[481] Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic (sāmañña) belongs to a wearer of the outer patchwork robe (saṅghāṭi) merely by his wearing of the saṅghāṭi. Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to a naked ascetic (acelaka) merely by his nakedness. Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to one covered with dust and dirt merely by his being covered with dust and dirt. Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to one who immerses in water merely by his immersing in water. Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to one who dwells at the root of a tree merely by his dwelling at the root of a tree. Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to one who dwells in the open air merely by his dwelling in the open air. Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to one who stands continuously erect (ubbhaṭṭhaka) merely by his continuous standing. Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to one who takes food at set intervals merely by his taking food at set intervals. Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to a reciter of hymns (mantajjhāyika) merely by his reciting of hymns. Bhikkhus, I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to a matted-hair ascetic (jaṭilaka) merely by his wearing of matted hair.
Bhikkhus, if, merely by the wearing of the saṅghāṭi, a covetous person could abandon covetousness, one of malevolent mind could abandon ill will (byāpāda), an angry person could abandon anger (kodha), a resentful person could abandon resentment (upanāha), a denigrating person could abandon denigration (makkha), an insolent person could abandon insolence (paḷāsa), an envious person could abandon envy (issā), an avaricious person could abandon avarice (macchariya), a fraudulent person could abandon fraud (sāṭheyya), a deceitful person could abandon deceit (māyā), one of evil wishes could abandon evil wishes (pāpicchā), and one of wrong view could abandon wrong view (micchādiṭṭhi), then his friends and companions, kinsmen and blood relations, would make him a wearer of the saṅghāṭi from the very day of his birth; they would encourage him in the wearing of the saṅghāṭi alone, saying: "Come, you of gracious countenance, be a wearer of the saṅghāṭi! When you are a wearer of the saṅghāṭi, merely by the wearing of the saṅghāṭi, being covetous, your covetousness will be abandoned; being of malevolent mind, your ill will will be abandoned; being angry, your anger will be abandoned; being resentful, your resentment will be abandoned; being denigrating, your denigration will be abandoned; being insolent, your insolence will be abandoned; being envious, your envy will be abandoned; being avaricious, your avarice will be abandoned; being fraudulent, your fraud will be abandoned; being deceitful, your deceit will be abandoned; having evil wishes, your evil wishes will be abandoned; holding wrong view, your wrong view will be abandoned." But because, bhikkhus, I see here a certain wearer of the saṅghāṭi who is covetous, of malevolent mind, angry, resentful, denigrating, insolent, envious, avaricious, fraudulent, deceitful, of evil wishes, and of wrong view, therefore I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to a wearer of the saṅghāṭi merely by his wearing of the saṅghāṭi.
If, bhikkhus, of a naked ascetic … If, bhikkhus, of one covered with dust and dirt … If, bhikkhus, of one who immerses in water … If, bhikkhus, of one who dwells at the root of a tree … If, bhikkhus, of one who dwells in the open air … If, bhikkhus, of one who stands continuously erect … If, bhikkhus, of one who takes food at set intervals … If, bhikkhus, of a reciter of hymns … If, bhikkhus, merely by the wearing of matted hair, a covetous matted-hair ascetic could abandon covetousness, one of malevolent mind could abandon ill will, an angry person could abandon anger, a resentful person could abandon resentment, a denigrating person could abandon denigration, an insolent person could abandon insolence, an envious person could abandon envy, an avaricious person could abandon avarice, a fraudulent person could abandon fraud, a deceitful person could abandon deceit, one of evil wishes could abandon evil wishes, and one of wrong view could abandon wrong view, then his friends and companions, kinsmen and blood relations, would make him a matted-hair ascetic from the very day of his birth; they would encourage him in the matted-hair state alone, saying: "Come, you of gracious countenance, be a matted-hair ascetic! When you are a matted-hair ascetic, merely by the wearing of matted hair, being covetous, your covetousness will be abandoned; being of malevolent mind, your ill will will be abandoned; being angry, your anger will be abandoned; being resentful, your resentment will be abandoned; being denigrating, your denigration will be abandoned; being insolent, your insolence will be abandoned; being envious, your envy will be abandoned; being avaricious, your avarice will be abandoned; being fraudulent, your fraud will be abandoned; being deceitful, your deceit will be abandoned; having evil wishes, your evil wishes will be abandoned; holding wrong view, your wrong view will be abandoned." But because, bhikkhus, I see here a certain matted-hair ascetic who is covetous, of malevolent mind, angry, resentful, denigrating, insolent, envious, avaricious, fraudulent, deceitful, of evil wishes, and of wrong view, therefore I do not say that the state of an ascetic belongs to a matted-hair ascetic merely by his wearing of matted hair.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.