This auspicious, wish-granting stupa is a tamer of maras, meaningful to behold. May it be virtuous!

Benefits of offering flowers to a stupa

As it says in the Heap of Flowers Dharani (Puspakutadharani),

After the Tathagata passed into parinirvana, by presenting the stupas with some flowers, or sprinkling a handful of water, or painting a bindu, or cleaning off old flowers, or offering whitewash, or offering incense, or offering frankincense, or offering butter lamps, the beat of one’s joyful heart will quicken for a time; and saying, “I take refuge in Lord Buddha!” will prevent one from falling into the lower realms for a Lion’s Play Aeon, or one hundred aeons, or a thousand aeons, or even ten thousand aeons.

The Entry of Maitreya Sutra (Maitreyaprasthana-sutra) says:

An individual who is naturally clever and wise

May develop confidence in the teachings of the Tathagata

And give rise to stable bodhichitta,

Yet, offering a flower to a Tathagatha stupa

Is said to be even more meritorious. 

Offering the flower of bodhichitta

Cannot be compared to the merit mentioned above,

Like [comparing] the ocean to a single drop of water. 

Here in this buddha field, there are infinite sentient beings

And in each aeon, they become buddhas.

[Even if] they do nothing else for numerous aeons,

One could speak without end about such merit.

This exemplifies the full ripening of bodhichitta, the heart of awakening.

Even if one were to speak of this for infinite aeons,

One could express but a fraction of all there is to tell,

Like picking up a tiny dust mote from the vast ground of the Earth.

If the merit from revealing the full ripening of bodhichitta

Could be illustrated by form,

Even if one were to fill all the pure realms with all [the grains of sand] found in the Ganges River,

Their filling would be but fraction of this infinitude.

It is said that the merit of offering a single flower to the Buddha with pure bodhichitta far surpasses the merit of offering the entire three-thousandfold universe filled with the seven kinds of precious metals and gems with the hope of enhancing one’s own wealth and prestige in this life.  

As it says in the Ratna Tala Dharani Sutra:

With the light produced by offering flowers, perfume,

Soft fabrics, garlands, and canopies,

Light rays that purify all phenomena will stream forth,

And from all the hair follicles of all the buddhas

Who work to benefit the world, infinite teachings will emerge.

Hearing these, all wishes will be fulfilled.

Also, it says in the Bodhisattvapitaka: 

When one offers flowers or snos ris ‘dri to a Tathagata stupa, one attains the “eight aspects of lacking nothing.” What are these eight? They are having a body that lacks nothing, having wealth and enjoyments that lack nothing, having a retinue of attendants that lacks nothing, having moral discipline that lacks nothing, having meditative concentration that lacks nothing, having learning that lacks nothing, having supreme knowledge that lacks nothing, and having aspirations that lack nothing.                   

As it says in the Discerning Actions Sutra’s Presentation of the Benefits of Stupas: 

There are ten benefits to offering flowers to a Tathagata stupa.  What are these ten? In the world, you will become like a flower; your sense of smell will never diminish; your body will become free of foul odors; your body will emit delicious fragrance; your fragrance of moral discipline will waft throughout the eight cardinal and intermediate directions; people will be attracted and gather around you.