佛說戒德香經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the country of Śrāvastī.

At that time, the Venerable Ānanda, alone in a quiet place, was reflecting: In the world there are three kinds of fragrance: first, the fragrance of roots; second, the fragrance of wood; third, the fragrance of flowers. These three kinds of fragrance drift along with the wind, but cannot drift against it. Is there any fragrance that drifts both with the wind and against the wind?

The Venerable Ānanda, alone in a quiet place, pondered deeply but could in no way grasp the meaning. He then rose from his seat, went to the place where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, knelt upright, joined his palms, and said to the Buddha: "I was sitting alone, reflecting: In the world there are three kinds of fragrance: first, the fragrance of roots; second, the fragrance of wood; third, the fragrance of flowers. These three kinds of fragrance drift along with the wind, but cannot drift against the wind. I do not understand whether there is any fragrance that drifts both with the wind and against the wind?"

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "Excellent, excellent! It is indeed just as you have asked. There is a fragrance that drifts both with the wind and against the wind."

Ānanda said to the Buddha: "I wish to hear about that fragrance."

The Buddha taught: "If in any land, city, town, or village there is a good son or good daughter who practices the ten wholesome deeds: in body, not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct; in speech, not speaking falsely, not speaking with a double tongue, not speaking harsh and cruel words, not speaking frivolous, ornate words; in mind, not envious, not hateful, not deluded, but knowing how to be filial and obedient toward father and mother, serving the Three Jewels, kind and virtuous, dignified in bearing and pure in conduct—in the Eastern direction there are countless śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who praise that virtue.

In the Southern, Western, and Northern directions, in the four quarters, above and below, there are likewise countless śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas who praise that virtue in this way. Or in some other land, city, town, or village, there are also good men and good women who practice the ten wholesome deeds, who know how to revere and uphold the Three Jewels, who are kind, filial and obedient, gracious and virtuous, and who do not lose proper conduct.

This is the fragrance that drifts both with the wind and against the wind, spreading everywhere, illuminating the ten directions, so that all may take refuge in it."

The Buddha then spoke this verse:

Though the flower is fragrant and fair,

It cannot drift against the wind;

Even the sandalwood flower,

Its fragrance surpassing all others.

The virtue of one who is gentle and harmonious

Is called the fragrance that drifts against the wind.

The Bodhisattva, called a great man,

Drifts throughout all the ten directions.

Fragrant wood and sandalwood,

The fragrance of the blue lotus flower—

Among all kinds of fragrance,

The fragrance of the precepts is supreme.

This is the pure observance of the precepts,

Practiced and upheld without negligence,

Not following the path of Māra,

Not perceiving any direction to turn toward.

The road that leads to Nirvāṇa—

This road is supreme.

Cutting off the root of defilement,

Shattering completely the net of Māra,

Advancing to attain the Buddha's Way,

Reaching boundless wisdom.

Therefore the meaning of this fragrance

Is the ending of all that is evil and bad.

At that time the Buddha said to Ānanda: "This fragrance is not obstructed by Mount Sumeru, nor by heaven and earth; nor is it blocked by the four great elements—earth, water, wind, and fire—but penetrates all eight directions, above and below, throughout every realm, where all praise that virtue. Namely: One who does not kill will, life after life, attain long life and not die untimely. One who does not steal will, life after life, be wealthy and not lose property or possessions, taking giving as their chief practice.

One who does not engage in sexual misconduct, who does not violate another's spouse, will be born from a lotus flower. One who does not speak falsely, who always speaks fine words, will have breath that constantly carries a fragrant scent and will be trusted and employed by others; one who does not speak with a double tongue will, within the family, enjoy harmony without division; one who does not speak harsh and cruel words will always speak gentle and fluent words; one who does not speak frivolous, ornate words causes all who hear those words to receive and treasure them as something precious.

One who is not envious will, life after life, be born and revered by all. One who is without anger and hatred will, life after life, attain a beautiful body, so that those who see them give rise to a joyful mind. One who removes ignorance and delusion will, life after life, be born with complete wisdom and be learned from by all; abandoning wrong views, they constantly dwell in the right path, and from their practice attainment arises naturally; casting off the wrong path, they cultivate according to the true, holy, and wondrous Dharma."

At that time the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced, bowed their heads in reverence, and withdrew.

The Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha on the Fragrance of Moral Virtue