Jaṭilasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati gayāsīse. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā jaṭilā sītāsu hemantikāsu rattīsu antaraṭṭhake himapātasamaye gayāyaṁ ummujjantipi nimujjantipi, ummujjanimujjampi karonti osiñcantipi, aggimpi juhanti: “iminā suddhī”ti.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on Gayā Head. Now at that time—during the cold spell when the snow falls in the January winter—many matted hair ascetics plunged in and out of the Gayā river. Plunging and showering, they served the sacred flame, thinking: “Through this there is purity.”

Addasā kho bhagavā te sambahule jaṭile sītāsu hemantikāsu rattīsu antaraṭṭhake himapātasamaye gayāyaṁ ummujjantepi nimujjantepi ummujjanimujjampi karonte osiñcantepi aggimpi juhante: “iminā suddhī”ti.

The Buddha saw them plunging in and out.

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Na udakena sucī hoti, bahvettha nhāyatī jano; Yamhi saccañca dhammo ca, so sucī so ca brāhmaṇo”ti. Navamaṁ.

“Purity doesn’t come from water, no matter how many people bathe there. One who has truth and principle, they are pure, they are brahmins.”