Aṇguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
XI: Samaṇa-Saññā-Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
XI: Ideas of a Recluse
Sutta 107
Dhovana Suttaṃ
The Ablution
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, in the southern districts
there is an ablution.[1]
On that occasion
there are food and drink,
food soft and hard,
syrups and drinks,[2]
dancing,
singing
and music of instruments.
■
But, monks, this is just a wiping,
not a wiping out,[3]
I declare.
For that ablution is low,
common,
vulgar,
unariyan,
not bringing profit;
it conduces not to revulsion,
to fading,
to ending,
to calming,
to comprehension
and illumination,
it conduces not to nibbāna.
§
Now, monks, I will teach you
the Ariyan ablution,
a washing which conduces to downright revulsion,
fading,
ending,
calming,
comprehension,
illumination,
which conduces to nibbāna -
an ablution whereby beings
whose nature it is to be reborn
are released from rebirth;
whereby beings whose nature it is to decay
are released from decay;
whereby beings whose nature it is to die
are released from death;
whereby beings to whom belong sorrow and lamentation,
woe,
dejection
and despair,
are released from
sorrow and lamentation,
woe,
dejection
and despair.
Do ye listen to it attentively and I will speak."
■
"We will, sir," replied those monks to the Exalted One,
who said:
■
'And of what sort, monks,
is that Ariyan ablution,
a washing which conduces to downright revulsion,
[217]fading,
ending,
calming,
comprehension,
illumination,
which conduces to nibbāna -
an ablution whereby beings
whose nature it is to be reborn
are released from rebirth;
whereby beings whose nature it is to decay
are released from decay;
whereby beings whose nature it is to die
are released from death;
whereby beings to whom belong sorrow and lamentation,
woe,
dejection
and despair,
are released from
sorrow and lamentation,
woe,
dejection
and despair?
■
[153] For one who has right view, monks,
wrong view is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong view -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right view
reach fullness of culture.
■
For one who has right thinking, monks,
wrong thinking is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong thinking -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right thinking
reach fullness of culture.
■
For one who has right speech, monks,
wrong speech is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong speech -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right speech
reach fullness of culture.
■
For one who has right action, monks,
wrong action is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong action -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right action
reach fullness of culture.
■
For one who has right living, monks,
wrong living is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong living -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right living
reach fullness of culture.
■
For one who has right effort, monks,
wrong effort is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong effort -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right effort
reach fullness of culture.
■
For one who has right mindfulness, monks,
wrong mindfulness is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong mindfulness -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right mindfulness
reach fullness of culture.
■
For one who has right concentration, monks,
wrong concentration is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong concentration -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right concentration
reach fullness of culture.
■
For one who has right right knowledge, monks,
wrong knowledge is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong knowledge -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right knowledge
reach fullness of culture.
■
For one who has right release, monks,
wrong release is washed away,
and those divers evil,
unprofitable states
which come to be because of wrong release -
those also are washed away from him;
while those divers good,
profitable states due to right release
reach fullness of culture.
■
This indeed, monks, is the Ariyan ablution,
a washing which conduces to downright revulsion,
fading,
ending,
calming,
comprehension,
illumination,
to nibbāna. -
an ablution whereby beings whose nature it is to be reborn
are released from rebirth;
whereby beings whose nature it is to decay
are released from decay;
whereby beings whose nature it is to die
are released from death;
whereby beings to whom belong sorrow and lamentation,
woe,
dejection
and despair,
are released from
sorrow and lamentation,
woe,
dejection
and despair."
[1] Dhovana. Comy. 'a bone-washing ceremony. In those parts bodies are not burned but buried. Afterwards the bones are dug up, dried and washed with ceremonies of lamentation.' For Ariyan washing, cf. S. v, 389 (ajjhattaṃ nahānaṃ).
[2] Leyya peyya as at Mil.P. 2.
[3] N'eiaṃ n'atthi ti (non-existence) as at beginning of next sutta. We find atthitā and n'atthitā. Or should it be naṭṭhi (nassati), annihilation?
