Dhammapada · Chapter 4 of 26 · verses 44 to 59
Like the bee and the lotus, live gently and let virtue spread.
Pupphavagga
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In this chapter the Buddha uses the imagery of flowers to teach about life, death and virtue. Death is shown carrying off people who are absorbed in gathering pleasures, as a flood sweeps away a sleeping village. A sage is asked to move through the village like a bee that takes nectar without harming the flower, and to watch their own conduct rather than others' faults. The fragrance of virtue is said to spread even against the wind, and a lotus growing from a rubbish heap shows that wisdom can shine anywhere.
EthicsDeathWisdomSpeech
The commentary tells that one evening the venerable Ananda, the Buddha's attendant, wondered about the scents of flowers and trees.
He noticed that every such fragrance travels only with the wind, never against it, and he asked the Buddha whether any scent could.
The Buddha replied that the goodness of a person who keeps the precepts and is generous is praised in every direction.
He then spoke verses 54 and 55: the fragrance of the virtuous goes even against the wind.
Ko imaṁ pathaviṁ vicessati,Yamalokañca imaṁ sadevakaṁ;Ko dhammapadaṁ sudesitaṁ,Kusalo pupphamiva pacessati.
को इमं पथविं विचेस्सति,यमलोकञ्च इमं सदेवकं ।को धम्मपदं सुदेसितं,कुसलो पुप्फमिव पचेस्सति ॥
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.
सेखो पथविं विचेस्सति,यमलोकञ्च इमं सदेवकं ।सेखो धम्मपदं सुदेसितं,कुसलो पुप्फमिव पचेस्सति ॥
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.
फेणूपमं कायमिमं विदित्वा,मरीचिधम्मं अभिसम्बुधानो ।छेत्वान मारस्स पपुप्फकानि,अदस्सनं मच्चुराजस्स गच्छे ॥
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.
पुप्फानि हेव पचिनन्तं,ब्यासत्तमनसं नरं ।सुत्तं गामं महोघोव,मच्चु आदाय गच्छति ॥
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.
पुप्फानि हेव पचिनन्तं,ब्यासत्तमनसं नरं ।अतित्तञ्ञेव कामेसु,अन्तको कुरुते वसं ॥
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.
यथापि भमरो पुप्फं,वण्णगन्धमहेठयं ।पलेति रसमादाय,एवं गामे मुनी चरे ॥
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.
न परेसं विलोमानि,न परेसं कताकतं ।अत्तनोव अवेक्खेय्य,कतानि अकतानि च ॥
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.
यथापि रुचिरं पुप्फं,वण्णवन्तं अगन्धकं ।एवं सुभासिता वाचा,अफला होति अकुब्बतो ॥
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.
यथापि रुचिरं पुप्फं,वण्णवन्तं सगन्धकं ।एवं सुभासिता वाचा,सफला होति कुब्बतो ॥
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.
यथापि पुप्फरासिम्हा,कयिरा मालागुणे बहू ।एवं जातेन मच्चेन,कत्तब्बं कुसलं बहुं ॥
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.
न पुप्फगन्धो पटिवातमेति,न चन्दनं तगरमल्लिका वा ।सतञ्च गन्धो पटिवातमेति,सब्बा दिसा सप्पुरिसो पवायति ॥
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.
चन्दनं तगरं वापि,उप्पलं अथ वस्सिकी ।एतेसं गन्धजातानं,सीलगन्धो अनुत्तरो ॥
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.
अप्पमत्तो अयं गन्धो,यायं तगरचन्दनी ।यो च सीलवतं गन्धो,वाति देवेसु उत्तमो ॥
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.
तेसं सम्पन्नसीलानं,अप्पमादविहारिनं ।सम्मदञ्ञाविमुत्तानं,मारो मग्गं न विन्दति ॥
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.
यथा सङ्कारधानस्मिं,उज्झितस्मिं महापथे ।पदुमं तत्थ जायेथ,सुचिगन्धं मनोरमं ॥
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.
एवं सङ्कारभूतेसु,अन्धभूते पुथुज्जने ।अतिरोचति पञ्ञाय,सम्मासम्बुद्धसावको ॥पुप्फवग्गो चतुत्थो ॥
So too, among those thought of as trash, a disciple of the perfect Buddha outshines with their wisdom the blind ordinary folk.
In verse 47, death carries off the pleasure seeker as what sweeps away a sleeping village?
How should a sage move through the village, according to verse 49?
What does verse 50 advise instead of looking at others' faults?
In verse 51, fine words not put into practice are like what?
According to verse 54, which fragrance spreads even against the wind?
In verse 58, where does a fragrant lotus bloom?
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Pali (Mahāsaṅgīti edition) and English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0) from SuttaCentral. Hindi and Marathi meanings, summaries and stories: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by a Buddhist scholar.
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