[25] "Here, Nigrodha, an ascetic (tapassī) undertakes a practice of austerity (tapa). He is not elated on account of that austerity; his intention is not thereby fulfilled. Insofar, Nigrodha, as an ascetic undertakes a practice of austerity and is not elated on account of that austerity, his intention not thereby fulfilled — in this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic undertakes a practice of austerity. He does not exalt himself nor disparage others on account of that austerity … In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic undertakes a practice of austerity. He does not become intoxicated on account of that austerity, does not become infatuated, does not fall into vanity … In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic undertakes a practice of austerity; he generates gain, honor, and fame (lābhasakkārasiloka) by that austerity. He is not elated on account of that gain, honor, and fame; his intention is not thereby fulfilled. Insofar, Nigrodha, as an ascetic … In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic undertakes a practice of austerity; he generates gain, honor, and fame by that austerity. He does not exalt himself nor disparage others on account of that gain, honor, and fame. Insofar, Nigrodha, as an ascetic … In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic undertakes a practice of austerity; he generates gain, honor, and fame by that austerity. He does not become intoxicated on account of that gain, honor, and fame, does not become infatuated, does not fall into vanity. Insofar, Nigrodha, as an ascetic … In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic undertakes a practice of austerity; he does not fall into discrimination regarding foods, thinking, 'This is agreeable to me; this is not agreeable to me.' What is not agreeable to him, that he abandons without longing; but what is agreeable to him, that he partakes of without being greedy, without being infatuated, without being blindly attached, seeing the danger, with the wisdom that understands the escape. In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic undertakes a practice of austerity, but not from longing for gain, honor, and fame, thinking, 'Kings, royal ministers, khattiyas, brahmins, householders, and sectarians will honor me.' In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic is not one who disparages some ascetic or brahmin, saying, 'How now! This one, living on all manner of things, devours absolutely everything — namely, seeds born of roots, seeds born of stems, seeds born of joints, seeds born of cuttings, and seeds born of seeds as the fifth — the hammer of his teeth like a whirling thunderbolt, under the designation of an ascetic!' In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic sees some ascetic or brahmin being honored, revered, esteemed, and venerated among families. It does not occur to him thus: 'This very one, living on all manner of things, they honor, revere, esteem, and venerate among families; but me, an ascetic living on rough fare, they do not honor, do not revere, do not esteem, do not venerate among families.' Thus he does not give rise to envy and stinginess regarding families. In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic is not one who sits where people may see him. In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic does not go about among families concealing himself, as if to say, 'This too is part of my austerity; this too is part of my austerity.' In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic does not indulge in anything covert. When asked, 'Does this suit you?' he says of what does not suit, 'It does not suit,' and of what suits, 'It suits.' Thus he does not speak deliberate falsehood. In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, when the Tathāgata or a disciple of the Tathāgata is teaching the Dhamma, an ascetic acknowledges a line of presentation that truly exists and deserves acknowledgment. In this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic is not angry and does not bear grudges. Insofar, Nigrodha, as an ascetic is not angry and does not bear grudges, in this way he is purified on that point.
Furthermore, Nigrodha, an ascetic is not denigrating and not domineering; not envious and not stingy; not crafty and not deceitful; not obstinate and not overly proud; not of evil wishes, not gone under the sway of evil wishes; not of wrong view (micchādiṭṭhi), not possessed of an extremist view; not one who adheres to his own views, not one who grasps tenaciously, but one who relinquishes easily. Insofar, Nigrodha, as an ascetic is not one who adheres to his own views, not one who grasps tenaciously, but one who relinquishes easily, in this way he is purified on that point.
What do you think, Nigrodha? If this is so, is the disgust of evil through austerity (tapojigucchā) purified, or is it unpurified?"
"Certainly, venerable sir, this being so, the disgust of evil through austerity is purified, not unpurified; and it has reached the top and reached the pith."
"It is not, Nigrodha, to this extent that the disgust of evil through austerity has reached the top and reached the pith; rather, it has reached only the outer bark (papaṭikā)."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.