinwheel, or jasmine;Na candanaṁ tagaramallikā vā; but the fragrance of the good spreads upwind;Satañca gandho paṭivātameti, a true person’s virtue spreads in every direction.Sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyati.
Among all the fragrances—Candanaṁ tagaraṁ vāpi, sandalwood or pinwheeluppalaṁ atha vassikī; or lotus or jasmine—Etesaṁ gandhajātānaṁ, the fragrance of virtue is supreme.sīlagandho anuttaro.
Faint is the fragranceAppamatto ayaṁ gandho, of sandal or pinwheel;yāyaṁ tagaracandanī; but the fragrance of the virtuousYo ca sīlavataṁ gandho, floats to the highest gods.vāti devesu uttamo.
For those accomplished in ethics,Tesaṁ sampannasīlānaṁ, meditating diligently,appamādavihārinaṁ; freed through the highest knowledge,Sammadaññāvimuttānaṁ, Māra cannot find their path.māro maggaṁ na vindati.
From a heap of trashYathā saṅkāradhānasmiṁ, discarded on the highway,ujjhitasmiṁ mahāpathe; a lotus might blossom,Padumaṁ tattha jāyetha, fragrant and delightful.sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ.
So too, among those thought of as trash,Evaṁ saṅkārabhūtesu, a disciple of the perfect Buddhaandhabhūte puthujjane; outshines with their wisdomAtirocati paññāya, the blind ordinary folk.sammāsambuddhasāvako.