{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn7/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn7","id":"suttacentral_mn7","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn7/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near S\u0101vatth\u012b in Jeta\u2019s Grove, An\u0101thapi\u1e47\u1e0dika\u2019s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, \u201cMendicants!\u201d \u201cVenerable sir,\u201d they replied. The Buddha said this: \u201cSuppose, mendicants, there was a cloth that was dirty and soiled. No matter what dye the dyer applied\u2014whether blue or yellow or red or magenta\u2014it would look poorly dyed and impure in color. Why is that? Because of the impurity of the cloth. In the same way, when the mind is corrupt, a bad destiny is to be expected. Suppose there was a cloth that was pure and clean. No matter what dye the dyer applied\u2014whether blue or yellow or red or magenta\u2014it 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 isn\u2019t corrupt, a good destiny is to be expected. And what are the corruptions of the mind? Covetousness and immoral greed, ill will, anger, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deceit, deviousness, obstinacy, aggression, conceit, arrogance, vanity, and negligence are corruptions of the mind. A mendicant who understands that covetousness and immoral greed are corruptions of the mind gives them up. A mendicant who understands that ill will \u2026 negligence is a corruption of the mind gives it up. When they have understood these corruptions of the mind for what they are, and have given them up, they have experiential confidence in the Buddha: \u2018That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.\u2019 They have experiential confidence in the teaching: \u2018The teaching is well explained by the Buddha\u2014apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.\u2019 They have experiential confidence in the Sa\u1e45gha: \u2018The Sa\u1e45gha of the Buddha\u2019s disciples is practicing the way that\u2019s good, direct, systematic, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individual persons. This is the Sa\u1e45gha of the Buddha\u2019s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a religious donation, worthy of greeting with cupped palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.\u2019 When a mendicant has discarded, eliminated, released, given up, and relinquished to this extent, thinking, \u2018I have experiential confidence in the Buddha \u2026 the teaching \u2026 the Sa\u1e45gha,\u2019 they find inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and find joy connected with the teaching. Thinking: \u2018I have discarded, eliminated, released, given up, and relinquished to this extent,\u2019 they find inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and find joy connected with the teaching. When they\u2019re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes tranquil. When the body is tranquil, they feel bliss. And when they\u2019re blissful, the mind becomes immersed in sam\u0101dhi. When a mendicant of such ethics, such qualities, and such wisdom eats boiled fine rice with the dark grains picked out and served with many soups and sauces, that is no obstacle for them. Compare with cloth that is dirty and soiled; it can be made pure and clean by pure water. Or native gold, which can be made pure and bright by a forge. In the same way, when a mendicant of such ethics, such qualities, and such wisdom eats boiled fine rice with the dark grains picked out and served with many soups and sauces, that is no obstacle for them. They meditate spreading a heart full of love to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of love to the whole world\u2014abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. They meditate spreading a heart full of compassion to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of compassion to the whole world\u2014abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. They meditate spreading a heart full of rejoicing to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of rejoicing to the whole world\u2014abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. They meditate spreading a heart full of equanimity to one direction, and to the second, and to the third, and to the fourth. In the same way above, below, across, everywhere, all around, they spread a heart full of equanimity to the whole world\u2014abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. They understand: \u2018There is this, there is what is worse than this, there is what is better than this, and there is an escape beyond the scope of perception.\u2019 Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When they\u2019re freed, they know they\u2019re freed. They understand: \u2018Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.\u2019 This is called a mendicant who is bathed with the inner bathing.\u201d Now at that time the brahmin Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja of Sundarik\u0101 was sitting not far from the Buddha. He said to the Buddha, \u201cBut does Worthy Gotama go to the B\u0101huk\u0101 River to bathe?\u201d \u201cBrahmin, why go to the B\u0101huk\u0101 River? What can the B\u0101huk\u0101 River do?\u201d \u201cMany people deem that the B\u0101huk\u0101 River leads to a heavenly world and bestows merit. And many people rinse off their bad deeds in the B\u0101huk\u0101 River.\u201d Then the Buddha addressed Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja of Sundarik\u0101 in verse: \u201cThe B\u0101huk\u0101 and the Adhikakk\u0101, at Gay\u0101 and the Sundarik\u0101 too, Sarasvat\u012b and Pay\u0101ga, and the B\u0101humat\u012b River: a fool can constantly plunge into them but it won\u2019t purify their dark deeds. What can the Sundarik\u0101 do? What the Pay\u0101ga or the B\u0101huk\u0101? They can\u2019t cleanse a cruel person, a sinner from their bad deeds. For the pure in heart it\u2019s always the spring festival or the sabbath. For the pure in heart and clean of deed, their vows will always be fulfilled. It\u2019s here alone that you should bathe, brahmin, making yourself a sanctuary for all creatures. And if you speak no lies, nor harm any living creature, nor steal anything not given, and you\u2019re faithful and not stingy: what\u2019s the point of going to Gay\u0101? For any well may be your Gay\u0101!\u201d When he had spoken, the brahmin Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja of Sundarik\u0101 said to the Buddha, \u201cExcellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what\u2019s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha. May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama\u2019s presence?\u201d And the brahmin Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja of Sundarik\u0101 received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha\u2019s presence. Not long after his ordination, Venerable Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness. He understood: \u201cRebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.\u201d And Venerable Bh\u0101radv\u0101ja became one of the perfected.","title":"The Simile of the Cloth","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1302}