93. （九三）水净梵志经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was wandering in the Upavattana Deer Park near the Nairañjanā River, under the Ajapāla-nigrodha tree, shortly after attaining enlightenment.

Then, a certain water-purifying brahman, in the middle of the day, went to where the Buddha was. The World-Honored One, seeing from afar the water-purifying brahman coming, spoke to the bhikṣus because of the water-purifying brahman: "If there are twenty-one defilements in the mind, one will definitely go to an evil place and be reborn in hell. What are the twenty-one defilements? A defiled mind of wrong views, a defiled mind of unwholesome desires, a defiled mind of evil greed, a defiled mind of wrong teachings, a defiled mind of greed, a defiled mind of anger, a defiled mind of sleepiness, a defiled mind of agitation and remorse, a defiled mind of doubt, a defiled mind of anger and entanglement, a defiled mind of unwholesome bonds, a defiled mind of stinginess, a defiled mind of jealousy, a defiled mind of deceit and flattery, a defiled mind of flattery and deceit, a defiled mind of shamelessness, a defiled mind of lack of conscience, a defiled mind of pride, a defiled mind of great pride, a defiled mind of arrogant pride, and a defiled mind of heedlessness. If there are these twenty-one defilements in the mind, one will definitely go to an evil place and be reborn in hell. What are the twenty-one defilements? A defiled mind of wrong views, a defiled mind of unwholesome desires, a defiled mind of evil greed, a defiled mind of wrong teachings, a defiled mind of greed, a defiled mind of anger, a defiled mind of sleepiness, a defiled mind of agitation and remorse, a defiled mind of doubt, a defiled mind of anger and entanglement, a defiled mind of unwholesome bonds, a defiled mind of stinginess, a defiled mind of jealousy, a defiled mind of deceit and flattery, a defiled mind of flattery and deceit, a defiled mind of shamelessness, a defiled mind of lack of conscience, a defiled mind of pride, a defiled mind of great pride, a defiled mind of arrogant pride, and a defiled mind of heedlessness. If there are these twenty-one defilements in the mind, one will definitely go to an evil place and be reborn in hell.

If there are twenty-one defilements that do not defile the mind, one will definitely go to a good place and be reborn in heaven. What are the twenty-one defilements? A pure mind of right views, a pure mind of wholesome desires, a pure mind of good greed, a pure mind of right teachings, a pure mind of non-greed, a pure mind of non-anger, a pure mind of non-sleepiness, a pure mind of non-agitation and remorse, a pure mind of non-doubt, a pure mind of non-anger and entanglement, a pure mind of non-unwholesome bonds, a pure mind of non-stinginess, a pure mind of non-jealousy, a pure mind of non-deceit and flattery, a pure mind of non-flattery and deceit, a pure mind of shame, a pure mind of conscience, a pure mind of non-pride, a pure mind of non-great pride, a pure mind of non-arrogant pride, and a pure mind of non-heedlessness. If there are these twenty-one defilements that do not defile the mind, one will definitely go to a good place and be reborn in heaven. It is like a white and pure pāṭalī robe given to a dyer. The dyer, having received it, uses either strong ash, soap nuts, or earth to wash it thoroughly to make it pure. Although the dyer treats this white and pure pāṭalī robe with either strong ash, soap nuts, or earth to wash it thoroughly to make it pure, this white and pure pāṭalī robe is already pure and becomes pure again. In the same way, if there are twenty-one defilements that do not defile the mind, one will definitely go to a good place and be reborn in heaven. What are the twenty-one defilements? A pure mind of right views, a pure mind of wholesome desires, a pure mind of good greed, a pure mind of right teachings, a pure mind of non-greed, a pure mind of non-anger, a pure mind of non-sleepiness, a pure mind of non-agitation and remorse, a pure mind of non-doubt, a pure mind of non-anger and entanglement, a pure mind of non-unwholesome bonds, a pure mind of non-stinginess, a pure mind of non-jealousy, a pure mind of non-deceit and flattery, a pure mind of non-flattery and deceit, a pure mind of shame, a pure mind of conscience, a pure mind of non-pride, a pure mind of non-great pride, a pure mind of non-arrogant pride, and a pure mind of non-heedlessness. If there are these twenty-one defilements that do not defile the mind, one will definitely go to a good place and

"If one knows that wrong views are defilements of the mind, one should know and then eliminate them. In the same way, unwholesome desires, evil greed, wrong teachings, greed, anger, sleepiness, agitation and remorse, doubt, anger and entanglement, unwholesome bonds, stinginess, jealousy, deceit and flattery, flattery and deceit, shamelessness, lack of conscience, pride, great pride, arrogant pride, and heedlessness. If one knows that heedlessness is a defilement of the mind, one should know and then eliminate it. One's mind is then filled with loving-kindness, pervading the ten directions, and one dwells in accomplishment. In the same way, one does so in the second, third, and fourth directions, the four intermediate directions, above and below, everywhere, with a mind filled with loving-kindness, without knots, resentment, anger, or disputes, extremely vast and great, well cultivated and immeasurable, pervading the entire world, dwelling in accomplishment. In the same way, with compassion, joy, and equanimity, without knots, resentment, anger, or disputes, extremely vast and great, well cultivated and immeasurable, pervading the entire world, dwelling in accomplishment. Brahmins! This is called washing the inner mind, not washing the outer body."

At that time, the brahmin said to the World-Honored One, "Gautama! Please go to the river to bathe."

The World-Honored One asked, "Brahmin! If one goes to the river to bathe, what does one obtain?"

The brahmin replied, "Gautama! The river is a sign of purity, a sign of liberation, and a sign of merit in the world. Gautama! If one goes to the river to bathe, one will purify all evil."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke a verse for the sake of the brahmin:

Brahmin Sumada, if you enter the river, it is the play
of a fool, unable to purify black karma. Sumada, where do
you go to the spring? What is the meaning of the
river? When people do unwholesome karma, how can clean water help?
The pure one is without defilement, the pure one always speaks
precepts, the pure one has pure white karma, and always attains
pure practice. If you do not kill, always do not take
what is not given, speak the truth and not falsehood, and
always have right mindfulness and right knowledge, brahmin, study like this
all beings will be at ease. Brahmin, why do you return
home? The spring at home is not pure. Brahmin, you should
study, wash yourself with good dharmas. Why need you use filthy
water, just remove the dirt from your body." The brahmin said
to the Buddha, "I also have this thought, to wash myself
with good dharmas, why need I use filthy water." The brahmin
heard the Buddha's teaching, his mind greatly rejoiced, he immediately bowed
at the Buddha's feet, and took refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

The brahmin said, "World-Honored One! I have understood. Well-Gone One! I have understood. I now take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha of monks. I only wish the World-Honored One would accept me as a lay follower. From today onward, I take refuge for life, until the end of my life."

The Buddha spoke thus. Sumada, the water-purifying brahmin, and the monks, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and received them with respect.