The Bone-Washing CeremonyDhovanasutta

“Mendicants, in the southern lands there is a ceremony named ‘bone-washing’.“Atthi, bhikkhave, dakkhiṇesu janapadesu dhovanaṁ nāma. There they have food, drink, snacks, meals, refreshments, and beverages, as well as dancing, singing, and music.Tattha hoti annampi pānampi khajjampi bhojjampi leyyampi peyyampi naccampi gītampi vāditampi. There is such a washing, I don’t deny it.Atthetaṁ, bhikkhave, dhovanaṁ; ‘netaṁ natthī’ti vadāmi. But that washing is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment.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.

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.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. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” they replied.“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. The Buddha said this:Bhagavā etadavoca:

“And what is that noble washing?“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?

For one of right view, wrong view is washed away.Sammādiṭṭhikassa, bhikkhave, micchādiṭṭhi niddhotā hoti; And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong view are washed away.ye ca micchādiṭṭhipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti te cassa niddhotā honti; And because of right view, many skillful qualities are fully developed.sammādiṭṭhipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti.

For one of right purpose, wrong purpose is washed away. …Sammāsaṅkappassa, bhikkhave, micchāsaṅkappo niddhoto hoti …pe… For one of right speech, wrong speech is washed away. …sammāvācassa, bhikkhave, micchāvācā niddhotā hoti … For one of right action, wrong action is washed away. …sammākammantassa, bhikkhave, micchākammanto niddhoto hoti … For one of right livelihood, wrong livelihood is washed away. …sammāājīvassa, bhikkhave, micchāājīvo niddhoto hoti … For one of right effort, wrong effort is washed away. …sammāvāyāmassa, bhikkhave, micchāvāyāmo niddhoto hoti … For one of right mindfulness, wrong mindfulness is washed away. …sammāsatissa, bhikkhave, micchāsati niddhotā hoti … For one of right immersion, wrong immersion is washed away. …sammāsamādhissa, bhikkhave, micchāsamādhi niddhoto hoti … For one of right knowledge, wrong knowledge is washed away. …sammāñāṇissa, bhikkhave, micchāñāṇaṁ niddhotaṁ hoti …pe….

For one of right freedom, wrong freedom is washed away.Sammāvimuttissa, bhikkhave, micchāvimutti niddhotā hoti; And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong freedom are washed away.ye ca micchāvimuttipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti te cassa niddhotā honti; And because of right freedom, many skillful qualities are fully developed.sammāvimuttipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti. 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.”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.