Alaṅkāra-kaṇḍa — The Section on Ornament

257. The Ornaments of Various Things

Mount Meru, the axis of the cosmos, is the ornament of the earth, giving it grandeur and a center. The moon is the ornament of the night, giving light and beauty. A righteous king is the ornament of his people, a protector and the source of order and prosperity. The mighty elephant is the ornament of the army, representing supreme strength and a power to strike fear into the enemy. A true ornament is not mere decoration, but that which fulfills its own highest function to perfection.

258. True Beauty Comes from Virtue

The body is beautiful through virtue, not through cosmetics. The good name of a family is beautiful through the good conduct of its members, not through wealth. The forest is beautiful when it blossoms, showing its rich nature. The army is beautiful when it has war-elephants, its supreme instruments of power. In each case, the ornament is the fine quality proper to the thing itself. Beauty is the visible expression of inner virtue or inherent capacity.

259. The Distinctive Beauty of Each Thing

For the cuckoo, beauty lies not in its feathers but in its melodious song. For a woman within the traditional social frame, beauty and secure standing rest in devotion to her husband. For the mind, which has no form, beauty is knowledge. For the ascetic, who practices by enduring hardship, the supreme beauty is patient forbearance — the capacity to lay down anger. The true ornament is the perfection of each one's own particular virtue. (The point concerning the woman should be read in its traditional context.)

260. Beauty According to the Fitness of Function

The ascetic is beautiful when lean, for his gauntness is proof of strict discipline and non-attachment to the body. The four-footed beast is beautiful when stout, for its flesh and strength show health and power for work or war. The human being is beautiful with knowledge, for knowledge perfects human potential. The woman is beautiful in the company of her husband, representing social completeness, protection, and the fulfilling of her traditional role. The standard of beauty is thus defined by fitness of function. (The point concerning the woman should be read in its traditional context.)

261. Things That Come in Pairs

The moon shines forth distinctly only in the night. The ocean is defined by its waves. A pond is brought to life by the presence of swans. Woman and man are seen as a complementary pair, reflecting that era's view that identity and social standing are bound up with marriage. As these natural phenomena are pairs, so woman and husband are seen as a fundamental, mutually completing pair. (To be read in the context of the social outlook of ancient times.)

262. What Lacks a Ground to Rest On Is Meaningless

An ornament needs cloth to adorn, or else it is a mere object. A woman, according to this view, needs a husband to have standing and social purpose. A man needs craft or skill to be counted able and respectable. Complete food depends on the produce of the cow (milk and butter). Each is an essential ground that gives meaning and function to the other; without the base, what stands upon it is meaningless. (The point concerning the woman should be read in its traditional context.)

263. Things That Give Light

When a lamp's light is needed, the moon shines forth upon the world. Within the family circle, the wife brings light — brings honor — to her husband (and he to her in turn). For the three worlds, the Dhamma is the giver of light, revealing truth and dispelling darkness. For the family line, a good son is the light-bringer, bringing renown and continuity. Light here is a figure for honor, understanding, and legacy. The greatest sources of light are not physical, but moral and spiritual.

264. Things That Are Empty

A house without a son is empty of laughter, of heirs, and of a refuge for the future. A land without a king is empty of order, justice, and security. The mouth of the witless is empty of meaningful words, leaving only noise or malice. Finally, poverty is called the emptiest of all, an emptiness that gathers up all the others — lacking wealth, opportunity, respect, and often even hope. Emptiness here is the desolation of a world of want.

265. True Beauty Comes from Action

The ear is beautiful through what it hears — the Dhamma, good counsel, and poetry — not merely through an earring. The hand is beautiful through giving, not through a bracelet. And the whole body of the highest of men shines through helping others, not through being anointed with sandalwood paste. Outward ornaments are but superficial and lifeless. The true beauty of a human being radiates from virtuous conduct, from openness to truth, from generosity, and from deeds imbued with compassion.