3: The Book of the Threes
79. Fragrance
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One … and said to him:
2"Bhante, there are these three fragrances that spread with the wind but not against the wind. What three? The fragrance of roots, the fragrance of heartwood, and the fragrance of flowers. These three fragrances spread with the wind but not against the wind. Is there any fragrance that spreads with the wind, against the wind, and both with and against the wind?"
3"There is, Ānanda, a fragrance that spreads with the wind, against the wind, and both with and against the wind..
"But, Bhante, what is that fragrance?"
4-5"Here, Ānanda, in whatever village or town a man or a woman has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha; he or she is virtuous and of good character, abstaining from the destruction of life, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, and liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness; and he or she dwells at home with a heart devoid of the stain of miserliness, freely generous, openhanded, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing—in such a case, ascetics and brahmins in all quarters speak praise, saying: ‘In such and such a village or town a man or a woman has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha … delighting in giving and sharing.’
6"The deities and the spirits, [n.507] Ce and Ee read devatāpi'ssa amanussā. Be does not have amanussā, "the spirits." too, speak praise, saying: ‘In such and such a village or town a man or a woman has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha … is virtuous and of good character … delighting in giving and sharing..
"This, Ānanda, is the fragrance that spreads with the wind, against the wind, and both with and against the wind."
7The fragrance of flowers does not spread against the wind,
nor the fragrance of sandal, tagara,
[n.508] A shrub from which a fragrant powder is produced.
or jasmine.
But the fragrance of good people spreads against the wind:
the good person's fragrance pervades all quarters.
[n.509] The verse is also at Dhp 54.
1Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
2"Tīṇimāni, bhante, gandhajātāni, yesaṁ anuvātaṁyeva gandho gacchati, no paṭivātaṁ. Katamāni tīṇi? Mūlagandho, sāragandho, pupphagandho – imāni kho, bhante, tīṇi gandhajātāni, yesaṁ anuvātaṁyeva gandho gacchati, no paṭivātaṁ. Atthi nu kho, bhante, kiñci gandhajātaṁ yassa anuvātampi gandho gacchati, paṭivātampi gandho gacchati, anuvātapaṭivātampi gandho gacchatī"ti?
3"Atthānanda, kiñci gandhajātaṁ yassa anuvātampi gandho gacchati, paṭivātampi gandho gacchati, anuvātapaṭivātampi gandho gacchatī"ti.
"Katamañca pana, bhante, gandhajātaṁ yassa anuvātampi gandho gacchati, paṭivātampi gandho gacchati, anuvātapaṭivātampi gandho gacchatī"ti?
4"Idhānanda, yasmiṁ gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti, sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo, vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato.
5Tassa disāsu samaṇabrāhmaṇā vaṇṇaṁ bhāsanti: ‘amukasmiṁ nāma gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti, sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo, vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato’ti.
6Devatāpissa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsanti: ‘amukasmiṁ nāma gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gato hoti, pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti … pe … surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti, sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo, vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṁ ajjhāvasati muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṁvibhāgarato’ti.
Idaṁ kho taṁ, ānanda, gandhajātaṁ yassa anuvātampi gandho gacchati, paṭivātampi gandho gacchati, anuvātapaṭivātampi gandho gacchatīti.
7Na pupphagandho paṭivātameti,
Na candanaṁ tagaramallikā vā;
Satañca gandho paṭivātameti,
Sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyatī"ti.
Navamaṁ.
