7.
The Discourse on the Cloth
70. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. There the Blessed One addressed the monks - "Monks." "Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
"Just as, monks, a cloth that is defiled and stained; if a washerman were to apply it to whatever kind of dye - whether blue, or yellow, or red, or crimson - it would be of poorly dyed colour, it would be of impure colour. What is the reason for this? Because of the impurity, monks, of the cloth. Just so, monks, when the mind is defiled, an unfortunate realm is to be expected. Just as, monks, a cloth that is pure and bright; if a washerman were to apply it to whatever kind of dye - whether blue, or yellow, or red, or crimson - it would be of well-dyed colour, it would be of pure colour. What is the reason for this? Because of the purity, monks, of the cloth. Just so, monks, when the mind is undefiled, a fortunate realm is to be expected.
71. "And what, monks, are the impurities of the mind? Covetousness and unrighteous greed is an impurity of the mind, anger is an impurity of the mind, wrath is an impurity of the mind, hostility is an impurity of the mind, contempt is an impurity of the mind, insolence is an impurity of the mind, envy is an impurity of the mind, stinginess is an impurity of the mind, deceit is an impurity of the mind, fraudulence is an impurity of the mind, obstinacy is an impurity of the mind, impetuosity is an impurity of the mind, conceit is an impurity of the mind, arrogance is an impurity of the mind, vanity is an impurity of the mind, negligence is an impurity of the mind.
72. "That monk, monks, having understood 'covetousness and unrighteous greed is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons covetousness and unrighteous greed, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'anger is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons anger, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'wrath is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons wrath, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'hostility is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons hostility, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'contempt is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons contempt, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'insolence is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons insolence, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'envy is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons envy, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'stinginess is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons stinginess, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'deceit is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons deceit, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'fraudulence is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons fraudulence, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'obstinacy is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons obstinacy, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'impetuosity is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons impetuosity, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'conceit is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons conceit, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'arrogance is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons arrogance, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'vanity is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons vanity, the impurity of the mind; having understood 'negligence is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, abandons negligence, the impurity of the mind.
73. "Monks, when for a monk, having understood 'covetousness and unrighteous greed is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, covetousness and unrighteous greed, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'anger is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, anger, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'wrath is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, wrath, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'hostility is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, hostility, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'contempt is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, contempt, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'insolence is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, insolence, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'envy is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, envy, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'stinginess is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, stinginess, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'deceit is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, deceit, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'fraudulence is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, fraudulence, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'obstinacy is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, obstinacy, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'impetuosity is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, impetuosity, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'conceit is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, conceit, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'arrogance is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, arrogance, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'vanity is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, vanity, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned; having understood 'negligence is an impurity of the mind' - thus having understood, negligence, the impurity of the mind, has been abandoned.
74. "He is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha: 'Thus indeed is the Blessed One: the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' He is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Teaching: 'Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching, visible here and now, immediately effective, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the wise.' He is endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community: 'The Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing well, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing uprightly, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing by the true method, the Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practicing properly, that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight individual persons. This Community of the Blessed One's disciples is worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of reverential salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world.'
75. "And according to the limit by which it has been given up, rejected, released, abandoned, relinquished for him, he, thinking 'I am endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha,' obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching. In one who is gladdened, rapture arises; when the mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm; one whose body is calm feels happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. Towards the Teaching... etc. I am endowed with unwavering confidence in the Community,' he obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching; in one who is gladdened, rapture arises; when the mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm; one whose body is calm feels happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. 'And according to the limit by which it has been given up, rejected, released, abandoned, relinquished for me,' he obtains inspiration regarding the meaning, obtains inspiration regarding the Teaching, obtains gladness connected with the Teaching; in one who is gladdened, rapture arises; when the mind is filled with rapture, the body becomes calm; one whose body is calm feels happiness; the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated.
76. "That monk, monks, of such morality, of such teachings, of such wisdom, even if he eats almsfood of fine rice with the dark grains picked out, with various curries, with various vegetables, that is not an obstacle for him. Just as, monks, a cloth that is defiled and stained, having come to clear water, becomes pure and bright, or gold, having come to a goldsmith's furnace, becomes pure and bright, just so, monks, a monk of such morality, of such teachings, of such wisdom, even if he eats almsfood of fine rice with the dark grains picked out, with various curries, with various vegetables, that is not an obstacle for him.
77. "He dwells having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by friendliness, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, he dwells having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by friendliness, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will; with a mind accompanied by compassion... etc. with a mind accompanied by altruistic joy... etc. He dwells having pervaded one direction with a mind accompanied by equanimity, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus above, below, across, everywhere, and in every respect, he dwells having pervaded the entire world with a mind accompanied by equanimity, extensive, exalted, limitless, without enmity, without ill-will.
78. He understands: 'There is this, there is the inferior, there is the superior, there is a further escape from this attainment of perception.' For one knowing thus, seeing thus, the mind becomes liberated from the mental corruption of sensuality, the mind becomes liberated from the mental corruption of existence, the mind becomes liberated from the mental corruption of ignorance. When liberated, there is the knowledge: 'Liberated.' He understands: 'Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being.' This is called, monks - 'a monk bathed with the inner bathing.'"
79. Now at that time the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja was seated not far from the Blessed One. Then the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja said this to the Blessed One - "Does the venerable Gotama go to the river Bāhukā to bathe?" "What, brahmin, about the river Bāhukā? What will the river Bāhukā do?" "For, Master Gotama, the river Bāhukā is considered by many people to give purification, for, Master Gotama, the river Bāhukā is considered by many people to give merit, and in the river Bāhukā many people wash away the evil deeds they have done." Then the Blessed One addressed the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja in verses -
The Sarassatī and the Payāgā, and also the river Bāhumatī;
Even constantly plunging in, a fool of dark deeds is not purified.
For a hostile man who has committed crimes, they cannot purify that evil-doer.
For the pure one of clean actions, the religious duty is always fulfilled;
Bathe right here, brahmin, make safety for all beings.
If you do not take what is not given, being faithful and without stinginess;
What will you do having gone to Gayā, even a well is your Gayā."
80. When this was said, the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja said this to the Blessed One - "Excellent, Master Gotama, excellent, Master Gotama! Just as, Master Gotama, one might set upright what had been overturned, or reveal what had been concealed, or point out the path to one who was lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness - so that those with eyes might see forms; just so, the Teaching has been made clear by Master Gotama in many ways. I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks. May I receive the going forth in the presence of Master Gotama, may I receive the full ordination." The brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja received the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, he received full ordination. Not long after being fully ordained, the Venerable Bhāradvāja, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, before long - that unsurpassed final goal of the holy life, for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness - in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he dwelt. He directly knew: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being." And the Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the Worthy Ones.
The Discourse on the Cloth is concluded as seventh.