4. Flowers - pupphavagga 44-59 Flashcards
44
Who shall explore this land,
and the Yama realm with its gods?
Who shall examine the well-taught word of truth,
as an expert examines a flower?
44
Ko imaṁ pathaviṁ vicessati,
Yamalokañca imaṁ sadevakaṁ;
Ko dhammapadaṁ sudesitaṁ,
Kusalo pupphamiva pacessati.
45
A trainee shall explore this land,
and the Yama realm with its gods.
A trainee shall examine the well-taught word of truth,
as an expert examines a flower.
45
Sekho pathaviṁ vicessati,
Yamalokañca imaṁ sadevakaṁ;
Sekho dhammapadaṁ sudesitaṁ,
Kusalo pupphamiva pacessati.
46
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.
46
Pheṇūpamaṁ kāyamimaṁ viditvā, Marīcidhammaṁ abhisambudhāno;
Chetvāna mārassa papupphakāni,
Adassanaṁ maccurājassa gacche.
47
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.
47
Pupphāni heva pacinantaṁ,
byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ;
Suttaṁ gāmaṁ mahoghova,
maccu ādāya gacchati.
48
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.
48
Pupphāni heva pacinantaṁ,
byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ;
Atittaññeva kāmesu,
antako kurute vasaṁ.
49
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.
49
Yathāpi bhamaro pupphaṁ, vaṇṇagandhamaheṭhayaṁ;
Paleti rasamādāya,
evaṁ gāme munī care.
50
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.
50
Na paresaṁ vilomāni,
na paresaṁ katākataṁ;
Attanova avekkheyya,
katāni akatāni ca.
51
Just like a glorious flower
that’s colorful but lacks fragrance;
eloquent speech is fruitless
for one who does not act on it.
51
Yathāpi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ,
vaṇṇavantaṁ agandhakaṁ;
Evaṁ subhāsitā vācā,
aphalā hoti akubbato.
52
Just like a glorious flower
that’s both colorful and fragrant,
eloquent speech is fruitful
for one who acts on it.
52
Yathāpi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ,
Vaṇṇavantaṁ sagandhakaṁ;
Evaṁ subhāsitā vācā,
Saphalā hoti kubbato.
53
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.
53
Yathāpi puppharāsimhā,
kayirā mālāguṇe bahū;
Evaṁ jātena maccena,
kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ bahuṁ.
54
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.
54
Na pupphagandho paṭivātameti,
Na candanaṁ tagaramallikā vā;
Satañca gandho paṭivātameti,
Sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyati.
55
Among all the fragrances—
sandalwood or pinwheel
or lotus or jasmine—
the fragrance of virtue is supreme.
55
Candanaṁ tagaraṁ vāpi,
uppalaṁ atha vassikī;
Etesaṁ gandhajātānaṁ,
sīlagandho anuttaro.
56
Faint is the fragrance
of sandal or pinwheel;
but the fragrance of the virtuous
floats to the highest gods.
56
Appamatto ayaṁ gandho,
yāyaṁ tagaracandanī;
Yo ca sīlavataṁ gandho,
vāti devesu uttamo.
57
For those accomplished in ethics,
meditating diligently,
freed through the highest knowledge,
Māra cannot find their path.
57
Tesaṁ sampannasīlānaṁ,
appamādavihārinaṁ;
Sammadaññāvimuttānaṁ,
māro maggaṁ na vindati.
58
From a forsaken heap
discarded on the highway,
a lotus might blossom,
fragrant and delightful.
58
Yathā saṅkāradhānasmiṁ,
ujjhitasmiṁ mahāpathe;
Padumaṁ tattha jāyetha,
sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ.
