DhammapadaBuddhismAccepted ScripturePaliShareDhammapada 4F. Max Muller 1881 - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableF. Max Muller 1881LanguageEnglishEspañol‹Dhammapada 1Dhammapada 2Dhammapada 3Dhammapada 4Dhammapada 5Dhammapada 6Dhammapada 7Dhammapada 8Dhammapada 9Dhammapada 10Dhammapada 11Dhammapada 12Dhammapada 13Dhammapada 14Dhammapada 15Dhammapada 16Dhammapada 17Dhammapada 18Dhammapada 19Dhammapada 20Dhammapada 21Dhammapada 22Dhammapada 23Dhammapada 24Dhammapada 25Dhammapada 26›Dhammapada: FlowersDhammapada 4ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter44Who 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? 45The 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. 46He 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. 47Death carries off a man who is gathering flowers and whose mind is distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village. 48Death subdues a man who is gathering flowers, and whose mind is distracted, before he is satiated in his pleasures. 49As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or its colour or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village. 50Not the perversities of others, not their sins of commission or omission, but his own misdeeds and negligences should a sage take notice of. 51Like a beautiful flower, full of colour, but without scent, are the fine but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly. 52But, like a beautiful flower, full of colour and full of scent, are the fine and fruitful words of him who acts accordingly. 53As 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. 54The 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. 55Sandal-wood or Tagara, a lotus-flower, or a Vassiki, among these sorts of perfumes, the perfume of virtue is unsurpassed. 56Mean 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. 57Of the people who possess these virtues, who live without thoughtlessness, and who are emancipated through true knowledge, Mara, the tempter, never finds the way. 58As 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. ‹Previous chapterDhammapada 3Next chapterDhammapada 5›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg