“There are, sir, some ascetics and brahmins who advocate crossing the flood by means of two things: purification of ethics, and mortification in disgust of sin. What does the Buddha say about this?”

“Sāḷha, purification of ethics is one of the factors of the ascetic life, I say. But those ascetics and brahmins who teach fervent mortification in disgust of sin—regarding it as essential and sticking to it—are incapable of crossing the flood. And those ascetics and brahmins whose livelihood and behavior by way of body, speech, and mind, is not pure are also incapable of knowing and seeing, of supreme awakening.

Suppose a man who wanted to cross a river took a sharp axe into a wood. There he’d see a large green sal tree, straight and young and grown unskewed. He’d cut it down at the base, cut off the top, and completely strip off the branches and foliage. Then he’d trim it with axes and machetes, plane it, and sand it with a rock. Finally, he’d launch out on the river.

What do you think, Sāḷha? Is that man capable of crossing the river?” “No, sir. Why not? Because that green sal tree is well worked on the outside, but inside it’s still not cleared out. I’d expect that green sal tree to sink, and the man to come to ruin.”