[98] Now at that time the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja was sitting not far from the Blessed One. Then the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja said this to the Blessed One: "But does the worthy Gotama go to the river Bāhukā to bathe?"
"What is the point, brahmin, of the river Bāhukā? What will the river Bāhukā do?"
"Worthy Gotama, the river Bāhukā is held by many people to be sacred; worthy Gotama, the river Bāhukā is held by many people to confer merit; and many people wash away in the river Bāhukā the evil deeds they have done."
Then the Blessed One addressed the brahmin Sundarikabhāradvāja in verses:
Though a fool may plunge constantly
into the Bāhukā and the Adhikakkā,
into Gayā and the Sundarikā too,
the Sarassatī and Payāga,
and the river Bāhumatī,
one whose deeds are dark is not purified.
What will the Sundarikā do?
What Payāga? What the river Bāhukā?
They cannot purify a hostile man
who has done cruel deeds, a doer of evil.
For the pure it is always the Phaggu festival;
for the pure it is always the observance day (uposatha);
for one who is pure and of clean deeds,
the vow always succeeds.
Bathe right here, brahmin;
make safety for all beings.
If you speak no falsehood,
if you harm no living being,
if you take not what is not given,
being faithful and free from stinginess—
what will you do by going to Gayā?
Even a well would be Gayā for you.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.