FLOWERS
Lotus Flower
Who conquers this world,
the world of Yama and the world of the gods?
Like a connoisseur picking a flower,
the good man chooses Dhamma,
—
The good man conquers this world,
the world of Yama and the world of the gods.
He is the connoisseur picking a flower,
the disciple of Dhamma.
—
Knowing flesh is only froth,
like a dream in a desert,
the disciple transcends
the flowery arrows of lust.
Death cannot touch him.
—
Like floods that come and collect an unsuspecting village,
death claims the restless collector of flowers.
—
His mind is restless
after many flowers,
before he can have them
death is upon him.
—
Let the wise man live
in the flower of his village,
like the bee, gently taking honey,
but harming neither color nor scent.
—
It is not what others do,
or do not do, that is my concern:
It is what I do,
and what I do not do, that is my concern.
—
Lovely flowers without fragrance
Are sweet words without sweet action.
—
Lovely flowers full of fragrance
Are sweet words with sweet action.
—
Is there a limit to the variety of garlands
skilled hands make from a heap of flowers?
Is there a limit to the number of good deeds
a man may do once he is born?
—
The wind carries the scent of flowers only where it goes,
sandalwood, jasmine, and tagara fragrance,
but the fragrance of good men spreads everywhere,
their fame is endless.
—
sandalwood and tagara are delicately scented,
and give a little fragrance,
but the fragrance of virtue
rises even to the gods.
—
And Mara stands helpless
before the clear thinker and perfect knower,
the good man.
—
Like the lotus softly fragrant and
soul-delighting,
rising clear from scraps of rubbish in
a wayside pond,
—
The disciple of the Enlightened Buddha shines
in perfect wisdom
Clear above the crowds of ordinary men
who do not see the truth.
from: The Dhammapada
EddieTwoHawks 
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