The Greater Discourse to Saccaka: Self-Torment Is Not the Way to Awakening
MahāsaccakasuttaṃSaccaka asks about developing body and mind. The Buddha tells how he tormented his body to the limit without f…
Practice
The Washing Discourse: The Noble Washing
Ariyaṃ dhovanaṃ
People in the southern regions held a rite of washing the bones of dead relatives. The Buddha says the rite does exist but does not lead to freedom from suffering, then teaches the noble washing: right view washes away wrong view, and so on up to right freedom washing away wrong freedom. Companion discourses compare this to a purgative and an emetic that never fail.
8 points
In the Dhovana Sutta of the Samaṇasaññā Vagga, Book of the Tens, Aṅguttara Nikāya, the Buddha says that in the southern regions there is a custom of washing the bones of dead relatives, with rice, water, snacks, meals, drinks, dancing, singing and music. He acknowledges that the custom exists; he does not say it doesn't. But that washing is low, common, and does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, awakening and Nibbāna.
He then teaches the noble washing. One of right view washes away wrong view, washes away the many unskilful qualities that arise conditioned by wrong view, and the many skilful qualities come to fulfilment conditioned by right view. He says the same for all ten factors: the eight path factors plus right knowledge (sammā-ñāṇa) and right freedom (sammā-vimutti). Relying on this washing, beings subject to birth, ageing, death and sorrow are freed from them.
The same chapter has discourses with the same structure but different images: the Nijjaravatthu Sutta (grounds for wearing away), the Tikiccha Sutta (a purgative), the Vamana Sutta (an emetic) and the Niddhamana Sutta (things to be blown away). This page groups them because they point to the same thing.
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1
A real rite that does not reach the goal Hīnaṃ gammaṃ pothujjanikaṃ
The Buddha acknowledges that the bone-washing custom exists, but calls it low, common, belonging to ordinary people, not noble, not beneficial, and not leading to Nibbāna.
Applying it in daily lifeYou can take part in family rituals respectfully, but don't stop at the ritual. Ask yourself afterwards how your mind and actions have changed.
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2
The noble washing Ariyaṃ dhovanaṃ
The noble washing leads solely to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, direct knowledge, awakening and Nibbāna. Beings subject to birth, ageing, death, sorrow, lamentation and distress are freed from them by relying on it.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen you want a fresh start, choose one wrong thing to give up and one right thing to do instead. That is a washing you can actually carry out.
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3
Right view washes away wrong view Micchādiṭṭhi niddhotā hoti
One of right view washes away wrong view and the many unskilful qualities conditioned by it, while many skilful qualities come to fulfilment conditioned by right view. This is placed first.
Applying it in daily lifeExamine the belief behind a habit you want to drop, such as "everyone does it". When that belief changes, many behaviours change with it.
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4
Right intention, speech, action and livelihood Sammāvācassa bhikkhave micchāvācā niddhotā hoti
In the same way, right intention washes away wrong intention, right speech wrong speech, right action wrong action, right livelihood wrong livelihood, together with the unskilful qualities each wrong factor brings.
Applying it in daily lifeIf you have a habit of harsh speech, don't just try to stay silent. Practise the right kind of words instead, such as thanks, apology, and direct but polite speech, because the right washes out the wrong.
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5
Right effort, mindfulness and concentration Sammāsatissa bhikkhave micchāsati niddhotā hoti
Right effort washes away wrong effort, right mindfulness wrong mindfulness, right concentration wrong concentration. Effort, recollection and concentration can be either wrong or right.
Applying it in daily lifeDiligence and focus can go the wrong way, such as working hard at revenge or fixating on something that harms you. Ask where your energy and focus are taking you.
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6
Right knowledge and right freedom Sammāvimuttissa bhikkhave micchāvimutti niddhotā hoti
The last two are right knowledge washing away wrong knowledge, and right freedom washing away wrong freedom. They are the fruit that builds on the eight path factors.
Applying it in daily lifeDon't assume you are free of a problem just because you feel temporary relief. Real lightness shows in conduct that has actually changed.
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7
A purgative and an emetic that never fail Sampajjatiyeva no vipajjati
In the Tikiccha and Vamana Suttas, the Buddha says doctors give purgatives and emetics for illnesses caused by bile, phlegm or wind. These sometimes work and sometimes fail. The noble purgative and emetic, in which right view and the rest purge and expel the ten wrong factors, always succeed and never fail.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen a fix for a life problem hasn't worked, return to the basics: correcting your own views, words and actions, the medicine that doesn't fail.
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8
Worn away and blown away Nijjaravatthūni
The Nijjaravatthu Sutta says that for one of right view, wrong view is worn away; the Niddhamana Sutta says the wrong factors are blown away. The ten points are the same; only the image differs.
Applying it in daily lifePick the image that suits you. Some people relate to washing, others to gradual wearing away. Use it as a reminder that the wrong fades as the right grows.
Try it in daily life
Many people link the feeling of having "washed away" something bad to a ritual or festival. This discourse does not mock such customs; it simply points out that what truly cleanses the mind is changing our own views and actions.
The structure of the discourse can be used at once. When one right thing arises, the opposite wrong thing is washed out, along with many of the side effects it used to cause. For example, when you stop believing "a little cheating is fine", the cover-up lies, suspicion and worry that followed also fade.
The purgative and emetic images add another angle. A doctor's medicine sometimes works and sometimes fails, but the Buddha says that abandoning wrong with right always succeeds and never fails.
Sources in the Tipiṭaka
Tap to read the actual passage on the page cited.
- Dhovana Sutta Thai Royal Edition · Volume 24 · page 180 The noble washing, with the Nijjaravatthu, Tikiccha, Vamana and Niddhamana Suttas of the same chapter
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