Patna Dhamma Verses
Patna Dhammapadaṁ
Puṣpavarggaḥ
8: The Chapter about Flowers
121. Na puṣpagandho paṭivātam eti,
na candanaṁ tagaraṁ vāhlikaṁ vā,
satān tu gandho paṭivātam eti,
sabbā diśā sappuruṣo pravāti.
121. The fragrance of flowers goes not against the wind,
nor does sandalwood or pinwheel or saffron, Perhaps the easiest way to understand
but the fragrance of the good goes against the wind,
the true person’s fragrance permeates all directions.
122. Candanaṁ tagaraṁ cāpi,
uppalaṁ atha vāśśikiṁ,
etesāṁ gandhajātānāṁ
śīlagandho anuttaro.
122. Sandalwood, pinwheel,
then water lily and striped jasmine,
amongst these kinds of fragrance
virtue’s fragrance is unsurpassed.
123. Appāmātro ayaṁ gandho
yoyaṁ tagaracandane,
yo tu śīlavatāṁ gandho
vāti devesu uttamo.
123. Pinwheel and sandalwood fragrance are insignificant,
but the fragrance of those who have virtue
flutters supreme amongst the gods.
124. Tesāṁ sampannaśīlānāṁ,
apramādavihāriṇāṁ,
sammad-aññāvimuttānāṁ,
Māro māggaṁ na viṇḍati.
124. Māra cannot find the path of those endowed with virtue,
who live heedfully,
and who are freed through right and deep knowledge.
125. Yathā pi ruciraṁ puṣpaṁ
vannavantaṁ agandhakaṁ,
evaṁ subhāṣitā vācā
aphalā hoti akurvvato.
125. 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.
126. Yathā pi ruciraṁ puṣpaṁ,
vannavantaṁ sagandhakaṁ,
evaṁ subhāṣitā vācā
saphalā hoti kurvvato.
126. 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.
127. Yathā pi bhramaro puṣpā,
vannagandham aheḍayaṁ,
praḍeti rasam ādāya,
evaṁ ggrāme munī care.
127. 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.
128. Puṣpāṇi heva pracinantaṁ
vyāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ,
suttaṁ ggrāmaṁ mahogho vā,
maccu-r-ādāya gacchati.
128. Death takes up and carries away
the one whose mind is attached to collecting flowers,
like a great flood carries off a sleeping village.
129. Puṣpāṇi heva pracinantaṁ
vyāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ,
asampunnesu kāmesu,
Antako kurute vaśe.
129. The End-Maker takes control of
the one whose mind is attached to collecting flowers,
though he is unfulfilled with sense pleasures.
130. Yathā pi puṣparāśimhā kayirā mālāguṇe bahū,
evaṁ jātena māccena kātavvaṁ kuśalaṁ bahuṁ.
130. 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.
131. Ko imaṁ paṭhaviṁ vijehiti
yamalokaṁ va imaṁ sadevakaṁ?
Ko Dhammapade sudeśite
kuśalo puṣpam iva prajehiti? Patna seems hardly coherent here.
131. Who will conquer this earth and the lower realm,
together with the gods?
Who will win the well-taught verses of Dhamma
as a good man wins a flower?
132. Śekho paṭhaviṁ vijehiti yamalokaṁ va imaṁ sadevakaṁ.
So Dhammapade sudeśite
kuśalo puṣpam iva prajehiti.
132. The trainee will conquer this earth and the lower realm,
together with the gods.
He will win the well-taught verses of Dhamma
as a good man wins a flower.
133. Vāśśikī-r-iva puṣpāṇi mañcakāni pramuñcati,
evaṁ rāgañ-ca doṣañ-ca vipramuñcatha bhikkhavo.
133. Just as striped jasmine casts off its (...) Hard to see what
so, monastics, cast off all passion and hatred.
134. Phenopamaṁ lokam imaṁ vidittā,
marīcidhammaṁ abhisambudhānāṁ,
chettāna Mārassa prapuṣpakāni,
addaṁśanaṁ Maccurājassa gacche.
134. Knowing that this world is just like froth,
it has the nature of a mirage to those who understand,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.
135-136. Yathā saṅkārakūṭamhi ujjhitamhi mahāpathe
padumaṁ ubbhidaṁ assa,
śucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ,
evaṁ saṅkārabhūtesu,
andhabhūte pthujjane,
atirocanti praññāya Sammāsabuddhasāvakā.
135-136. Just as in a forsaken rubbish heap along the highway
a lotus might spring forth,
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.
Puṣpavarggaḥ
The Chapter about Flowers