Vatthasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 7

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

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
Bhagavā etadavoca:

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:

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vatthaṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ malaggahitaṁ;
tamenaṁ rajako yasmiṁ yasmiṁ raṅgajāte upasaṁhareyya—yadi nīlakāya yadi pītakāya yadi lohitakāya yadi mañjiṭṭhakāya durattavaṇṇamevassa aparisuddhavaṇṇamevassa.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Aparisuddhattā, bhikkhave, vatthassa.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, citte saṅkiliṭṭhe, duggati pāṭikaṅkhā.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, vatthaṁ parisuddhaṁ pariyodātaṁ;
tamenaṁ rajako yasmiṁ yasmiṁ raṅgajāte upasaṁhareyya—yadi nīlakāya yadi pītakāya yadi lohitakāya yadi mañjiṭṭhakāya—surattavaṇṇamevassa parisuddhavaṇṇamevassa.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Parisuddhattā, bhikkhave, vatthassa.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, citte asaṅkiliṭṭhe, sugati pāṭikaṅkhā.

“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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