Dhammapada 4.9: 9. Ānandattherapañhāvatthu

4.9.p1

Na pupphagandho paṭivātametīti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā sāvatthiyaṃ viharanto ānandattherassa pañhaṃ vissajjento kathesi.

The perfume of flowers goes not against the wind. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Sāvatthi by way of reply to a question which the Elder Ānanda asked him.

4.9.p2

Thero kira sāyanhasamaye paṭisallīno cintesi – ‘‘bhagavatā mūlagandho, sāragandho, pupphagandhoti tayo uttamagandhā vuttā, tesaṃ anuvātameva gandho gacchati, no paṭivātaṃ. Atthi nu kho taṃ gandhajātaṃ, yassa paṭivātampi gandho gacchatī’’ti. Athassa etadahosi – ‘‘kiṃ mayhaṃ attanā vinicchitena, satthāraṃyeva pucchissāmī’’ti. So satthāraṃ upasaṅkamitvā pucchi. Tena vuttaṃ –

We are told that one evening, absorbed in meditation, the Elder pondered the following thought: "The Exalted One possesses the three perfumes of superlative excellence; namely, the perfume of sandal, the perfume of roots, and the perfume of flowers. Each of these perfumes, however, goes only with the wind. Is there possibly a substance whose perfume goes against the wind, or is there possibly a substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind?" Then the following thought occurred to him: "What is the use of my trying to determine this question all by myself? I will ask the Teacher, and the Teacher alone." Accordingly he approached the Teacher and put the question to him. Therefore it is said:

4.9.p3

‘‘Atha kho āyasmā ānando sāyanhasamaye paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi, ekamantaṃ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṃ etadavoca –

"Now one evening the Venerable Ānanda arose from profound meditation and drew near to the place where sat the Exalted One, and when he had drawn near, he addressed the Exalted One as

4.9.p4

‘‘Tīṇimāni, bhante, gandhajātāni, yesaṃ anuvātameva gandho gacchati, no paṭivātaṃ. Katamāni tīṇi? Mūlagandho, sāragandho, pupphagandho, imāni kho, bhante, tīṇi gandhajātāni. Yesaṃ anuvātameva gandho gacchati, no paṭivātaṃ. Atthi nu kho, bhante, kiñci gandhajātaṃ yassa anuvātampi gandho gacchati, paṭivātampi gandho gacchati, anuvātapaṭivātampi gandho gacchatī’’ti? (A. ni. 3.80)

follows, ‘Reverend Sir, there are these three substances whose perfume goes only with the wind and not against the wind. What are the three? The perfume of roots, the perfume of sandal, and the perfume of flowers. These, Reverend Sir, are the three substances whose perfume goes only with the wind and not against the wind. But, Reverend Sir, is there possibly a substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind, or is there possibly a substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind?’

4.9.p5

Athassa bhagavā pañhaṃ vissajjento –

“Said the Exalted One in answer to the question, ‘Ānanda, there is a substance whose perfume goes with the wind, a substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind.’ ‘But, Reverend Sir, what is that substance whose perfume goes with the wind, that substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind?’ ‘Ānanda, if in any village or market-town in this world any human being, whether man or woman, seeks refuge in the Buddha, seeks refuge in the Law, seeks refuge in the Order; if he refrains from taking life, from taking that which is not given, from indulgence in the sins of the flesh and from lying, and avoids occasions of heedlessness through the use of liquor or spirits or other intoxicants; if he is virtuous; if he lives the life of a householder in righteousness, with a heart free from the stain of avarice; if he is liberal and generous, if he is open-handed, if he takes delight in giving, if he is attentive to petitions, if he takes delight in the distribution of alms, in all parts of the world monks and Brahmans utter his praise. If in such and such a village or market-town either a man or a woman seeks refuge in the Buddha, . . . if he takes delight in the distribution of alms, deities and spirits utter his praise. If in such and such a village or market-town either a man or a woman seeks refuge in the Buddha, . . . if he takes delight in the distribution of alms, such acts as these, Ānanda, are the substance whose perfume goes both with the wind and against the wind, whose perfume goes both with and against the wind.’” So saying, he pronounced the following Stanzas,

4.9.p6

‘‘Atthānanda, kiñci gandhajātaṃ, yassa anuvātampi gandho gacchati, paṭivātampi gandho gacchati, anuvātapaṭivātampi gandho gacchatī’’ti. ‘‘Katamaṃ pana taṃ, bhante, gandhajātaṃ’’? ‘‘Yassa anuvātampi gandho gacchati, paṭivātampi gandho gacchati, anuvātapaṭivātampi gandho gacchatī’’ti?

4.9.p7

‘‘Idhānanda, yasmiṃ gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā paṭivirato hoti, sīlavā hoti kalyāṇadhammo, vigatamalamaccherena cetasā agāraṃ ajjhāvasati muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasaṃvibhāgarato.

4.9.p8

‘‘Tassa disāsu samaṇabrāhmaṇā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsanti, ‘amukasmiṃ nāma gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti…pe… dānasaṃvibhāgarato’’’ti.

4.9.p9

‘‘Devatāpissa vaṇṇaṃ bhāsanti, ‘amukasmiṃ nāma gāme vā nigame vā itthī vā puriso vā buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti, saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gato hoti…pe… dānasaṃvibhāgarato’’’ti. ‘‘Idaṃ kho taṃ, ānanda, gandhajātaṃ, yassa anuvātampi gandho gacchati, paṭivātampi gandho gacchati, anuvātapaṭivātampi gandho gacchatī’’ti (a. ni. 3.80) vatvā imā gāthā abhāsi –

4.9.54

‘‘Na pupphagandho paṭivātameti,
Na candanaṃ tagaramallikā vā;
Satañca gandho paṭivātameti,
Sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyati. (a. ni. 3.80);

54. The perfume of flowers goes not against the wind,
Nor that of sandal, nor that of Tagara or Mallikā flowers;
But the perfume of the righteous goes against the wind;
To every point a good man exhales fragrance.

4.9.55

‘‘Candanaṃ tagaraṃ vāpi, uppalaṃ atha vassikī;
Etesaṃ gandhajātānaṃ, sīlagandho anuttaro’’ti.

55. Above and beyond all varieties of perfume,
Whether of sandal or of lotus
Or of Tagara or Vassikī flowers,
The perfume of virtue is preëminent.

4.9.55_2

Tattha na pupphagandhoti tāvatiṃsabhavane paricchattakarukkho āyāmato ca vitthārato ca yojanasatiko, tassa pupphānaṃ ābhā paññāsa yojanāni gacchati, gandho yojanasataṃ, sopi anuvātameva gacchati, paṭivātaṃ pana aṭṭhaṅgulamattampi gantuṃ na sakkoti, evarūpopi na pupphagandho paṭivātameti. Candananti candanagandho. Tagaramallikā vāti imesampi gandho eva adhippeto. Sāragandhānaṃ aggassa hi lohitacandanassāpi tagarassapi mallikāyapi anuvātameva vāyati, no paṭivātaṃ. Satañca gandhoti sappurisānaṃ pana buddhapaccekabuddhasāvakānaṃ sīlagandho paṭivātameti. Kiṃ kāraṇā? Sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyati yasmā pana sappuriso sīlagandhena sabbāpi disā ajjhottharitvāva gacchati, tasmā ‘‘tassa gandho na paṭivātametī’’ti na vattabbo. Tena vuttaṃ ‘‘paṭivātametī’’ti. Vassikīti jātisumanā. Etesanti imesaṃ candanādīnaṃ gandhajātānaṃ gandhato sīlavantānaṃ sappurisānaṃ sīlagandhova anuttaro asadiso apaṭibhāgoti.

4.9.55_3

Desanāvasāne bahū sotāpattiphalādīni pattā. Desanā mahājanassa sātthikā jātāti.

4.9.55_4

Ānandattherapañhāvatthu navamaṃ.