1. So I heard it. One day the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in the Grove of Jeta, the monastery of Anathapindika. There he addressed the monks as follows: “Monks”.
“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One says this:
2. “Monks, suppose a piece of cloth were stained and dirty, and a dyer dipped it in some dye or other, whether blue or yellow or red or pink, it would take the dye badly and be impure in color. And why is this? Because the piece of fabric was not clean. It is the same, monks, when the mind is defiled one can expect an unhappy destination (in a future existence). »
“Monks, suppose a piece of cloth were clean and bright, and a dyer dipped it in one dye or another, whether blue or yellow or red or pink, it would take the dye well and be pure in color. And why is this? Because the piece of fabric was clean. So it is, monks, when the mind is undefiled, one can expect a happy destination (in a future existence). »
3. “And what, monks, are the defilements of the spirit? Covetousness and dishonest greed are a defilement of the mind; ill will is a defilement of the mind; anger is a defilement of the mind; hostility; denigration; the will to power; desire ; jealousy ; hypocrisy ; cheating ; stubbornness; presumption ; pride; arrogance ; the vanity ; negligence is a defilement of the spirit. »
4. “Knowing, monks, that covetousness and dishonest greed are a defilement of the mind, the monk abandons them. Knowing that ill will is a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. Knowing that anger is a defilement of the spirit, he abandons it. Knowing that enmity is a defilement of the spirit, he abandons it. Knowing that denigration is a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. Knowing that the will to power is a defilement of the spirit, he abandons it. Knowing that envy is a defilement of the spirit, he abandons it. Knowing that jealousy is a defilement of the spirit, he abandons it. Knowing that hypocrisy is a defilement of the spirit, he abandons it. Knowing that cheating is a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. Knowing that stubbornness is a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. Knowing that presumption is a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. Knowing that pride is a defilement of the spirit, he abandons it. Knowing that arrogance is a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. Knowing that vanity is a defilement of the mind, he abandons it. Knowing that negligence is a defilement of the spirit, he abandons it. »
5. “When in the monk who thus knows that lust and dishonest greed is a defilement of the mind, that lust and dishonest greed has been abandoned; when in him who thus knows that evil will is a defilement of the spirit, that evil will has been abandoned; when in him who thus knows that negligence is a defilement of the spirit, that negligence has been left behind. »
6. He therefore derives an unfailing confidence in the Buddha as follows: “So indeed is the Blessed One: he is accomplished, fully enlightened, endowed with (clear) vision and (virtuous) conduct, sublime, knower of the worlds , the incomparable guide of men who are treatable, the teacher of gods and men, awakened and blessed. »
7. He draws from this an unshakable confidence in the Dhamma as follows: “Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Dhamma, realizable here and now, capable of immediate result, offering you to come and see, accessible and knowable individually by the wise . »
8. He derives from this an unshakeable confidence in the Sangha as follows: “The Sangha of the disciples of the Blessed One has entered the right path, entered the straight path, entered the true path, entered the proper path ; that is, the four pairs of men, the eight types of people; this Sangha of the disciples of the Blessed One is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverent greeting, the matchless field of merit for the world. »
9. When he has let down, renounced, let go, abandoned and left (the defilements) in part, he knows: “I am endowed with an unshakable confidence in the Buddha, in the Dhamma, in the Sangha; and he derives enthusiasm for the Dhamma from it, derives joy from it in connection with the Dhamma. When he is rejoiced, joy is born in him; being joyful in spirit, his body becomes tranquil; his body being quiet, he feels happiness; and the mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. »
10. He knows: "I have let go, renounced, let go, abandoned and left (the defilements) in part"; and he derives enthusiasm for the Dhamma from it, derives joy from it in connection with the Dhamma. When he is rejoiced, joy is born in him; being joyful in spirit, his body becomes quiet; when his body is quiet, he feels happiness; and the mind of one who is happy becomes focused.
11. "If a monk of such virtue, O monks, of such concentration and wisdom eats alms of food which consist of choice hill rice as well as various sauces and curries, even it will not be an obstacle for him. »
"As cloth which is stained and dirty becomes clean and luminous by pure water, or as gold becomes clean and luminous by being passed through the crucible, so too, if a monk of such virtue, of such concentration and such wisdom is eating alms of food consisting of choice hill rice as well as various sauces and curries, even that will not be an obstacle for him. »
12. “He abides, having imbued with a spirit of loving kindness a direction of the world, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth, and so above, below, all around and everywhere, and towards all as towards himself; he dwells permeating the entire universe with loving kindness, a spirit that has grown up, noble, boundless, and free from enmity and ill will.
“He abides, having imbued with a spirit of compassion, of sympathetic joy, of equanimity a direction of the world, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth, and so above, below, all around and everywhere , and towards everything as towards himself; he dwells permeating the entire universe with equanimity, a spirit that has grown up, noble, limitless, and free from enmity and ill-will.
12. “He understands what exists, what is low, what is excellent, and how there is to escape (all) this field of perception.
14. “When he knows and sees this way, his mind breaks free from the shackles of sensual desire, breaks free from the shackles of becoming, breaks free from the shackles of ignorance. Once released, there is knowledge: “It is released”; and he knows, “Birth is exhausted, the life of purity has been lived, the task is done, there is no more of this to come. Such a monk is said to be "bathed in the inner bath."
15. Now, at that time the Brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja was seated not far from the Blessed One, and he addressed the Blessed One as follows: "But does Master Gotama go to the Bahuka River to swim ? »
"Of what good, brahman, is the river Bahuka? What can the Bahuka River do? »
“Verily, Master Gotama, many people believe that the Bahuka River brings purification, many people believe that the Bahuka River brings merits. For in the Bahuka River many people strip themselves of the bad deeds they have committed. »
16. Then the Blessed One addressed the Brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja with these stanzas:
Bahuka and Adhikakka,
Gaya and Sundarika,
Payaga and Sarassati,
And the Bahumati torrent
A fool can bathe in it forever,
He will not, however, purify his dark deeds there.
What can Sundarika remove?
What can Payaga and Bahuka do?
They cannot purify an evildoer,
A man who commits brutal and cruel acts.
Who is pure in his heart has forever
The Feast of Purification and the Holy Day;
Who is pure in heart does good deeds
And his observances are perfect at all times.
It is here, O Brahman, that you must bathe
To make you a safe haven for all beings.
And if you speak without falsehood,
Nor harm the things that breathe,
Nor take what is not offered,
By faith and without avarice,
Left for Gaya, what would that do for you?
Let any well be Gaya for you!
17. When this was said, the Brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja spoke as follows:
“Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama! The Dhamma has been clarified in many ways by Master Gotama, such as picking up what was spilled, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to the lost, or holding a lamp in the darkness for those who have eyes to see shapes. »
18. “I take refuge with Master Gotama, and with the Dhamma, and with the Sangha. May I receive the (first ordination of) leaving home under Master Gotama, may I receive full admission! »
19. And the Brahmin Sundarika Bharadvaja received the (first ordination of) leaving the domicile under the Blessed One, and he received full admission. And soon after his full admission, remaining alone, reclusive, diligent, ardent and resolute, the venerable Bharadvaja by his own realization understood and attained in this very life the supreme but of the pure life, for which men of good family leave life. servant to lead a homeless life. And he has direct knowledge of the following: “Birth is exhausted, the pure life has been lived, the task is done, there is no more of this to come. »
And the venerable Bharadvaja became one of the Arahats.
According to the trans. by CAF Rhys Davids, in Early Buddhist Poetry, ed. IB Horner Publ. by Ananda Semage, Colombo 11
Français
Français
English