4👑☸MN 7

(The Simile of) the Cloth

	(derived from B. Sujato 2018/12)
Vatthasutta	The Simile of the Cloth
Evaṃ me sutaṃ—	So I have heard.
ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.	At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:	There the Buddha addressed the monks:
“bhikkhavo”ti.	“monks!”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ.	“Venerable sir,” they replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca:	The Buddha said this:

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vatthaṃ saṃkiliṭṭhaṃ malaggahitaṃ;	“Suppose, monks, there was a cloth that was dirty and soiled.
tamenaṃ rajako yasmiṃ yasmiṃ raṅgajāte upasaṃhareyya—yadi nīlakāya yadi pītakāya yadi lohitakāya yadi mañjiṭṭhakāya durattavaṇṇamevassa aparisuddhavaṇṇamevassa.	No matter what dye the dyer applied—whether yellow or red or magenta—it would look poorly dyed and impure in color.
Taṃ kissa hetu?	Why is that?
Aparisuddhattā, bhikkhave, vatthassa.	Because of the impurity of the cloth.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, citte saṃkiliṭṭhe, duggati pāṭikaṅkhā.	In the same way, when the mind is corrupt, a bad destiny is to be expected.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vatthaṃ parisuddhaṃ pariyodātaṃ;	Suppose there was a cloth that was pure and clean.
tamenaṃ rajako yasmiṃ yasmiṃ raṅgajāte upasaṃhareyya—yadi nīlakāya yadi pītakāya yadi lohitakāya yadi mañjiṭṭhakāya—surattavaṇṇamevassa parisuddhavaṇṇamevassa.	No matter what dye the dyer applied—whether yellow or red or magenta—it would look well dyed and pure in color.
Taṃ kissa hetu?	Why is that?
Parisuddhattā, bhikkhave, vatthassa.	Because of the purity of the cloth.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, citte asaṃkiliṭṭhe, sugati pāṭikaṅkhā.	In the same way, when the mind isn’t corrupt, a good destiny is to be expected.

Katame ca, bhikkhave, cittassa upakkilesā?	And what are the corruptions of the mind?
Abhijjhāvisamalobho cittassa upakkileso, byāpādo cittassa upakkileso, kodho cittassa upakkileso, upanāho cittassa upakkileso, makkho cittassa upakkileso, paḷāso cittassa upakkileso, issā cittassa upakkileso, macchariyaṃ cittassa upakkileso, māyā cittassa upakkileso, sāṭheyyaṃ cittassa upakkileso, thambho cittassa upakkileso, sārambho cittassa upakkileso, māno cittassa upakkileso, atimāno cittassa upakkileso, mado cittassa upakkileso, pamādo cittassa upakkileso.	Covetousness and immoral greed, ill will, anger, hostility, offensiveness, contempt, envy, stinginess, deceit, deviousness, obstinacy, aggression, conceit, arrogance, vanity, and negligence are corruptions of the mind.

Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ‘abhijjhāvisamalobho cittassa upakkileso’ti—iti viditvā abhijjhāvisamalobhaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;	A monk who understands that covetousness and immoral greed are corruptions of the mind gives them up.
‘byāpādo cittassa upakkileso’ti—	A monk who understands that ill will …
iti viditvā byāpādaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘kodho cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā kodhaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘upanāho cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā upanāhaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘makkho cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā makkhaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘paḷāso cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā paḷāsaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘issā cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā issaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘macchariyaṃ cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā macchariyaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘māyā cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā māyaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘sāṭheyyaṃ cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā sāṭheyyaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘thambho cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā thambhaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘sārambho cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā sārambhaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘māno cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā mānaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘atimāno cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā atimānaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘mado cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā madaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati;
‘pamādo cittassa upakkileso’ti—	negligence is a corruption of the mind gives it up.
iti viditvā pamādaṃ cittassa upakkilesaṃ pajahati.

Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ‘abhijjhāvisamalobho cittassa upakkileso’ti—	When they have given up these corruptions of the mind,
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;
‘macchariyaṃ cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā macchariyaṃ cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti;
‘māyā cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā māyā cittassa upakkileso pahīno hoti;
‘sāṭheyyaṃ cittassa upakkileso’ti—
iti viditvā sāṭheyyaṃ 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:	they have experiential confidence in the Buddha:
‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti;	‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’
dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti:	They have experiential confidence in the teaching:
‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhī’ti;	‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—realizable in this very life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’
saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti:	They have experiential confidence in the Saṅgha:
‘suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṃ cattāri purisayugāni, aṭṭha purisapuggalā. Esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo, anuttaraṃ puññakkhettaṃ lokassā’ti.	‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, straightforward, methodical, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individuals. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples that is worthy of offerings dedicated to the gods, worthy of hospitality, worthy of a teacher’s offering, worthy of greeting with joined palms, and is the supreme field of merit for the world.’

Yathodhi kho panassa cattaṃ hoti vantaṃ muttaṃ pahīnaṃ paṭinissaṭṭhaṃ, so ‘buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatomhī’ti labhati atthavedaṃ, labhati dhammavedaṃ, labhati dhammūpasaṃhitaṃ pāmojjaṃ.	When a monk has discarded, eliminated, released, given up, and relinquished to this extent, thinking, ‘I have experiential confidence in the Buddha …
Pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vedeti, sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati;
‘dhamme … pe …	the teaching …
saṃghe aveccappasādena samannāgatomhī’ti labhati atthavedaṃ, labhati dhammavedaṃ, labhati dhammūpasaṃhitaṃ pāmojjaṃ;	the Saṅgha,’ they find joy in the meaning and the teaching, and find joy connected with the teaching.
pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vedeti, sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati.
‘Yathodhi kho pana me cattaṃ vantaṃ muttaṃ pahīnaṃ paṭinissaṭṭhan’ti labhati atthavedaṃ, labhati dhammavedaṃ, labhati dhammūpasaṃhitaṃ pāmojjaṃ;	Thinking: ‘I have discarded, eliminated, released, given up, and relinquished to this extent,’ they find joy in the meaning and the teaching, and find joy connected with the teaching.
pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vedeti, sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati.	When they’re joyful, rapture springs up. When the mind is full of rapture, the body becomes pacified. When the body is pacified, they feel pleasure. And when they’re pleasureful, the mind becomes undistractify-&-lucidifyd in samādhi.

Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃsīlo evaṃdhammo evaṃpañño sālīnañcepi piṇḍapātaṃ bhuñjati vicitakāḷakaṃ anekasūpaṃ anekabyañjanaṃ, nevassa taṃ hoti antarāyāya.	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.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vatthaṃ saṅkiliṭṭhaṃ malaggahitaṃ acchodakaṃ āgamma parisuddhaṃ hoti pariyodātaṃ, ukkāmukhaṃ vā panāgamma jātarūpaṃ parisuddhaṃ hoti pariyodātaṃ;	Compare with cloth that is dirty and soiled; it can be made pure and clean by pure water. Or unrefined gold, which can be made pure and bright by a forge.
evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṃsīlo evaṃdhammo evaṃpañño sālīnañcepi piṇḍapātaṃ bhuñjati vicitakāḷakaṃ anekasūpaṃ anekabyañjanaṃ, nevassa taṃ hoti antarāyāya.	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.

So mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṃ, tathā tatiyaṃ, tathā catutthaṃ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṃ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṃ lokaṃ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati;	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—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.
karuṇāsahagatena cetasā … pe …	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—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.
muditāsahagatena cetasā … pe …	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—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.
upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṃ, tathā tatiyaṃ, tathā catutthaṃ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṃ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṃ lokaṃ upekkhāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati.	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—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.

So ‘atthi idaṃ, atthi hīnaṃ, atthi paṇītaṃ, atthi imassa saññāgatassa uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.	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.’
Tassa evaṃ jānato evaṃ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṃ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṃ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṃ vimuccati.	Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance.
Vimuttasmiṃ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṃ hoti.	When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ, kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ, nāparaṃ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.	They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’
Ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave:	This is called
‘bhikkhu sināto antarena sinānenā’”ti.	a monk who is bathed with the inner bathing.”

Tena kho pana samayena sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti.	Now, at that time the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja was sitting not far from the Buddha.
Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṃ etadavoca:	He said to the Buddha:
“gacchati pana bhavaṃ gotamo bāhukaṃ nadiṃ sināyitun”ti?	“But does Master Gotama go to the river Bāhuka to bathe?”
“Kiṃ, brāhmaṇa, bāhukāya nadiyā?	“Brahmin, why go to the river Bāhuka?
Kiṃ bāhukā nadī karissatī”ti?	What can the river Bāhuka do?”
“Lokkhasammatā hi, bho gotama, bāhukā nadī bahujanassa, puññasammatā hi, bho gotama, bāhukā nadī bahujanassa, bāhukāya pana nadiyā bahujano pāpakammaṃ kataṃ pavāhetī”ti.	“Many people agree that the river Bāhuka bestows cleanliness and merit. And many people wash off their bad deeds in the river Bāhuka.”
Atha kho bhagavā sundarikabhāradvājaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:	Then the Buddha addressed Sundarika in verse:

“Bāhukaṃ adhikakkañca,	“The Bāhuka and the Adhikakka,
gayaṃ sundarikaṃ mapi;	the Gaya and the Sundarika too,
Sarassatiṃ payāgañca,	Sarassati and Payāga,
atho bāhumatiṃ nadiṃ;	and the river Bāhumati:
Niccampi bālo pakkhando,	a fool can constantly plunge into them
kaṇhakammo na sujjhati.	but it won’t purify their dark deeds.

Kiṃ sundarikā karissati,	What can the Sundarika do?
Kiṃ payāgā kiṃ bāhukā nadī;	What the Payāga or the Bāhuka?
Veriṃ katakibbisaṃ naraṃ,	They can’t cleanse a cruel and criminal person
Na hi naṃ sodhaye pāpakamminaṃ.	from their bad deeds.

Suddhassa ve sadā phaggu,	For the pure in heart it’s always
Suddhassuposatho sadā;	the spring festival or the sabbath.
Suddhassa sucikammassa,	For the pure in heart and clean of deed,
Sadā sampajjate vataṃ;	their vows will always be fulfilled.
Idheva sināhi brāhmaṇa,	It’s here alone that you should bathe, brahmin,
Sabbabhūtesu karohi khemataṃ.	making yourself a sanctuary for all creatures.

Sace musā na bhaṇasi,	And if you speak no lies,
sace pāṇaṃ na hiṃsasi;	nor harm any living creature,
Sace adinnaṃ nādiyasi,	nor steal anything not given,
saddahāno amaccharī;	and you’re faithful and not stingy:
Kiṃ kāhasi gayaṃ gantvā,	what’s the point of going to Gaya?
udapānopi te gayā”ti.	For any well will be your Gaya!”

Evaṃ vutte, sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṃ etadavoca:	When he had spoken, the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja said to the Buddha:
“abhikkantaṃ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṃ, bho gotama.	“Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent!
Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṃ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṃ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṃ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṃ dhāreyya—cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantīti; evamevaṃ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.	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 good eyes can see what’s there, Master Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways.
Esāhaṃ bhavantaṃ gotamaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.	I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the teaching, and to the monk Saṅgha.
Labheyyāhaṃ bhoto gotamassa santike pabbajjaṃ, labheyyaṃ upasampadan”ti.	Sir, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence?”
Alattha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato santike pabbajjaṃ, alattha upasampadaṃ.	And the brahmin Sundarika Bhāradvāja received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.
Acirūpasampanno kho panāyasmā bhāradvājo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṃ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṃ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṃ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.	Not long after his ordination, Venerable Bhāradvāja, 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 people from good families rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṃ brahmacariyaṃ, kataṃ karaṇīyaṃ, nāparaṃ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi.	He understood: “Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is no return to any state of existence.”
Aññataro kho panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṃ ahosīti.	And Venerable Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.

4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

MN 7

MN 7 Vattha

(The Simile of) the Cloth

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