Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, “Bhikkhus.”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
The Simile of the Cloth
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vatthaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ malaggahitaṁ; tamenaṁ rajako yasmiṁ yasmiṁ raṅgajāte upasaṁhareyya—yadi nīlakāya yadi pītakāya yadi lohitakāya yadi mañjiṭṭhakāya durattavaṇṇamevassa aparisuddhavaṇṇamevassa. Taṁ kissa hetu? Aparisuddhattā, bhikkhave, vatthassa. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, citte saṅkiliṭṭhe, duggati pāṭikaṅkhā.
“Suppose, a cloth were defiled and stained, and a laundryman dipped it in some dye or other, whether blue or yellow or red or crimson; it would take on a dull color, an impure color. Why is that? Because of the impurity of the cloth. In the same way, when the mind is defiled, a bad destination may be expected.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vatthaṁ parisuddhaṁ pariyodātaṁ; tamenaṁ rajako yasmiṁ yasmiṁ raṅgajāte upasaṁhareyya—yadi nīlakāya yadi pītakāya yadi lohitakāya yadi mañjiṭṭhakāya—surattavaṇṇamevassa parisuddhavaṇṇamevassa. Taṁ kissa hetu? Parisuddhattā, bhikkhave, vatthassa. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, citte asaṅkiliṭṭhe, sugati pāṭikaṅkhā.
And suppose, a cloth were pure and bright, and a laundryman dipped it in some dye or other, whether blue or yellow or red or crimson; it would look well dyed and pure in color. Why is that? Because of the purity of the cloth. In the same way, when the mind is undefiled, a good destination may be expected.
Impurities of the Mind
Katame ca, bhikkhave, cittassa upakkilesā? Abhijjhāvisamalobho cittassa upakkileso, byāpādo cittassa upakkileso, kodho cittassa upakkileso, upanāho cittassa upakkileso, makkho cittassa upakkileso, paḷāso cittassa upakkileso, issā cittassa upakkileso, macchariyaṁ cittassa upakkileso, māyā cittassa upakkileso, sāṭheyyaṁ cittassa upakkileso, thambho cittassa upakkileso, sārambho cittassa upakkileso, māno cittassa upakkileso, atimāno cittassa upakkileso, mado cittassa upakkileso, pamādo cittassa upakkileso.
What are the impurities [that defile] the mind? Craving and unbalanced greed are the impurities that defile the mind, ill will is an impurity that defiles the mind, anger is an impurity that defiles the mind, resentment is an impurity that defiles the mind, contempt is an impurity that defiles the mind, feuding is an impurity that defiles the mind, jealousy is an impurity that defiles the mind, stinginess is an impurity that defiles the mind, deceitfulness is an impurity that defiles the mind, treachery is an impurity that defiles the mind, stubbornness is an impurity that defiles the mind, aggressiveness is an impurity that defiles the mind, conceit is an impurity that defiles the mind, arrogance is an impurity that defiles the mind, vanity is an impurity that defiles the mind, negligence is an impurity that defiles the mind.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘abhijjhāvisamalobho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā abhijjhāvisamalobhaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘byāpādo cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā byāpādaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘kodho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā kodhaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘upanāho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā upanāhaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘makkho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā makkhaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘paḷāso cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā paḷāsaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘issā cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā issaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘macchariyaṁ cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā macchariyaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘māyā cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā māyaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘sāṭheyyaṁ cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā sāṭheyyaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘thambho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā thambhaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘sārambho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā sārambhaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘māno cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā mānaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘atimāno cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā atimānaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘mado cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā madaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati; ‘pamādo cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā pamādaṁ cittassa upakkilesaṁ pajahati.
Having understood, ‘Craving and unbalanced greed are the impurities that defile the mind,’ the bhikkhu abandons craving and unbalanced greed; having understood, ‘Ill will is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons ill will; having understood, ‘Anger is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons anger; having understood, ‘Resentment is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons resentment; having understood, ‘Contempt is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons contempt; having understood, ‘Feuding is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons feuding; having understood, ‘Jealousy is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons jealousy; having understood, ‘Stinginess is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons stinginess; having understood, ‘Deceitfulness is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons deceitfulness; having understood, ‘Treachery is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons treachery; having understood, ‘Stubbornness is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons stubbornness; having understood, ‘Aggressiveness is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons aggressiveness; having understood, ‘Conceit is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons conceit; having understood, ‘Arrogance is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons arrogance; having understood, ‘Vanity is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ he abandons vanity; having understood, ‘Negligence is an impurity of the mind,’ he abandons negligence.
Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ‘abhijjhāvisamalobho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā abhijjhāvisamalobho cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti, ‘byāpādo cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā byāpādo cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘kodho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā kodho cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘upanāho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā upanāho cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘makkho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā makkho cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘paḷāso cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā paḷāso cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘issā cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā issā cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘macchariyaṁ cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā macchariyaṁ cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘māyā cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā māyā cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘sāṭheyyaṁ cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā sāṭheyyaṁ cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘thambho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā thambho cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘sārambho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā sārambho cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘māno cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā māno cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘atimāno cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā atimāno cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘mado cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā mado cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti; ‘pamādo cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā pamādo cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti. So buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti: ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’ti;
When the bhikkhu, having known that ‘Craving and unbalanced greed are the impurities that defile the mind,’ has abandoned them, having known that ‘Ill will is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Anger is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Resentment is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Contempt is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Feuding is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Jealousy is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Stinginess is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Deceitfulness is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Treachery is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Stubbornness is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Aggressiveness is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Conceit is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Arrogance is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Vanity is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it, having known that ‘Negligence is an impurity that defiles the mind,’ has abandoned it—Having thus purified his mind, he is endowed with perfect clarity in the Buddha thus: ‘The Blessed One is an Arahant, a perfectly Awakened One, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, who has reached the destination, knower of the world, an unsurpassed guide of trainable persons; a teacher of gods and humans, Buddha; Fortunate One.’
dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti: ‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti;
He is endowed with perfect clarity in the Dhamma thus: ‘The Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting verification, onward leading, and to be personally experienced by the wise.’
saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti: ‘suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṁ cattāri purisayugāni, aṭṭha purisapuggalā. Esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo, anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā’ti.
He is endowed with perfect clarity in the Saṅgha thus: ‘The community of the Blessed One’s disciples is practicing the good way, practicing the upright way, practicing the true way, practicing the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals—this community of the Blessed One’s disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.’
Yathodhi kho panassa cattaṁ hoti vantaṁ muttaṁ pahīnaṁ paṭinissaṭṭhaṁ, so ‘buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatomhī’ti labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ. Pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati; ‘dhamme …pe… saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgatomhī’ti labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ; pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati. ‘Yathodhi kho pana me cattaṁ vantaṁ muttaṁ pahīnaṁ paṭinissaṭṭhan’ti labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ; pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.
When he has given up, cast off, released, abandoned, and forsaken [the impurities that defile the mind] to whatever degree, he considers thus: ‘I have perfect clarity in the Buddha,’ he gains inspiration from the meaning, gains inspiration from the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. When he is joyful, uplifting joy is born in him. When his mind is uplifted by uplifting joy, the body relaxes. When the body is relaxed, he feels at ease. In one who feels at ease, the mind becomes collected. Likewise, when he considers thus: ‘I have perfect clarity in the Dhamma’ and ‘I have perfect clarity in the Saṅgha,’ he gains inspiration from the meaning, gains inspiration from the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. When he is joyful, uplifting joy is born in him. When his mind is uplifted by uplifting joy, the body relaxes. When the body is relaxed, he feels at ease. In one who feels at ease, the mind becomes collected.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁsīlo evaṁdhammo evaṁpañño sālīnañcepi piṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjati vicitakāḷakaṁ anekasūpaṁ anekabyañjanaṁ, nevassa taṁ hoti antarāyāya. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vatthaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ malaggahitaṁ acchodakaṁ āgamma parisuddhaṁ hoti pariyodātaṁ, ukkāmukhaṁ vā panāgamma jātarūpaṁ parisuddhaṁ hoti pariyodātaṁ; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁsīlo evaṁdhammo evaṁpañño sālīnañcepi piṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjati vicitakāḷakaṁ anekasūpaṁ anekabyañjanaṁ, nevassa taṁ hoti antarāyāya.
If a bhikkhu of such virtue, such mental qualities, and such wisdom eats alms food consisting of choice hill rice along with various sauces and many spiced dishes, even that will be no obstacle for him. Just as a cloth that is defiled and stained becomes pure and bright when washed with clear water, or just as gold becomes pure and bright when heated in a furnace, so too, even if a bhikkhu of such virtue, such mental qualities, and such wisdom were to eat alms food consisting of choice hill rice along with various sauces and many spiced dishes, that would be no obstacle for him.
Divine Abodes and Liberation
So mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati; karuṇāsahagatena cetasā …pe… muditāsahagatena cetasā …pe… upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.
With a mind imbued with loving-kindness, he dwells pervading one quarter, then a second, then a third, then a fourth. Thus, with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, he pervades the entire world—above, below, across, everywhere, encompassing all beings—with a vast, exalted, boundless mind, without hostility and free from affliction. With a mind imbued with compassion ... with a mind imbued with appreciative joy ... with a mind imbued with equanimity, he dwells pervading one quarter, then a second, then a third, then a fourth. Thus, with a mind imbued with equanimity, he pervades the entire world—above, below, across, everywhere, encompassing all beings—with a vast, exalted, boundless mind, without hostility and free from affliction.
So ‘atthi idaṁ, atthi hīnaṁ, atthi paṇītaṁ, atthi imassa saññāgatassa uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.
He understands: ‘There is this, there is the inferior, there is the superior, and furthermore, there is an escape from this whole field of perception.’
Tassa evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of becoming, and from the taint of ignorance; in liberation, there arises the knowledge: ‘Liberated.’
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave: ‘bhikkhu sināto antarena sinānenā’”ti.
He knows clearly: ‘Birth is exhausted, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.’ This is called, ‘a bhikkhu bathed with the inner bathing.’”
Bathing in a River
Tena kho pana samayena sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti. Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “gacchati pana bhavaṁ gotamo bāhukaṁ nadiṁ sināyitun”ti?
At that time, the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja was seated not far from the Blessed One. Then, the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One: “But, does sir Gotama go to the Bāhukā river to bathe?”
“Kiṁ, brāhmaṇa, bāhukāya nadiyā? Kiṁ bāhukā nadī karissatī”ti?
“Why brahmin, go to the Bāhukā river? What can the Bāhukā river do?”
“Lokkhasammatā hi, bho gotama, bāhukā nadī bahujanassa, puññasammatā hi, bho gotama, bāhukā nadī bahujanassa, bāhukāya pana nadiyā bahujano pāpakammaṁ kataṁ pavāhetī”ti.
“Sir Gotama, the Bāhukā river is regarded as meritorious by many people. Sir Gotama, many people go to the Bāhukā river to wash away the injurious actions they have done.”
Atha kho bhagavā sundarikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
Then the Blessed One addressed the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja in verse:
“Bāhukaṁ adhikakkañca,
gayaṁ sundarikaṁ mapi;
Sarassatiṁ payāgañca,
atho bāhumatiṁ nadiṁ;
Niccampi bālo pakkhando,
kaṇhakammo na sujjhati.
“Bāhukā and Adhikakka,
Gayā and Sundarikā;
Sarassatī and Payāga,
and the Bāhumati river—
even if an immature person were to plunge into them repeatedly,
his dark deeds would not be purified.
Kiṁ sundarikā karissati,
Kiṁ payāgā kiṁ bāhukā nadī;
Veriṁ katakibbisaṁ naraṁ,
Na hi naṁ sodhaye pāpakamminaṁ.
What can the Sundarikā river do?
What can the Payāga or the Bāhukā do?
For a person who is violent and has committed injurious actions,
these rivers will not purify the evil-doer.
Suddhassa ve sadā phaggu,
Suddhassuposatho sadā;
Suddhassa sucikammassa,
Sadā sampajjate vataṁ;
Idheva sināhi brāhmaṇa,
Sabbabhūtesu karohi khemataṁ.
For the pure one, every day is a sacred festival,
for the pure one, every day is an observance day;
for the pure one, whose actions are clean,
his practice always succeeds.
Bathe here itself brahmin,
establishing a refuge for all beings.
Sace musā na bhaṇasi,
sace pāṇaṁ na hiṁsasi;
Sace adinnaṁ nādiyasi,
saddahāno amaccharī;
Kiṁ kāhasi gayaṁ gantvā,
udapānopi te gayā”ti.
If you speak no falsehood,
if you do not harm living beings;
if you do not take what is not given,
having faith, and free from stinginess;
what will going to Gayā do for you?
For any well is your Gayā.”
Evaṁ vutte, sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya—cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantīti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Labheyyāhaṁ bhoto gotamassa santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.
When this was said, the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One: “Excellent, sir Gotama! Excellent, sir Gotama! Just as if one might set upright what had been overturned, reveal what had been concealed, point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way, sir Gotama, the Dhamma has been explained by you in many ways. I go for refuge to sir Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May I receive the going forth in the presence of sir Gotama, may I receive the full ordination.”
Alattha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ. Acirūpasampanno kho panāyasmā bhāradvājo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.
Then the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja received the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, he received the full ordination. Having recently received full ordination, the venerable Bhāradvāja, dwelling alone, secluded, diligent, resolute, and with continuous effort, soon realized with direct knowledge in this very life, the unsurpassed culmination of the spiritual life, for the purpose of which sons of good families rightly go forth from the household life to the homeless life, and having personally attained it, he dwelled in it.
“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi. Aññataro kho panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.
He directly knew: “Birth is exhausted, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of existence.” And the venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the Arahants.