4.9 The Story about the Elder Ānanda’s Questions
Ānandattherassa Pañhāvatthu

“The fragrance of flowers,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Sāvatthī by way of reply to a question which the Elder Ānanda asked him. {1.420}

We are told that one evening, absorbed in meditation, the elder pondered the following thought: “The Fortunate One possesses the three perfumes of superlative excellence, namely: the perfume of sandal, the perfume of roots, and the perfume of flowers. Each of these perfumes, however, goes only with the wind. Is there possibly a substance whose perfume goes against the wind, or is there possibly a substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind?” Then the following thought occurred to him: “What is the use of my trying to determine this question all by myself? I will ask the Teacher, and the Teacher alone.” Accordingly he approached the Teacher and put the question to him. Therefore it is said: AJ: AN 3.79.

“Now one evening the venerable Ānanda arose from profound meditation and drew near to the place where sat the Fortunate One, and when he had drawn near, {1.421} he addressed the Fortunate One as [29.85] follows: ‘Venerable Sir, there are these three substances whose perfume goes only with the wind and not against the wind. What are the three? The perfume of roots, the perfume of sandal, and the perfume of flowers. These, venerable Sir, are the three substances whose perfume goes only with the wind and not against the wind. But, venerable Sir, is there possibly a substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind, or is there possibly a substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind?’”

The Fortunate One said in answer to the question: “Ānanda, there is a substance whose perfume goes with the wind, a substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind.” – “But, venerable Sir, what is that substance whose perfume goes with the wind, that substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind?” – “Ānanda, if in any village or market-town in this world any human being, whether man or woman, seeks refuge in the Buddha, seeks refuge in the Dhamma, seeks refuge in the Saṅgha; if he refrains from taking life, from taking that which is not given, from indulgence in the sensual wrongdoings and from lying, and avoids occasions of heedlessness through the use of liquor or spirits or other intoxicants; if he is virtuous; if he lives the life of a householder in righteousness, with a heart free from the stain of avarice; if he is liberal and generous, if he is open-handed, if he takes delight in giving, if he is attentive to petitions, if he takes delight in the distribution of alms, in all parts of the world ascetics and Brahmins utter his praise.

If in such and such a village or market-town either a man or a woman seeks refuge in the Buddha ... if he takes delight in the distribution of alms, Devatās utter his praise.

If in such and such a {1.422} village or market-town either a man or a woman seeks refuge in the Buddha ... if he takes delight in the distribution of alms, such acts as these, Ānanda, are the substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind, whose perfume goes both with and against the wind.” So saying, he pronounced the following verses:

54. Na pupphagandho paṭivātam-eti,
na candanaṁ tagaramallikā vā,
satañ-ca gandho paṭivātam-eti,
sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyati.

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.

55. Candanaṁ tagaraṁ vā pi, uppalaṁ atha vassikī,
etesaṁ gandhajātānaṁ sīlagandho anuttaro.

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

At the end of the verse many became Stream-enterers and so on, and there was benefit for many people from the Dhamma teaching.

last updated: August 2024