Pupphavaggo : Chapter 4. Flowers
The theme of chapter 4 is “puppha“that means “flower“. In this chapter, the attitude to learning Buddha’s teachings is described in terms of a flower.
DhP.4-44
Ko imaṃ pathaviṃ vicessati, who? this earth well-know yamalokañca imaṃ sadevakaṃ; world-of-the-dead-and this with-devas Ko dhammapadaṃ sudesitaṃ, who? path-of-dhamma well-preached kusalo pupphamiva pacessati. expert flower-as will-collect
Who is researching the earth,
the world of death and the gods?
Who chooses the path of the Dhamma?
Just as a florist selects flowers.
analysis
vicessati: vi+ci+nā+ssati
sadevakaṃ: sa-deva-ka: with the devas(gods) world
Kusala: good, right, skilful, expert.
explanation
Instead of looking into the world outside yourself, such as the earth, the afterlife and the gods, look into the inside of your body.
In India, there is a custom of offering garland decorations made of fresh flowers to temples . The saying is that just as an expert florist chooses good flowers to make garland ornaments, we can also choose the path of dhamma to make a dhamma wheel.
DhP.4-45
Sekho pathaviṃ vicessati, practitioner earth well-know yamalokañca imaṃ sadevakaṃ; world-of-the-dead-and this with-devas Sekho dhammapadaṃ sudesitaṃ, practitioner path-of-dhamma well-preached kusalo pupphamiva pacessati. expert flower-as will-collect
The practitioner know well
about the earth, the world of death and the gods.
The practitioner chooses the path of the Dhamma.
Just as a florist selects flowers.
analysis
Sekha: One who is under training
explanation
In this verse, the ‘who‘ in verse 44 is only changed to ‘practitioner. If you observe the inside of your own body, then you will know about this world, the afterlife and the gods.
By understanding and practising the dhamma through our own bodies, we can fully understand the whole world (including after death). Because it is the dhamma (truth) that the whole world and all its circumstances consist of our position and interrelationships in this world.
DhP.4-46
Pheṇūpamaṃ kāyamimaṃ viditvā, foam-simile body-this know marīcidhammaṃ abhisambudhāno; unsubstantial Well-enlightened-person Chetvāna mārassa papupphakāni, having-cut-off of-Mara with-flowers-in-front adassanaṃ maccurājassa gacche. not-meeting-with the-king-of-death will-go
Understanding that this body is like froth.
One who is well aware of the fact
that there is no entity
will cut off Māra’s flower arrows.
Exit the cycle of the King of Death.
analysis
pheṇūpama: pheṇa+upamā
marīcidhamma: marīci+dhamma: equal to mirage = unsubstantial. In this case dhamma is nature.
abhisambudhāna: abhi+saṃ+budha+āna: transcend-self-realized-person
papupphaka: pa-puppha-ka: (arrow) with flowers in front
explanation
Our bodies are like froth. This fact can be confirmed by anyone who observes diligently through meditation. They are born and disappear, disappear and are born again.
The tip of Māra‘s arrow has a flower to deceive. Exit the cycle of the reincarnation, you will never die again.
DhP.4-47
Pupphāni heva pacinantaṃ, flower just gathering byāsattamanasaṃ naraṃ; clinging-to-consciousness people Suttaṃ gāmaṃ mahoghova, asleep village flood-like maccu ādāya gacchati. death having-taken to-go
People who just collect flowers are attached to them.
As a flood sweeps away the sleeping village,
death will take them away.
explanation
‘Flower’ here refers to sensory pleasures. People who just collect flowers: It means people who live their lives in search of sensory pleasures, trying to satisfy the desires born of the senses. This is our normal way of life. Many people would not see it as a bad.
DhP.4-48
Pupphāni heva pacinantaṃ, flower just gathering byāsattamanasaṃ naraṃ; clinging-to-consciousness man Atittaññeva kāmesu, unsatisfied-man-certainly pleasure-in antako kurute vasaṃ. death make control
People who just collect flowers
are attached to them.
People are never satisfied with pleasure.
Death take control of them.
Analysis
Atittaññeva: atitta ye-va: never satisfied
explanation
The mind is never satisfied. It may be temporarily satisfied, but it soon gets used to that state and wants more. Therefore, people’s minds are always unsatisfied. This is a law of nature.
The constant pursuit of sensory pleasures is not satisfying, so dissatisfaction always becomes anger.
The senses are ‘seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling‘. People who are constantly seeking these sensory pleasures are attached to the senses. They are controlled by the senses.
DhP.4-49
Yathāpi bhamaro pupphaṃ, like-also bee flower vaṇṇagandhamaheṭhayaṃ; colour-smell-not-harm Paleti rasamādāya, run-away juice-having-taken evaṃ gāme munī care. in-this-way village monk walk
Just as bees take only nectar
without harming the colour and fragrance of flowers.
When monks walk through the village,
they should do so.
analysis
vaṇṇagandhamaheṭhayaṃ: vaṇṇagandhaṁ aheṭhayaṁ
paleti: palāyati
rasamādāya: rasam ādāya
explanation
This section describes the practice of begging for alms. The monks walk from house to house in the village to obtain alms food. The teaching is that at this time, they must not take from poor houses or harm the villagers, so that the bees do not harm the flowers when they take the nectar.
DhP.4-50
Na paresaṃ vilomāni, not others fault na paresaṃ katākataṃ; not others doing-not-doing Attanova avekkheyya, oneself only observation katāni akatāni ca. doing-not-doing and
Do not attention the faults of others or
what others have done or not done.
Only attention what you did or did not do.
explanation
A wonderful verse, but the word was not associated with a flower.
DhP.4-51
Yathāpi ruciraṃ pupphaṃ, like-also beautiful flower vaṇṇavantaṃ agandhakaṃ; good-complexion not-fragrance Evaṃ subhāsitā vācā, thus well-spoken word aphalā hoti akubbato. no-result exist not-action
Like a beautiful flower
lustrous but not fragrant.
Even well-preached words have no fruit
if they are not acted upon.
explanation
One who only explains and does not act on his words is wasting his time. Their words are like beautiful flowers that do not smell.
DhP.4-52
Yathāpi ruciraṃ pupphaṃ, like-also beautiful flower vaṇṇavantaṃ sugandhakaṃ; good-complexion fragment Evaṃ subhāsitā vācā, thus well-spoken word saphalā hoti kubbato. no-result exist not-action
Like a beautiful flower
lustrous and fragrant.
Well-preached words have fruit
if they are acted upon.
DhP.4-53
Yathāpi puppharāsimhā, like-also flower-heap-of kayirā mālāguṇe bahū; make wreath many Evaṃ jātena maccena, thus born as-a-man kattabbaṃ kusalaṃ bahuṃ. duty merit many
As many wreaths are made
from a heap of flowers.
When you are born a man,
it is your duty to make much merit.
DhP.4-54
Na pupphagandho paṭivātameti, not flower-fragrance defy-the-wind na candanaṃ tagaramallikā; not sandalwood Tabernaemontana-divaricata-Jasminum Satañca gandho paṭivātameti, good-and fragrance defy-the-wind sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyati. all direction good-man to-diffuse
The scent of sandalwood,
tabernaemontana-divaricata and jasmine flowers
does not defy the wind.
The scent of a good man is
spread in all directions,
even against the wind.
explanation
the scent of a good man = the reputation of a good man
tagara: tabernaemontana divaricata, commonly called pinwheel flower, crape jasmine, East India rosebay, and Nero’s crown, is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to South Asia, southeast Asia and China. The flowers are white, have a pleasing fragrance..
episode
Arnanda, Buddha’s cousin, thought about scent: All scents, whether of fragrant trees or flowers, can only move with the wind. Is there any scent that can defy the wind?
Arnanda asked the Buddha. The Buddha replied that there is. ‘One who takes refuge in the Three Jewels, keeps the precepts and has a peaceful mind is worthy of praise. The scent, or reputation, of such a man spreads far and wide, on the wind or against the wind.”
DhP.4-55
Candanaṃ tagaraṃ vāpi, not sandalwood tabernaemontana-divaricata-Jasminum uppalaṃ atha vassikī; lotus and jasmine Etesaṃ gandhajātānaṃ, in-these scent-arisen sīlagandho anuttaro. scent-of-good-works unrivaled
Sandalwood,
tabernaemontana-divaricata,
lotus and jasmine,
of these scents,
virtue (lotus) is the most fragrant.
explanation
Virtue scents can be felt for a long time and in all directions. All natural scents cannot be countered, as they can only be smelled for short periods of time and over short distances.
DhP.4-56
Appamatto ayaṃ gandho, little this scent yvāyaṃ tagaracandanaṃ; what Tabernaemontana-divaricata-sandalwood Yo ca sīlavataṃ gandho, who and benefit-good-action scent vāti devesu uttamo. blow to-the-gods noble
The scent of tabernaemontana-divaricata or
sandalwood is only slightly fragrant.
The noble scent (reputation) of a virtuous person
reaches the god.
analysis
yvāyaṃ tagaracandanaṃ: yāyaṃ tagaracandanī
explanation
The reputation of a virtuous person means that he is known among the gods.
DhP.4-57
Tesaṃ sampannasīlānaṃ, he succeeded-practice-of-morality appamādavihārinaṃ; not-carelessness-living Sammadaññā vimuttānaṃ, having-understood-perfectly liveration māro maggaṃ na vindati. Mara path not find
One who lives virtuously and carefully,
understands perfectly and is released.
Māra never find his path.
explanation
vimutti means “release”. liberation from round of rebirth (saṃsāra).
Arahan released from samsara is no longer reborn. Māra cannot find where arahan goes after death.
This verse, like DhP1-4-50, is not named after a flower.
DhP.4-58
Yathā saṅkāraṭhānasmiṃ, like rubbish-heap ujjhitasmiṃ mahāpathe; forsaken road Padumaṃ tattha jāyetha, lotus there born sucigandhaṃ manoramaṃ. having-a-sweet-smell mind-enjoyable
As if a lotus blooms
on a rubbish heap
along the road.
The pure smell (virtue)
fills the mind with joy.
explanation
The lotus comes out of the mud and blooms beautiful flowers, and the dignified leaves that spread straight out and repel water, symbolize living a pure life free from worldly desires.It means that even if a place is dirty, it is possible to be virtue. the dirty place is our world of greed and anger.
DhP.4-59
Evaṃ saṅkārabhūtesu, thus rubbish-existence andhabhūte puthujjane; blinded-existence unenlightened-person Atirocati paññāya, shine-brightly by-wisdom sammāsambuddhasāvako. perfectly-Enlightened-One-hearer
In the dusty existence,
in the ignorant people,
perfectly enlightened ones’ disciple
who shines the wisdom brilliantly.
explanation
sammāsambuddha: the perfectly enlightened person who has the ability to complete enlightenment on their own and lead others to enlightenment.
It is said that up to five sammāsambuddhas can appear in this world, and Gautama Buddha is the fourth sammāsambuddha. More detail.
Pupphavaggo catuttho niṭṭhito. flower-chapter 4th finish
4. The flowers chapter is ended.