Matted Hair AsceticsJaṭilasutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on Gayā Head.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati gayāsīse. 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:Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā jaṭilā sītāsu hemantikāsu rattīsu antaraṭṭhake himapātasamaye gayāyaṁ ummujjantipi nimujjantipi, ummujjanimujjampi karonti osiñcantipi, aggimpi juhanti: “Through this there is purity.”“iminā suddhī”ti.

The Buddha saw them plunging in and out.Addasā kho bhagavā te sambahule jaṭile sītāsu hemantikāsu rattīsu antaraṭṭhake himapātasamaye gayāyaṁ ummujjantepi nimujjantepi ummujjanimujjampi karonte osiñcantepi aggimpi juhante:

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Purity doesn’t come from water,“Na udakena sucī hoti, no matter how many people bathe there.bahvettha nhāyatī jano; One who has truth and principle,Yamhi saccañca dhammo ca, they are pure, they are brahmins.”so sucī so ca brāhmaṇo”ti.