Fragrance Of Virtue Spreads Everywhere & Fragrance Of Virtue Is The Sweetest Smell
The Story of the Question Raised by the Venerable Ananda
Chapter 4: Flowers • Verse 12
The Story of the Question Raised by the Venerable Ananda
Chapter 4: Flowers • Verse 12
Of all the fragrances — sandal, tagara, blue lotus and jasmine — the fragrance of virtue is the sweetest.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke these verses in response to a question raised by the Venerable Ananda.
One evening, absorbed in meditation, Venerable Ananda pondered whether there might be some substance whose fragrance could travel against the wind, since the finest perfumes he knew, such as sandalwood, roots, and flowers, all carried only with the wind. Rather than puzzle over it alone, he decided to ask the Buddha directly.
Approaching the Buddha, Ananda posed his question: were there three substances, the perfume of roots, of sandalwood, and of flowers, whose fragrance travelled only with the wind, or was there perhaps some substance whose fragrance could travel both with and against the wind?
The Buddha answered that there was indeed such a substance. When Ananda asked what it might be, the Buddha explained that if any person, man or woman, in any village or market-town, took refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha; refrained from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and lying; avoided intoxicants; lived virtuously and generously as a householder free from avarice; and took delight in giving alms and attending to the needs of others, then monks throughout the world would speak of that person's praise, as would deities and spirits.
Such virtuous conduct, the Buddha said, is the substance whose fragrance travels both with and against the wind.
The Story of the Question Raised by the Venerable Ananda
Chapter 4: Flowers • Verse 12
Of all the fragrances — sandal, tagara, blue lotus and jasmine — the fragrance of virtue is the sweetest.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke these verses in response to a question raised by the Venerable Ananda.
One evening, absorbed in meditation, Venerable Ananda pondered whether there might be some substance whose fragrance could travel against the wind, since the finest perfumes he knew, such as sandalwood, roots, and flowers, all carried only with the wind. Rather than puzzle over it alone, he decided to ask the Buddha directly.
Approaching the Buddha, Ananda posed his question: were there three substances, the perfume of roots, of sandalwood, and of flowers, whose fragrance travelled only with the wind, or was there perhaps some substance whose fragrance could travel both with and against the wind?
The Buddha answered that there was indeed such a substance. When Ananda asked what it might be, the Buddha explained that if any person, man or woman, in any village or market-town, took refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha; refrained from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and lying; avoided intoxicants; lived virtuously and generously as a householder free from avarice; and took delight in giving alms and attending to the needs of others, then monks throughout the world would speak of that person's praise, as would deities and spirits.
Such virtuous conduct, the Buddha said, is the substance whose fragrance travels both with and against the wind.