The Simile Of The Cloth Mn 7

Wisdom Quarterly edit of translation from Pali by Nyanaponika Thera"Vatthupama Sutra" (Middle Length Discourses 7) 1. Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha was staying in Savatthi, at Jeta's Grove, in the monastery donated by Anathapindika. There he addressed the monastics: "Monastics." - "Venerable sir!" they replied. The Blessed One then said: 2. "Suppose a cloth were dirty and dull, and a dyer dipped it in some dye or another -- blue, yellow, red, or pink. It would take the dye badly and be impure in color. Why is that? It is because the cloth wasn't clean. So too, disciples, when the mind is defiled[Note 1], an unhappy destination may be expected. "But suppose a cloth were clean and bright, and a dyer dipped it in some dye or another. It would take the dye well and be pure in color. Why? It is because the cloth was clean. So too when the mind is undefiled, a happy destination may be expected. 3. "And what are the defilements of the mind? * Covetousness/craving (greed) is a defilement of the mind; * ill will is a defilement of the mind; * anger is a defilement of the mind; * hostility... * denigration... * domineering... * envy... * jealousy... * hypocrisy... * fraud... * obstinacy... * presumption... * conceit... * arrogance... * vanity... * negligence is a defilement of the mind. 4. "Knowing covetousness/craving (greed) to be a defilement of the mind, the practitioner [of this Dharma, a meditator] abandons it. Knowing ill will to be a defilement of the mind, one abandons it. Knowing anger to be a defilement... hostility... denigration... domineering... envy... jealousy... hypocrisy... fraud... obstinacy... presumption... conceit... arrogance... vanity... negligence..., one abandons it. 5. "When in the practitioner who thus knows [these defilements are defilements of the mind, they] have been abandoned. 6. One then and there gains unwavering confidence in the Buddha: 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One, accomplished, fully enlightened, endowed with [clear] vision and [virtuous] conduct, sublime, knower of the worlds, the incomparable guide of persons who are tractable, the teacher of "devas" and human beings, enlightened and freeing.' 7. One gains unwavering confidence in the Dharma: 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Dharma, realizable here and now, of immediate result, inviting one to investigate and see, accessible and knowable individually by the wise. 8. One gains unwavering confidence in the [enlightened] "Sangha": 'The community of the Blessed One's disciples has entered on the good way, has entered on the straight way, has entered on the actual way, has entered on the proper way. That is to say, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals, this Noble "Sangha" of the Buddha's disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respectful salutation, the incomparable field of merit for the world.' 9. "When one has let go, given up, renounced, abandoned, and relinquished [these defilements] in part, one knows: 'I am endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha... in the Dharma... in the "Sangha". And one gains enthusiasm for the goal, gains enthusiasm for the Dharma, gains gladness connected with the Dharma. When one is gladdened, joy is born. Being joyous in mind, one's body becomes tranquil. One's body being tranquil, one feels happiness. And the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated [to the point of absorption, right "samadhi", i.e., the first four "jhanas"]. 10. "One knows, 'I have let go, given up, renounced, abandoned, and relinquished [the defilements] in part'... 11. "If, disciples, a disciple of such virtue, such concentration, and such wisdom[10] eats almsfood consisting of the choicest rice together with the most flavorful seasonings, even that will not be an obstacle.[11] "Just as cloth that is dirty and dull becomes clean and bright with the help of pure water, just as gold becomes clean and bright with the help of a furnace, so too, if a practitioner of such virtue, such concentration, and such wisdom eats almsfood consisting of the choicest rice together with the most flavorful seasonings, even that will not be an obstacle. 12. "One abides suffusing with a mind imbued with loving-kindness[12] one direction, likewise a second, third, fourth, and above, below, around, and everywhere, to all as to oneself. One abides suffusing the entire universe with loving-kindness, with a mind grown great, sublime, boundless, free from enmity and ill will. "One abides, suffusing with a mind imbued with compassion... joy in others' success... equanimity [impartiality] first one direction, likewise a second, third, fourth, above, below, around, and everywhere, to all as to oneself. One abides suffusing the entire universe with equanimity, with a mind grown great, sublime, boundless, free from enmity and ill will. 13. "One understands what exists, what is low, what is excellent[13], and what escape there is from this [entire] field of perception.[14] 14. "When one knows-and-sees[15] in this way, one's mind becomes liberated from the canker ["asava, "taint, pollution, mental intoxicant"] of sensual desire, liberated from the canker of becoming, liberated from the canker of ignorance.[16] When liberated, there arises the knowledge: 'It is liberated.' And one knows: 'Birth is exhausted, the pure life has been lived, the task is done, there is no more of this to come.' Such a disciple is called 'one cleansed with the inner cleansing."[17] 15. Now at that time the brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja[18] was seated not far from the Buddha, and he spoke to the Blessed One thus: "But does Master Gotama go to the Bahuka River to bathe?" "What good, brahmin, is the Bahuka River? What can the Bahuka River do?" "Truly, Master Gotama, many people believe that the Bahuka River purifies. Many people believe that the Bahuka River gives merit. For in the Bahuka River many people wash away the [unskillful karma, "sins,"] evil deeds they have done." 16. Then the Buddha addressed the brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja in these stanzas:[19] Bahuka and Adhikakka,[20] Gaya and Sundarika, Payaga and Sarassati, and the stream Bahumati - a fool may there forever bathe, yet will not be cleansed of one's dark deeds. What can Sundarika bring to pass? What can the Payaga and the Bahuka? They cannot purify a doer of harm, a person performing brutal and cruel acts. One of pure heart has always The Feast of Cleansing[21] and the Lunar Observance Day.[22] One pure in heart who does beneficial deeds has perfected observances for all time. It is here, O brahmin, that you should bathe[23] to make yourself a guide for all beings. And if you speak no untruth, nor harm any breathing thing, nor take what is not freely given, with conviction and without avarice, to Gaya River gone, what would it do for you? Let any water well be your Gaya! 17. When this was said, the brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja exclaimed: "Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama! The Dharma has been made clear in many ways, as though one were setting upright what had been overthrown, revealing the hidden, showing the way to the lost, or holding up a lamp in the dark for those with vision to see. 18. "I go to Master Gotama for guidance, and to the Dharma, and to the [enlightened] "Sangha". May I receive the going forth [ordination as a novice] under Master Gotama, may I receive full admission [ordination as a monastic]! 19. And the brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja received the going forth under the Buddha, and he received the full admission. And not long after his ordination, dwelling withdrawn, secluded, diligent, ardent, and resolute, the Venerable Bharadvaja by his own realization understood and attained in this very life that supreme goal of the pure life [of a monastic], for which noble sons and daughters go forth from home life into homelessness. He came to this direct knowledge: "Birth is exhausted, the purest life has been lived, the task is done, there is no more of this [suffering of any kind] to come." And the Venerable Bharadvaja became one of the "arahants "[fully enlightened practitioners].

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