Happiness Results From Good Deeds
The Story of Sumana, the Florist
Chapter 5: Fools • Verse 9
The Story of Sumana, the Florist
Chapter 5: Fools • Verse 9
Well done is that action of doing which one repents not later, and the fruit of which one reaps with delight and happiness.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to Sumana the florist.
Every morning, a florist named Sumana supplied King Bimbisara of Rajagaha with jasmine flowers. One day, on his way to the palace, he saw the Buddha entering the town for alms, accompanied by many monks and radiating a halo of light.
Seeing the Buddha in such glory, Sumana felt a strong desire to offer him the flowers. He resolved then and there that even if the king were to banish or kill him, he would not give the flowers to the king that day.
He threw the flowers to the sides, behind, and above the Buddha's head, and they remained hanging in the air: those above formed a canopy, and those behind and at the sides formed walls of flowers. They moved with the Buddha as he walked and stopped when he stopped.
As the Buddha proceeded, enclosed by walls and a canopy of flowers, with six-coloured rays radiating from his body and a great crowd following, thousands of people in and around Rajagaha came out of their houses to pay homage. Sumana's whole body was suffused with joy.
Sumana's wife went to the king and told him she had nothing to do with her husband's failure to deliver the flowers that day. But the king, himself a sotapanna, was delighted. He came out to see the wonderful sight, paid homage to the Buddha, and offered alms-food to the Buddha and the monks.
After the meal, the Buddha gave thanks and, surrounded as before by flowers on all four sides and a great rejoicing multitude, returned to the monastery.
The king accompanied him a little way and then sent for the florist, asking what he had said when he honoured the Buddha. Sumana replied that he had surrendered his life to the Buddha, saying the king might kill him or banish him from the kingdom.
Declaring him a great man, the king presented him with an eightfold gift: eight elephants, eight horses, eight male and eight female slaves, eight magnificent sets of jewels, eight thousand pieces of money, eight women from the royal household in full adornment, and eight choice villages.
Venerable Ananda, having heard shouts of joy and acclaim all day long, asked the Buddha what Sumana's reward would be. The Buddha replied that because Sumana had surrendered his life to honour him, with immense faith, he would not fall into any state of suffering, but would enjoy the fruits of his deed among gods and men, and one day would become the solitary Buddha Sumana.
The Story of Sumana, the Florist
Chapter 5: Fools • Verse 9
Well done is that action of doing which one repents not later, and the fruit of which one reaps with delight and happiness.
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to Sumana the florist.
Every morning, a florist named Sumana supplied King Bimbisara of Rajagaha with jasmine flowers. One day, on his way to the palace, he saw the Buddha entering the town for alms, accompanied by many monks and radiating a halo of light.
Seeing the Buddha in such glory, Sumana felt a strong desire to offer him the flowers. He resolved then and there that even if the king were to banish or kill him, he would not give the flowers to the king that day.
He threw the flowers to the sides, behind, and above the Buddha's head, and they remained hanging in the air: those above formed a canopy, and those behind and at the sides formed walls of flowers. They moved with the Buddha as he walked and stopped when he stopped.
As the Buddha proceeded, enclosed by walls and a canopy of flowers, with six-coloured rays radiating from his body and a great crowd following, thousands of people in and around Rajagaha came out of their houses to pay homage. Sumana's whole body was suffused with joy.
Sumana's wife went to the king and told him she had nothing to do with her husband's failure to deliver the flowers that day. But the king, himself a sotapanna, was delighted. He came out to see the wonderful sight, paid homage to the Buddha, and offered alms-food to the Buddha and the monks.
After the meal, the Buddha gave thanks and, surrounded as before by flowers on all four sides and a great rejoicing multitude, returned to the monastery.
The king accompanied him a little way and then sent for the florist, asking what he had said when he honoured the Buddha. Sumana replied that he had surrendered his life to the Buddha, saying the king might kill him or banish him from the kingdom.
Declaring him a great man, the king presented him with an eightfold gift: eight elephants, eight horses, eight male and eight female slaves, eight magnificent sets of jewels, eight thousand pieces of money, eight women from the royal household in full adornment, and eight choice villages.
Venerable Ananda, having heard shouts of joy and acclaim all day long, asked the Buddha what Sumana's reward would be. The Buddha replied that because Sumana had surrendered his life to honour him, with immense faith, he would not fall into any state of suffering, but would enjoy the fruits of his deed among gods and men, and one day would become the solitary Buddha Sumana.