{"collection":"Buddhism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bud/thig/thig12.htm","path":"bud/thig/thig12.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bud/thig/thig12.htm","text":"I'm a water-carrier, cold,\nalways going down to the water\nfrom fear of my mistresses' beatings,\nharrassed by their anger & words.\nBut you, Brahmin,\nwhat do you fear\nthat you're always going down to the water\nwith shivering limbs, feeling great cold?\nPunnika, surely you know.\nYou're asking one doing skillful kamma\n& warding off evil.\nWhoever, young or old, does evil kamma\nis, through water ablution,\nfrom evil kamma set free.\nWho taught you this\n-- the ignorant to the ignorant --\n'One, through water ablution,\nis from evil kamma set free?'\nIn that case, they'd all go to heaven:\nall the frogs, turtles,\nserpents, crocodiles,\n& anything else that lives in the water.\nSheep-butchers, pork-butchers,\nfishermen, trappers,\nthieves, executioners,\n& any other evil doers,\nwould, through water ablution,\nbe from evil kamma set free.\nIf these rivers could carry off\nthe evil kamma you've done in the past,\nthey'd carry off your merit as well,\nand then you'd be\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 completely left out.\nWhatever it is that you fear,\nthat you're always going down to the water,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 don't do it.\nDon't let the cold hurt your skin.\"\nI've been following the miserable path, good lady,\nand now you've brought me\nback to the noble.\nI give you this robe for water-ablution.\nLet the robe be yours. I don't need it.\nIf you're afraid of pain,\nif you dislike pain,\nthen don't do any evil kamma,\nin open, in secret.\nBut if you do or will do\nany evil kamma,\nyou'll gain no freedom from pain,\neven if you fly up & hurry away.\nIf you're afraid of pain,\nif you dislike pain,\ngo to the Awakened One for refuge,\ngo to the Dhamma & Sangha.\nTake on the precepts:\nThat will lead to your liberation.\nI go to the Awakened One for refuge;\nI go to the Dhamma & Sangha.\nI take on the precepts:\nThat will lead to my liberation.\nBefore, I was a kinsman to Brahma;\nnow, truly a brahmin.\nI'm a three-knowledge man.\nconsummate in knowledge,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 safe & washed clean.","title":"Therigatha XII","type":"page"}