Middle Length Discourse 7 The Simile of the Cloth | Buddha Words

 Middle Length Discourse 7, The Simile of the Cloth

So I have heard. 

At one time the Buddha was staying near Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the Monks, “Monks!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. 

The Buddha said this:

“Suppose, monks, there was a cloth that was dirty and soiled. No matter what dye the dyer applied—whether blue or yellow or red or magenta—it 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—whether blue or yellow or red or magenta—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 isn’t corrupt, a good destiny is to be expected.

And what are the corruptions of the mind? Covetousness and immoral greed, ill will, anger, resentment, denigrating, contentiousness, jealousy, stinginess, deceit, deviousness, stubbornness, violence, conceit, arrogance, indulgence, and heedlessness are corruptions of the mind.

A monk who understands that covetousness and immoral greed are corruptions of the mind, gives them up. 

A monk who understands that ill will is corruption of the mind, gives it up. 

A monk who understands that anger is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that resentment is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that denigrating is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that contentiousness is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that jealousy is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that stinginess is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that deceit is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that deviousness is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that stubbornness is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that violence is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that conceit is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that arrogance is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that indulgence is corruption of the mind, gives it up.

A monk who understands that heedlessness 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 unshakable confidence in the Buddha: 

"In this way, the Blessed One, Who has broken the bonds, A fully transformed awakened Buddha, Who fully understood behaviors and living according to the knowledge, Who has become good, Knower of the worlds, Supreme guide for those who wish to train, Teacher of gods and humans, Awakened, Blessed.’

They have unshakable confidence in the Buddha's teaching: 

'The teaching is clearly explained by the Buddha, can be experienced right now, independent of time, inviting to come and verified personally, leading to insight, so wise people can personally know it for themselves.’

They have unshakable confidence in the Sangha, a Community of Buddha's Disciples: 

‘The Sangha, a community of the Buddha’s disciples has practicing the path well, 

The Sangha, a community of the Buddha’s disciples has practicing the path straightforwardly, 

The Sangha, a community of the Buddha’s disciples has practicing the path step by step, 

The Sangha, a community of the Buddha’s disciples has practicing the path in their daily life, 

That is, the four true pairs, Consist of the eight true persons,

This is one of the Sangha, a community of the Buddha’s disciples.

That is worthy of gifts, Worthy of hospitality, Worthy of offering dedicated to the gods, worthy of greeting with joined palms, 

and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’ 

When a monk has discarded, eliminated, released, given up, and relinquished to this extent, thinking, 

‘I have unshakable confidence in the Buddha … 

I have unshakable confidence in the Buddha's teaching … 

I have unshakable confidence in the Sangha,’ they find inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and find joy connected with the teaching. Thinking: ‘I have discarded, eliminated, released, given up, and relinquished to this extent,’ they find inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and find joy connected with the teaching. When they’re 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’re blissful, the mind stay in samadhi. 

When a monk 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 monk 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 live spreading a heart full of friendliness, Metta, 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 friendliness to the whole world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. 

They live spreading a heart full of compassion, Karuna, 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—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. 

They live spreading a heart full of rejoicing, Mudita, 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—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. 

They live spreading a heart full of equanimity, Upekkha, 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—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

They understand: ‘There 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.’

Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of senses, defilements of existence, and defilements of ignorance. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

They understand: 'Birth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’ This is called a monk who is bathed with the inner bathing.”

Now at that time the brahmin Bharadvaja of Sundarika was sitting not far from the Buddha. 

“Brahmin, why go to the river Bahuka? What can the river Bahuka do?”

“Many people deem that the river Bahuka leads to a heavenly world and bestows merit. And many people wash off their bad deeds in the river Bahuka.

Then the Buddha addressed Bharadvaja of Sundarika in verse:

“The Bahuka and the Adhikakka,

The Gaya and the Sundarika too, 

Sarasvati and Payaga,

and the river Bahumati

a fool can constantly plunge into them

but it won’t purify their dark deeds.

What can the Sundarika do?

What can the Payaga or the Bahuka do?

They can’t cleanse a cruel and bad person

from their bad deeds.

For the pure in mind, it’s always

the spring festival or the sabbath.

For the pure in mind and clean of deed,

their practice will always be fulfilled.

It’s 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’re faithful and not stingy:

what’s the point of going to Gaya?

For any well water may be your Gaya!”

When Buddha had spoken, the brahmin Bharadvaja of Sundarika said to the Buddha, “Excellent, Mister 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’s there, Mister Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to Mister Gotama, to the teaching, and to the monk Sangha. May I receive the going forth, the ordination in Mister Gotama’s presence?”

And the brahmin Bharadvaja of Sundarika received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence. Not long after his ordination, Venerable Bharadvaja, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme end 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: “Birth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.” And Venerable Bharadvaja became one of the arahant, perfected.