Dhammapada Verse 68
Sumanamalakara Vatthu
Tanca kammam katam sadhu
yam katva nanutappati
yassa patito sumano
vipikam patisevati.
Verse 68: That deed is well done if one has not to repent for having done it,
and if one is delightful and happy with the result of that deed.
The Story of Sumana, the Florist
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered
Verse (68) of this book, with reference to Sumana the florist.
A florist, named Sumana, had to supply King Bimbisara of
Rajagaha with jasmin flowers every morning. One day, as he was going to the
king's palace he saw the Buddha, with a halo of light-rays radiating from him,
coming into town for alms-food accompanied by many bhikkhus. Seeing the Buddha
in his resplendent glory, the florist Sumana felt a strong desire to offer his
flowers to the Buddha. Then and there, he decided that even if the king were to
drive him out of the country or to kill him, he would not offer the flowers to
the king for that day. Thus, he threw up the flowers to the sides, to the back
and over and above the head of the Buddha. The flowers remained hanging in the
air; those over the head formed a canopy of flowers and those at the back and
the sides formed walls of flowers. These flowers followed the Buddha in this
position as he moved on, and stopped when the Buddha stopped. As the Buddha
proceeded, surrounded by walls of flowers, and a canopy of flowers, with the
six-coloured rays radiating from his body, followed by a large entourage,
thousands of people inside and outside of Rajagaha came out of their houses to
pay obeisance to the Buddha. As for Sumana, his entire body was suffused with
delightful satisfaction (Piti).
The wife of the florist Sumana then went to the king and said that she had
nothing to do with her husband failing to supply the king with flowers for that
day. The king, being a Sotapanna himself, felt quite happy about the
flowers. He came out to see the wonderful sight and paid obeisance to the
Buddha. The king also took the opportunity to offer alms-food to the Buddha and
his disciples. After the meal, the Buddha returned in the Jetavana monastery and
the king followed him for some distance. On arrival back at the palace King
Bimbisara sent for Sumana and offered him a reward of eight elephants, eight
horses, eight male slaves, eight female slaves, eight maidens and eight thousand
in cash.
At the Jetavana monastery, the Venerable Ananda asked the Buddha what
benefits Sumana would gain by his good deed done on that day. The Buddha
answered that Sumana, having given to the Buddha without any consideration for
his life, would not be born in any of the four lower worlds (Apaya) for
the next one hundred thousand worlds and that eventually he would become a
paccekabuddha. After that, as the Buddha entered the Perfumed Hall (Gandhakuti)
the flowers dropped off of their own accord.
That night, at the end of the usual discourse, the Buddha
spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 68: That deed is well done if one has not to
repent for having done it, and if one is delightful and happy with the
result of that deed.
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