Vatthasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 7

The Simile of the Cloth · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ occasionsamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā at Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ dwellsviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa in the monasteryārāme.
thereTatra indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā the monksbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
“monks!” (quote)“bhikkhavo”ti.
“venerable sir” (quote)“Bhadante”ti thosete monksbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

just as“Seyyathāpi, monksbhikkhave, a clothvatthaṁ defiledsaṅkiliṭṭhaṁ stainedmalaggahitaṁ;
that very onetamenaṁ a dyerrajako in whateveryasmiṁ whateveryasmiṁ kind of dyeraṅgajāte should dip—whetherupasaṁhareyya—yadi in bluenīlakāya whetheryadi in yellowpītakāya whetheryadi in redlohitakāya whetheryadi in magentamañjiṭṭhakāya badly dyed in colordurattavaṇṇamevassa impure in coloraparisuddhavaṇṇamevassa.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa is the reason?hetu?
because of impurityAparisuddhattā, monksbhikkhave, of the clothvatthassa.
just soEvameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, when the mindcitte is defiledsaṅkiliṭṭhe, a bad destinyduggati is to be expectedpāṭikaṅkhā.
just asSeyyathāpi, monksbhikkhave, a clothvatthaṁ pureparisuddhaṁ cleanpariyodātaṁ;
that very onetamenaṁ a dyerrajako in whateveryasmiṁ whateveryasmiṁ kind of dyeraṅgajāte should dip—whetherupasaṁhareyya—yadi in bluenīlakāya whetheryadi in yellowpītakāya whetheryadi in redlohitakāya whetheryadi in magenta—well dyed in colormañjiṭṭhakāya—surattavaṇṇamevassa pure in colorparisuddhavaṇṇamevassa.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa is the reason?hetu?
because of purityParisuddhattā, monksbhikkhave, of the clothvatthassa.
just soEvameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, when the mindcitte is undefiledasaṅkiliṭṭhe, a good destinysugati is to be expectedpāṭikaṅkhā.

“Suppose, mendicants, 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, 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 … 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: ‘That 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.’

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