Hoa Vo Uu (Buddha Dharma Education Association)
Venerable Shravasti Dhammika
The Buddha’s Words of Wisdom
In the southern districts, there is an ablution ceremony. At that time, there is much food and drink, edibles hard and soft, syrups and drinks, dancing, singing and music. This ceremony is a washing, but it is not a washing away. It is low, common, vulgar, ignoble; it does not conduce to good, to turning away, to fading, to calming, to higher knowledge, or to Nirvãna.
So I will teach you a washing that does conduce to good, to turning away, to fading, to calming, to higher knowledge and Nirvãna. A washing that frees beings liable to rebirth from rebirth, that frees beings liable to decay from decay, that frees beings liable to die from death, that frees beings liable to sorrow, suffering, lamentation, woe, dejection, and despair from those states.
And what is that washing? For one who has Prefect Understanding; Perfect Thought; Perfect Speech; Perfect Action; Perfect Livelihood; Perfect Effort; Perfect Mindfulness; Perfect Concentration; Perfect Knowledge and Freedom – for that person, wrong understanding, wrong thought, wrong speech and so on are washed away.
And those evil unskilled states which arise due to them are also washed away. Those good and skillful states that arise due to Perfect Understanding; Perfect Thought; Perfect Speech; Perfect Action; Perfect Livelihood; Perfect Effort; Perfect Mindfulness; Perfect Concentration – those states come to maturity.
