AN 3.79

Gandhajātasutta

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Fragrances

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“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?

“Sir, there are these three kinds of fragrance that spread only with the wind, not against it. What three? The fragrance of roots, heartwood, and flowers. These are the three kinds of fragrance that spread only with the wind, not against it. Is there a kind of fragrance that spreads with the wind, and against it, and both ways?”

“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?

“There is, Ānanda, such a kind of fragrance.” “So what, sir, is that kind of fragrance?”

“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.

“It’s when, Ānanda, in some village or town, a woman or man has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They don’t kill living creatures, steal, commit sexual misconduct, lie, or consume intoxicants of beer, wine, and liquor. They’re ethical, of good character. They live at home with heart rid of the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, loving to let go, committed to charity, loving to give and to share.

Tassa 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.

Ascetics and brahmins everywhere praise them for these good qualities;

Devatāpissa 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.

even the deities praise them. This is the kind of fragrance that spreads with the wind, and against it, and both.

Na pupphagandho paṭivātameti, Na candanaṁ tagaramallikā vā; Satañca gandho paṭivātameti, Sabbā disā sappuriso pavāyatī”ti.

The fragrance of flowers doesn’t spread against the wind, nor sandalwood, pinwheel flowers, or jasmine; but the fragrance of the good spreads against the wind; a true person’s virtue spreads in every direction.”