The Buddha compares the impurities of gold to the impurities of the mind, which prevent it from being pliable, malleable, or radiant, and from being properly collected for the wearing away of the taints.
“Pañcime, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkilesā, yehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā upeti kammāya. Katame pañca? Ayo, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso, yena upakkilesena upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā upeti kammāya. Lohaṁ, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso, yena upakkilesena upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ …pe… tipu, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso …pe… sīsaṁ, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso …pe… sajjhu, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso, yena upakkilesena upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā upeti kammāya. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca jātarūpassa upakkilesā, yehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā upeti kammāya.
“Bhikkhus, there are these five |impurities::blemishes, flaws, imperfections [upakkilesā]| of gold. When gold is |stained by::blemished by, contaminated by, defiled by [upakkiliṭṭha]| these impurities, it is not yet |pliable::soft, flexible [mudu]|, |malleable::ready, workable, suitable for use [kammañña]|, or |radiant::shining, bright, brilliant [pabhassara]|; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. What are the five? 1.) Iron is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by iron, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. 2.) Copper is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by copper, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. 3.) Tin is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by tin, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. 4.) Lead is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by lead, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. 5.) Silver is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by silver, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. These are the five impurities of gold. When gold is stained by these impurities, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, pañcime cittassa upakkilesā, yehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhaṁ cittaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya. Katame pañca? Kāmacchando, bhikkhave, cittassa upakkileso, yena upakkilesena upakkiliṭṭhaṁ cittaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya …pe… ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca cittassa upakkilesā, yehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhaṁ cittaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāyā”ti.
In the same way, bhikkhus, there are these five impurities of the mind. When the mind is stained by these impurities, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly |collected::composed, stable [samādhiyati]| for the |wearing away::exhaustion, depletion, gradual destruction [khaya]| of the |taints::defilements, pollutants [āsava]|. What are the five? 1.) |Sensual desire::interest in sensual pleasure, sensual impulse [kāmacchanda]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by sensual desire, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. 2.) |Ill will::intentional act of mentally opposing or rejecting others; an intentional construct fueled by aversion, directed against kindness or compassion. It manifests as hostility of will, impeding goodwill and fostering internal or external conflict. [byāpāda]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by ill will, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. 3.) |Dullness and drowsiness::lack of mental clarity or alertness, mental sluggishness, lethargy, sleepiness lit. stiffness (of mind/body due to tiredness) [thinamiddha]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by dullness and drowsiness, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. 4.) |Restlessness and worry::agitation and edginess, distraction, fidgeting, fiddling, uneasiness [uddhaccakukkucca]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by restlessness and worry, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. 5.) |Doubt::uncertainty, indecisiveness wrt suffering, its arising, its ending, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering [vicikiccha]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by doubt, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. These are the five impurities of the mind. When the mind is stained by these impurities, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints.”
“Bhikkhus, there are these five |impurities::blemishes, flaws, imperfections [upakkilesā]| of gold. When gold is |stained by::blemished by, contaminated by, defiled by [upakkiliṭṭha]| these impurities, it is not yet |pliable::soft, flexible [mudu]|, |malleable::ready, workable, suitable for use [kammañña]|, or |radiant::shining, bright, brilliant [pabhassara]|; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. What are the five? 1.) Iron is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by iron, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. 2.) Copper is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by copper, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. 3.) Tin is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by tin, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. 4.) Lead is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by lead, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. 5.) Silver is an impurity of gold. When gold is stained by silver, it is not yet pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship. These are the five impurities of gold. When gold is stained by these impurities, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly ready for workmanship.
In the same way, bhikkhus, there are these five impurities of the mind. When the mind is stained by these impurities, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly |collected::composed, stable [samādhiyati]| for the |wearing away::exhaustion, depletion, gradual destruction [khaya]| of the |taints::defilements, pollutants [āsava]|. What are the five? 1.) |Sensual desire::interest in sensual pleasure, sensual impulse [kāmacchanda]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by sensual desire, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. 2.) |Ill will::intentional act of mentally opposing or rejecting others; an intentional construct fueled by aversion, directed against kindness or compassion. It manifests as hostility of will, impeding goodwill and fostering internal or external conflict. [byāpāda]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by ill will, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. 3.) |Dullness and drowsiness::lack of mental clarity or alertness, mental sluggishness, lethargy, sleepiness lit. stiffness (of mind/body due to tiredness) [thinamiddha]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by dullness and drowsiness, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. 4.) |Restlessness and worry::agitation and edginess, distraction, fidgeting, fiddling, uneasiness [uddhaccakukkucca]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by restlessness and worry, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. 5.) |Doubt::uncertainty, indecisiveness wrt suffering, its arising, its ending, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering [vicikiccha]| is an impurity of the mind. When the mind is stained by doubt, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints. These are the five impurities of the mind. When the mind is stained by these impurities, it is not pliable, malleable, or radiant; it is brittle and not properly collected for the wearing away of the taints.”
“Pañcime, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkilesā, yehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā upeti kammāya. Katame pañca? Ayo, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso, yena upakkilesena upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā upeti kammāya. Lohaṁ, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso, yena upakkilesena upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ …pe… tipu, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso …pe… sīsaṁ, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso …pe… sajjhu, bhikkhave, jātarūpassa upakkileso, yena upakkilesena upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā upeti kammāya. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca jātarūpassa upakkilesā, yehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhaṁ jātarūpaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā upeti kammāya.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, pañcime cittassa upakkilesā, yehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhaṁ cittaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya. Katame pañca? Kāmacchando, bhikkhave, cittassa upakkileso, yena upakkilesena upakkiliṭṭhaṁ cittaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāya …pe… ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca cittassa upakkilesā, yehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭhaṁ cittaṁ na ceva mudu hoti na ca kammaniyaṁ, na ca pabhassaraṁ pabhaṅgu ca, na ca sammā samādhiyati āsavānaṁ khayāyā”ti.