Dhovanasutta

“Atthi, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇesu janapadesu dhovanaṁ nāma. Tattha hoti annampi pānampi khajjampi bhojjampi leyyampi peyyampi naccampi gītampi vāditampi. Atthetaṁ, bhikkhave, dhovanaṁ; ‘netaṁ natthī’ti vadāmi. Tañca kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, dhovanaṁ hīnaṁ gammaṁ pothujjanikaṁ anariyaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati.

“Mendicants, in the southern lands there is a ceremony named ‘bone-washing’. There they have food, drink, snacks, meals, refreshments, and beverages, as well as dancing, singing, and music. There is such a washing, I don’t deny it. But that washing is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment.

Ahañca kho, bhikkhave, ariyaṁ dhovanaṁ desessāmi, yaṁ dhovanaṁ ekantanibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati, yaṁ dhovanaṁ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti, jarādhammā sattā jarāya parimuccanti, maraṇadhammā sattā maraṇena parimuccanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā sattā sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccanti. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

I will teach a noble washing that leads solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. Relying on that washing, sentient beings who are liable to rebirth, old age, and death, to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are freed from all these things. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Katamañca taṁ, bhikkhave, ariyaṁ dhovanaṁ, yaṁ dhovanaṁ ekantanibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati, yaṁ dhovanaṁ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti, jarādhammā sattā jarāya parimuccanti, maraṇadhammā sattā maraṇena parimuccanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā sattā sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccanti?

“And what is that noble washing?

Sammādiṭṭhikassa, bhikkhave, micchādiṭṭhi niddhotā hoti; ye ca micchādiṭṭhipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti te cassa niddhotā honti; sammādiṭṭhipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti.

For one of right view, wrong view is washed away. And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong view are washed away. And because of right view, many skillful qualities are fully developed.

Sammāsaṅkappassa, bhikkhave, micchāsaṅkappo niddhoto hoti …pe… sammāvācassa, bhikkhave, micchāvācā niddhotā hoti … sammākammantassa, bhikkhave, micchākammanto niddhoto hoti … sammāājīvassa, bhikkhave, micchāājīvo niddhoto hoti … sammāvāyāmassa, bhikkhave, micchāvāyāmo niddhoto hoti … sammāsatissa, bhikkhave, micchāsati niddhotā hoti … sammāsamādhissa, bhikkhave, micchāsamādhi niddhoto hoti … sammāñāṇissa, bhikkhave, micchāñāṇaṁ niddhotaṁ hoti …pe….

For one of right purpose, wrong purpose is washed away. … For one of right speech, wrong speech is washed away. … For one of right action, wrong action is washed away. … For one of right livelihood, wrong livelihood is washed away. … For one of right effort, wrong effort is washed away. … For one of right mindfulness, wrong mindfulness is washed away. … For one of right immersion, wrong immersion is washed away. … For one of right knowledge, wrong knowledge is washed away. …

Sammāvimuttissa, bhikkhave, micchāvimutti niddhotā hoti; ye ca micchāvimuttipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti te cassa niddhotā honti; sammāvimuttipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti. Idaṁ kho taṁ, bhikkhave, ariyaṁ dhovanaṁ ekantanibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati, yaṁ dhovanaṁ āgamma jātidhammā sattā jātiyā parimuccanti, jarādhammā sattā jarāya parimuccanti, maraṇadhammā sattā maraṇena parimuccanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsadhammā sattā sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsehi parimuccantī”ti. Sattamaṁ.

For one of right freedom, wrong freedom is washed away. And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong freedom are washed away. And because of right freedom, many skillful qualities are fully developed. This is the noble washing that leads solely to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. Relying on this washing, sentient beings who are liable to rebirth, old age, and death, to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are freed from all these things.”