English
4. The Flower Chapter 44. Who will conquer this earth, And this world of Yama with its gods? Who will gather the well-taught Dhamma-path, As a skillful person gathers flowers? 45. A trainee will conquer this earth, And this world of Yama with its gods; A trainee will gather the well-taught Dhamma-path, As a skillful person gathers flowers. 46. Knowing this body to be like foam, Understanding its mirage-like nature; Having cut off Mara's flower-arrows, One should go beyond the King of Death's sight. 47. A person who gathers only flowers, Whose mind is attached (to them); Death carries him away, As a great flood sweeps away a sleeping village. 48. A person who gathers only flowers, Whose mind is attached (to them); Still unsatiated in sensual pleasures, The Destroyer brings him under his sway. 49. Just as a bee, harming neither Color nor fragrance of a flower; Flies away taking the nectar, So should a sage wander in a village. 50. Not the faults of others, Nor what others have done or left undone; One should look to one's own, What has been done and what left undone. 51. Just as a beautiful flower, Full of color but without fragrance; So is a well-spoken word, Fruitless for one who does not act. 52. Just as a beautiful flower, Full of color and with fragrance; So is a well-spoken word, Fruitful for one who acts. 53. Just as from a heap of flowers, Many garlands can be made; So by a mortal born (into the world), Much good should be done. 54. The fragrance of flowers does not go against the wind, Nor sandalwood, tagara, or jasmine; But the fragrance of the virtuous goes against the wind, A good person pervades all directions. 55. Sandalwood, or tagara, Or lotus, or jasmine; Among these kinds of fragrances, The fragrance of virtue is supreme. 56. Slight is this fragrance, Which is... Tagara and sandalwood; And the scent of the virtuous, blows supreme among the gods. For those of perfect virtue, who dwell in heedfulness; rightly freed by perfect knowledge, Mara finds no path. Just as on a heap of rubbish, discarded by the highway; a lotus might grow there, pure-scented and delightful. So among those like rubbish, blind ordinary people; shines forth in wisdom, the disciple of the Perfectly Enlightened One. The Flower Chapter, the fourth, is finished.