Chapler IV
Flower~ (PupphlVagga)
IV. (1) Paiicasatabhikktm Vatthu
2.24.4.44. Who shall {xamine this earth (i. e., this body),
the world of Yama (i. e., the four apayas) and the world
of man together with the world (f dev...s? Who shall
examine tr.e well-taught Path of Virtue (DhamtT'apada)
as an expert florist picks and chooses flowers?
45. The Ariya Sekha shall examine this earth (i.e.,
the body), the world of Varna (i. e., the fOUT apayas)
and the world of man together with the world of devas.
The Ariya Sekha shall examine the weJt-taught Path of
Virtue (Dhammapada) as an expert fl0rist pic1cl and
chooses flowers.
46. One who know.; that this body is impermanent
like froth, and comprehends that it is insubstantial as
a mirage, will cut the flowers of Mara (i. e., the three
kinds of vatta or round..), and pass out of sight of the
King of Death.
47. Like one who ricks and chooses flowtrs, a
man who has his mind attached to sensual pleasure~ is
carried a\\lay by Death, just as a great flood sweeps
away a sleeping village.'
48. Like one who picks :lnd chooses flowers. a man
who has his mind 'Itt.:chf~d to sensual pleasures ,md is
insatiate in them is overpowered by Dcoath.
49. As the be.: collect5 necteir and flies away without
damaging the ftoNc:r or its co'our or its scent, so
also. 1ft the bhi kkhu dwdl and act in the 'village
(withput affecting the faith an,j genero'iityor the wealth
of the villagers).
50. One should not comsider the faults of othels,
nor their doing or not doing good Or bad deeds. One
\ihould only con~ider whet Iter one has done or not done
good or bad deeds.
51. Just as a beautiful flower, lacking in lScent,
cannot give the wearer the benefit of its scent, &0 also,
the well-'preached words of the Buddha cannot benefit
one who does not practise the Dhamma.
52. Just as a flower. beautiful as well as fragrant,
will give the wearer the benefit of its scent, so also~
the well-preached words of the Buddha will benefit one
who practises the Dhamrna.
53. As from a collection of flowers many a garland
can be made by an expert florist. so also. much good
can be done (with wt'alth, Ollt of faith and generosity,>
by one subject to birth and death.
54. The scent (If flowers cannot go against the
wind; nor t he scent of sandalwood, nor of rhododendron
(tqara. nor of Jasmin (mamlcAI); only the reputation
or , people can go against tho wind. Tho reputation
of the virtuous ones (suppurisa) is walled abroad in
a11 directions.
55. There are the ,conls of sandalwood, rhododendron,
lotus and jasmin (vassikii2); but the scont of virtue
surplSSCS all scenls.
56. The sC.mts 0; rhodoJendron and of s:tndalwood
arc very f:tint; but the se.mt (reputation) of the
v:rtuous is th~ sfroagest; it spreads even to the abodes
of the devas.
57. Mara cannot find the rath taken by those
~ho are endowed with virh:e, \\ho live mindrully, and
hlve been freetI from moral defilements by Right
Knowledge.
58, 59. As a sweet smelli ng &nd beautiful lotus
flower may grow upon a heap of rubbish thrown on
the highway. so also. out of the rubbish heap of
beings may .appear a 'di:sciple 'of the Buddha, who
with his wisdom shines forth far above the blind
(ignorant) wordlings.
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