dhp.44-59 Dhammapada

Who will know this earth
and the lower realm, together with the gods?
Who will reflect on the well-taught verse of Dhamma
as a good man reflects on a flower?

The trainee will know this earth
and the lower realm, together with the gods.
The trainee will reflect on the well-taught verse of Dhamma
as a good man reflects on a flower.

Knowing that this body is just like froth,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.

Death takes up and carries away the one whose mind is attached to collecting flowers,
like a great flood carries off a sleeping village.

The End-Maker takes control of the one whose mind is attached to collecting flowers,
even though he is unsated with sense pleasures.

Just as a bee, without hurting the flower, its colour or scent,
gathers its nectar and escapes, so should the seer roam in the village.

Not the wrongs of others, or what others have done or have not done
one should consider, but what has been done and not done by oneself.

Just like a beautiful flower, which has colour, but lacks fragrance,
so are well-spoken words fruitless for the one who acts not on them.

Just like a beautiful flower, which has colour, and has fragrance,
so are well-spoken words fruitful for the one who does act on them.

Just as from a heap of flowers one might make a lot of garlands,
so should many good deeds be done by one who is born a mortal.

The fragrance of flowers goes not against the wind,
nor does sandalwood or pinwheel or white jasmine,
but the fragrance of the good goes against the wind,
the true person’s fragrance permeates all directions.

Sandalwood, pinwheel, then water lily and striped jasmine,
amongst these kinds of fragrance virtue’s fragrance is unsurpassed.

Pinwheel and sandalwood fragrance are insignificant,
but the fragrance of one who has virtue flutters supreme amongst the gods.

Māra cannot find the path of those endowed with virtue, who live heedfully,
and who are freed through complete and deep knowledge.

Just as in a forsaken and discarded heap along the highway
a lotus might arise in that place, with a pure fragrance, delighting the mind,
so amongst the forsaken, the Perfect Sambuddha’s disciple
outshines the blind and ordinary folk through his wisdom.

Who will conquer this earth,
The worlds of Yama, and those of the gods?
Who will select a well-taught Dhamma word,
As an expert gardener selects a flower?

The disciple will conquer this earth,
The worlds of Yama, and those of the gods.
The disciple will select the well-taught Dhamma
word,
As an expert gardener selects a flower.

Knowing this body to be like foam,
Realizing its mirage-like nature,
Cutting off the flowers of Māra,
One may go unseen by the King of Death.

The one with a clinging mind,
Who is just gathering flowers,
Is carried away by death,
As a sleeping village is carried away by a great flood.

The one with a clinging mind,
Who is only gathering flowers,
Is overpowered by death.

As a bee departing the flower,
Having taken its nectar,
Does no harm to its color or fragrance,
So should a sage go through a village.

Do not attend to others’ wrong doings,
What they have done or failed to do.
Attend only to yourself,
And what you have done and failed to do.

Like a beautiful flower
That is full of color but lacking fragrance,
So too are well-said words,
Fruitless when not lived.

Like a beautiful flower
That is full of color and fragrant,
So too are well-said words,
Fruitful when lived.

As many garland strands could be made from a heap
of flowers,
So should one born mortal do much good.

Neither the fragrance of the flower,
Nor that of sandalwood, tagara, or jasmine,
Can go against the wind,
But the fragrance of the good does go against the
wind;
It pervades all directions.

Sandalwood, tagara, jasmine, and lotus,
Among these perfumes the fragrance of virtue is
unbounded.

Faint is this fragrance of tagara and sandalwood,
But the scent of the virtuous one blows supreme;
It wafts even among the gods.

Māra does not find the tracks of those
Consummate in virtue,
Who dwell in vigilance,
And are freed by perfect knowledge.

Just as from a rubbish heap on the roadside,
A lotus flower, so pure of smell and pleasing to the
mind, can grow;

So in the midst of the rubbish heap of blind,
ordinary people,
A disciple of the Fully Awakened One shines
radiantly with wisdom.

Who shall overcome this earth, this realm of Yama and this sphere of men and gods? Who shall bring to perfection the well-taught path of wisdom as an expert garland-maker would his floral design?

A striver-on-the path shall overcome this earth, this realm of Yama and this sphere of men and gods. The striver-on-the-path shall bring to perfection the well-taught path of wisdom, as an expert garland-maker would his floral design.

Realizing that this body is like froth, penetrating its mirage-like nature, and plucking out Mara’s flower-tipped arrows of sensuality, go beyond sight of the King of Death!

As a mighty flood sweeps away the sleeping village, so death carries away the person of distracted mind who only plucks the flowers (of pleasure).

The Destroyer brings under his sway the person of distracted mind who, insatiate in sense desires, only plucks the flowers (of pleasure).

As a bee gathers honey from the flower without injuring its color or fragrance, even so the sage goes on his alms-round in the village.

Let none find fault with others; let none see the omissions and commissions of others. But let one see one’s own acts, done and undone.

Like a beautiful flower full of color but without fragrance, even so, fruitless are the fair words of one who does not practice them.

Like a beautiful flower full of color and also fragrant, even so, fruitful are the fair words of one who practices them.

As from a great heap of flowers many garlands can be made, even so should many good deeds be done by one born a mortal.

Not the sweet smell of flowers, not even the fragrance of sandal, tagara, or jasmine blows against the wind. But the fragrance of the virtuous blows against the wind. Truly the virtuous man pervades all directions with the fragrance of his virtue.

Of all the fragrances—sandal, tagara, blue lotus and jasmine—the fragrance of virtue is the sweetest.

Faint is the fragrance of tagara and sandal, but excellent is the fragrance of the virtuous, wafting even amongst the gods.

Mara never finds the path of the truly virtuous, who abide in heedfulness and are freed by perfect knowledge.

Upon a heap of rubbish in the road-side ditch blooms a lotus, fragrant and pleasing.

Even so, on the rubbish heap of blinded mortals the disciple of the Supremely Enlightened One shines resplendent in wisdom.