Chapter 4: Flowers
Virtue and good conduct are compared to flowers; wisdom involves proper discernment.
15 argumentative units
- 01Opening rhetorical question on overcoming the worlds
The text poses a rhetorical question asking who can overcome the earth, the realm of Yama, and the world of gods, and who can discern the path of virtue like a clever man discerns the right flower.
- 02Answer: the disciple overcomes all worlds
The text answers that the disciple possesses this capacity to overcome all worlds and realms, and can find the path of virtue through proper discernment.
- 03Claim on understanding the body's insubstantiality
One who understands the body as froth-like and unsubstantial as a mirage can break Mara's flower-pointed arrow and escape death.
- 04Illustration: death claims the distracted flower-gatherer
Death takes away those who gather flowers with distracted minds, just as a flood sweeps away a sleeping village.
- 05Reinforcement: death comes before pleasure-satisfaction
Death subdues the distracted flower-gatherer before he can become satiated with his pleasures.
- 06Analogy of the bee's harmless conduct
The sage should dwell in his village like a bee that gathers nectar without damaging the flower, its color, or scent.
- 07Directive: focus on one's own misdeeds, not others'
A sage should attend to his own misdeeds and negligences rather than scrutinizing the sins or omissions of others.
- 08Example: beautiful words without corresponding action
Fine words without corresponding action are like beautiful flowers with color but no scent—fruitless.
- 09Contrast: beautiful words with corresponding action
Fine words accompanied by right action are like beautiful flowers with both color and scent—fruitful.
- 10Analogy: many goods from life as flowers from a heap
Just as many wreaths can be made from a heap of flowers, many good things can be achieved by a mortal once born.
- 11Claim: virtue's influence travels even against the wind
While ordinary flower scents do not travel against the wind, the influence of good people spreads everywhere, transcending natural limitation.
- 12Declaration: virtue's perfume is unsurpassed
Among all material perfumes, the perfume of virtue is supreme and incomparable.
- 13Amplification: virtue's perfume reaches the divine
The scent of material perfumes is mean in comparison; virtue's perfume rises to the gods as the highest.
- 14Claim: Mara cannot tempt the virtuous and wise
Those who possess virtue, live without thoughtlessness, and possess true knowledge are protected from Mara's temptation.
- 15Final analogy: enlightened disciple shines among the unenlightened
Like a lily blooming beautifully on a heap of rubbish, the enlightened disciple shines with knowledge among those in darkness.