Chapter 18: Impurity
Ignorance is the worst impurity; disciplined living purifies the mind.
20 argumentative units
- 01Urgency of death and unpreparedness
The author reminds the listener that death is imminent and inevitable, with the messengers of death drawing near and no provisions for the journey ahead.
- 02First imperative: become an island through discipline
The author calls for self-reliance, hard work, and wisdom to blow away impurities and gain entry to the heavenly world.
- 03Reiteration of death and unpreparedness
The author again emphasizes that life has ended and death is near, reinforcing the lack of provisions for the journey.
- 04Second imperative: escape the cycle of rebirth
Similar to the first call, the author urges discipline and wisdom to blow away impurities and avoid rebirth and decay.
- 05Analogy of the smith and purification
The author uses the metaphor of a smith removing silver impurities gradually to illustrate how a wise person purifies themselves progressively.
- 06Iron impurity destroys iron; transgressions lead to evil
The author argues that just as iron impurity destroys iron itself, a transgressor's own works inevitably lead them to an evil path.
- 07Enumeration of specific taints in society
The author catalogs particular impurities associated with different roles: non-repetition taints prayer, neglect taints houses, sloth taints the body, and thoughtlessness taints watchmen.
- 08Bad conduct and greediness as taints
The author identifies bad conduct as the taint of woman and greediness as the taint of benefactors, asserting that all evil ways are tainted.
- 09Ignorance declared the worst taint
The author asserts that ignorance is the greatest of all taints and exhorts listeners to abandon it and become pure.
- 10Life is easy for the shameless and wicked
The author observes that those without shame, who are reckless and wicked, find life easy to live.
- 11Life is hard for the modest and virtuous
In contrast, the author states that modest, pure-seeking, disinterested, and intelligent people find life difficult to live.
- 12Enumeration of major transgressions
The author lists five serious violations: killing, lying, theft, adultery, and intoxication, which dig up one's own root.
- 13Warning against unrestrained behavior
The author warns that the unrestrained are in a bad state and cautions against greediness and vice bringing prolonged suffering.
- 14The world's standards and others' possessions
The author observes that people give according to faith or pleasure, and fretting about others' food and drink provides no rest.
- 15Destruction of envious feeling brings rest
The author argues that those who eradicate the feeling of envy at its root find peace day and night.
- 16Four great evils compared to destructive forces
The author uses vivid metaphors equating passion to fire, hatred to shark, folly to snare, and greed to torrent as the worst evils.
- 17Easier to see others' faults than one's own
The author argues that people easily perceive others' faults while winnowing them like chaff, but hide their own faults like a dishonest gambler.
- 18Focusing on others' faults increases passions
The author warns that those who focus on others' faults and are prone to offense will only grow their own passions and delay liberation.
- 19A Samana is not made by outward acts
The author asserts that there is no path through the air and external behavior alone does not make one a Samana, as the world delights in vanity.
- 20No creatures are eternal; awakened Buddhas are unshaken
The author states that while no creatures are eternal, the awakened Buddha remains unshaken and transcendent.