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Majjhima Nikāya 7

Vatthasutta

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

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dhamme aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti:
‘svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opaneyyiko paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī’ti;

They have experiential confidence in the teaching: ‘The teaching is well explained by the Buddha—apparent in the present life, immediately effective, inviting inspection, relevant, so that sensible people can know it for themselves.’

saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti:
‘suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ujuppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, ñāyappaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho, yadidaṁ cattāri purisayugāni, aṭṭha purisapuggalā. Esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo, anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā’ti.

They have experiential confidence in the Saṅgha: ‘The Saṅgha of the Buddha’s disciples is practicing the way that’s good, direct, systematic, and proper. It consists of the four pairs, the eight individual persons. This is the Saṅgha of the Buddha’s 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.’

Yathodhi kho panassa cattaṁ hoti vantaṁ muttaṁ pahīnaṁ paṭinissaṭṭhaṁ, so ‘buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgatomhī’ti labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ.
Pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati;

When a mendicant has discarded, eliminated, released, given up, and relinquished to this extent, thinking, ‘I have experiential confidence in the Buddha …

‘dhamme …pe…

the teaching …

saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgatomhī’ti labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ;
pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

the Saṅgha,’ they find inspiration in the meaning and the teaching, and find joy connected with the teaching.

‘Yathodhi kho pana me cattaṁ vantaṁ muttaṁ pahīnaṁ paṭinissaṭṭhan’ti labhati atthavedaṁ, labhati dhammavedaṁ, labhati dhammūpasaṁhitaṁ pāmojjaṁ;
pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati.

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 becomes immersed in samādhi.

Sa kho so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁsīlo evaṁdhammo evaṁpañño sālīnañcepi piṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjati vicitakāḷakaṁ anekasūpaṁ anekabyañjanaṁ, nevassa taṁ hoti antarāyāya.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vatthaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ malaggahitaṁ acchodakaṁ āgamma parisuddhaṁ hoti pariyodātaṁ, ukkāmukhaṁ vā panāgamma jātarūpaṁ parisuddhaṁ hoti pariyodātaṁ;
evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁsīlo evaṁdhammo evaṁpañño sālīnañcepi piṇḍapātaṁ bhuñjati vicitakāḷakaṁ anekasūpaṁ anekabyañjanaṁ, nevassa taṁ hoti antarāyāya.

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.

So mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ 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 ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ, tathā tatiyaṁ, tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ 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 idaṁ, atthi hīnaṁ, atthi paṇītaṁ, 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 evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati.
Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave:
‘bhikkhu sināto antarena sinānenā’”ti.

Knowing and seeing like this, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. They understand: ‘Rebirth 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 mendicant who is bathed with the inner bathing.”

Tena kho pana samayena sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti.
Atha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“gacchati pana bhavaṁ gotamo bāhukaṁ nadiṁ sināyitun”ti?
“Kiṁ, brāhmaṇa, bāhukāya nadiyā?
Kiṁ bāhukā nadī karissatī”ti?
“Lokkhasammatā hi, bho gotama, bāhukā nadī bahujanassa, puññasammatā hi, bho gotama, bāhukā nadī bahujanassa, bāhukāya pana nadiyā bahujano pāpakammaṁ kataṁ pavāhetī”ti.

Now at that time the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā was sitting not far from the Buddha. He said to the Buddha, “But does Worthy Gotama go to the Bāhukā River to bathe?” “Brahmin, why go to the Bāhukā River? What can the Bāhukā River do?” “Many people deem that the Bāhukā River leads to a heavenly world and bestows merit. And many people rinse off their bad deeds in the Bāhukā River.”

Atha kho bhagavā sundarikabhāradvājaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
“Bāhukaṁ adhikakkañca,
gayaṁ sundarikaṁ mapi;
Sarassatiṁ payāgañca,
atho bāhumatiṁ nadiṁ;
Niccampi bālo pakkhando,
kaṇhakammo na sujjhati.
Kiṁ sundarikā karissati,
Kiṁ payāgā kiṁ bāhukā nadī;
Veriṁ katakibbisaṁ naraṁ,
Na hi naṁ sodhaye pāpakamminaṁ.
Suddhassa ve sadā phaggu,
Suddhassuposatho sadā;
Suddhassa sucikammassa,
Sadā sampajjate vataṁ;
Idheva sināhi brāhmaṇa,
Sabbabhūtesu karohi khemataṁ.
Sace musā na bhaṇasi,
sace pāṇaṁ na hiṁsasi;
Sace adinnaṁ nādiyasi,
saddahāno amaccharī;
Kiṁ kāhasi gayaṁ gantvā,
udapānopi te gayā”ti.

Then the Buddha addressed Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā in verse: “The Bāhukā and the Adhikakkā, at Gayā and the Sundarikā too, Sarasvatī and Payāga, and the Bāhumatī River: a fool can constantly plunge into them but it won’t purify their dark deeds. What can the Sundarikā do? What the Payāga or the Bāhukā? They can’t cleanse a cruel person, a sinner from their bad deeds. For the pure in heart it’s always the spring festival or the sabbath. For the pure in heart and clean of deed, their vows 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 Gayā? For any well may be your Gayā!”

Evaṁ vutte, sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.
Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya—cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantīti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.
Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.
Labheyyāhaṁ bhoto gotamassa santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.

When he had spoken, the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā said to the Buddha, “Excellent, 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’s 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 Saṅgha. May I receive the going forth, the ordination in the worthy Gotama’s presence?”

Alattha kho sundarikabhāradvājo brāhmaṇo bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.
Acirūpasampanno kho panāyasmā bhāradvājo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.
“Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā”ti abbhaññāsi.
Aññataro kho panāyasmā bhāradvājo arahataṁ ahosīti.
Vatthasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.

And the brahmin Bhāradvāja of Sundarikā received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence. Not long after his ordination, Venerable Bhāradvāja, 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: “Rebirth 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 Bhāradvāja became one of the perfected.

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