Dhammapada IV (Pupphavagga / Flowers)

kŏ imaṁ paṭhaviṁ vicessati

yamalokañ-ca imaṁ sadevakaṁ?

ko dhammapadaṁ sudesitaṁ,

kusalo puppham-ivappacessati?

Who shall overcome this earth, and the world of Yama (the lord of the departed), and the world of the gods? Who shall find out the plainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds out the (right) flower?

sekho paṭhaviṁ vicessati 

yamalokañ-ca imaṁ sadevakaṁ.

sekho dhammapadaṁ sudesitaṁ,

kusalo puppham-ivappacessati. 

The disciple will overcome the earth, and the world of Yama, and the world of the gods. The disciple will find out the plainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds out the (right) flower.

pheṇūpamaṁ kāyam-imaṁ viditvā,

marīcidhammaṁ abhisambudhāno,

chetvāna mārassa papupphakāni,

adassanaṁ maccurājassa gacche. 

He who knows that this body is like froth, and has learnt that it is as unsubstantial as a mirage, will break the flower-pointed arrow of Mara, and never see the king of death.

pupphāni heva pacinantaṁ ~ byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ,

suttaṁ gāmaṁ mahogho va ~ maccu ādāya gacchati.  

Death carries off a man who is gathering flowers and whose mind is distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village. 

pupphāni heva pacinantaṁ ~ byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ,

atittaṁ yeva kāmesu ~ antako kurute vasaṁ. 

Death subdues a man who is gathering flowers, and whose mind is distracted, before he is satiated in his pleasures.

yathā pi bhamaro pupphaṁ ~ vaṇṇagandhaṁ aheṭhayaṁ

paḷeti rasam-ādāya, ~ evaṁ gāme munī care.

As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or its colour or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village.

na paresaṁ vilomāni, ~ na paresaṁ katākataṁ,

attano va avekkheyya ~ katāni akatāni ca. 

Not the perversities of others, not their sins of commission or omission, but his own misdeeds and negligences should a sage take notice of.

yathā pi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ ~ vaṇṇavantaṁ agandhakaṁ,

evaṁ subhāsitā vācā ~ aphalā hoti akubbato. 

Like a beautiful flower, full of colour, but without scent, are the fine but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly.

yathā pi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ ~ vaṇṇavantaṁ sagandhakaṁ,

evaṁ subhāsitā vācā ~ saphalā hoti pakubbato.

But, like a beautiful flower, full of colour and full of scent, are the fine and fruitful words of him who acts accordingly. 

yathā pi puppharāsimhā ~ kayirā mālāguṇe bahū,

evaṁ jātena maccena ~ kattabbaṁ kusalaṁ bahuṁ.

As many kinds of wreaths can be made from a heap of flowers, so many good things may be achieved by a mortal when once he is born.

na pupphagandho paṭivātam-eti,

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

The scent of flowers does not travel against the wind, nor (that of) sandal-wood, or of Tagara and Mallika flowers; but the odour of good people travels even against the wind; a good man pervades every place.

candanaṁ tagaraṁ vā pi, ~ uppalaṁ atha vassikī,

etesaṁ gandhajātānaṁ ~ sīlagandho anuttaro.

Sandal-wood or Tagara, a lotus-flower, or a Vassiki, among these sorts of perfumes, the perfume of virtue is unsurpassed.

appamatto ayaṁ gandho ~ yāyaṁ tagaracandanī,

yo ca sīlavataṁ gandho ~ vāti devesu uttamo.

Mean is the scent that comes from Tagara and sandal-wood;--the perfume of those who possess virtue rises up to the gods as the highest.

tesaṁ sampannasīlānaṁ ~ appamādavihārinaṁ

sammad-aññāvimuttānaṁ, ~ māro maggaṁ na vindati.

Of the people who possess these virtues, who live without thoughtlessness, and who are emancipated through true knowledge, Mara, the tempter, never finds the way.

yathā saṅkāradhānasmiṁ ~ ujjhitasmiṁ mahāpathe,

padumaṁ tattha jāyetha ~ sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ. 

evaṁ saṅkārabhūtesu ~ andhabhūte puthujjane,

atirocati paññāya ~ sammāsambuddhasāvako.

As on a heap of rubbish cast upon the highway the lily will grow full of sweet perfume and delight, thus the disciple of the truly enlightened Buddha shines forth by his knowledge among those who are like rubbish, among the people that walk in darkness.