[519] Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, there are these three kinds of fragrant substances whose scent travels only with the wind, not against the wind. What three? The scent of roots, the scent of heartwood, and the scent of flowers. These, venerable sir, are the three kinds of fragrant substances whose scent travels only with the wind, not against the wind. Is there, venerable sir, any fragrant substance whose scent travels with the wind, whose scent travels against the wind, and whose scent travels both with and against the wind?"
"There is, Ānanda, a fragrant substance whose scent travels with the wind, whose scent travels against the wind, and whose scent travels both with and against the wind."
"But what, venerable sir, is that fragrant substance whose scent travels with the wind, whose scent travels against the wind, and whose scent travels both with and against the wind?"
"Here, Ānanda, in whatever village or town a woman or a man has gone for refuge to the Buddha, has gone for refuge to the Dhamma, has gone for refuge to the Saṅgha; abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from intoxicants — liquor and spirits — that are a basis for heedlessness; is virtuous, of good character, and dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing — of such a one ascetics and brahmins in all quarters speak praise, saying: 'In such-and-such a village or town a woman or a man has gone for refuge to the Buddha, has gone for refuge to the Dhamma, has gone for refuge to the Saṅgha; abstains from the destruction of life, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from false speech, abstains from intoxicants — liquor and spirits — that are a basis for heedlessness; is virtuous, of good character, and dwells at home with a mind free from the stain of stinginess, freely generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishment, devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing.' The deities too speak his praise, saying: 'In such-and-such a village or town a woman or a man has gone for refuge to the Buddha … devoted to charity, delighting in giving and sharing.' This, Ānanda, is that fragrant substance whose scent travels with the wind, whose scent travels against the wind, and whose scent travels both with and against the wind."
The scent of flowers does not go against the wind,
nor sandalwood, nor tagara, nor jasmine;
but the scent of the good goes against the wind:
the true person pervades all directions.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.