[541] Bhikkhus, there are gross defilements (upakkilesa) of gold: dirt, sand, gravel, and grit. The dirt-washer or the dirt-washer's apprentice, having poured the gold into a trough, washes it, washes it through, and washes it clean. When that has been abandoned, when that has been eliminated, there remain defilements of gold of a middling kind: fine gravel and coarse sand. The dirt-washer or the dirt-washer's apprentice washes it, washes it through, and washes it clean. When that has been abandoned, when that has been eliminated, there remain subtle defilements of gold: fine sand and fine black dust. The dirt-washer or the dirt-washer's apprentice washes it, washes it through, and washes it clean. When that has been abandoned, when that has been eliminated, there then remain only grains of gold. The goldsmith or the goldsmith's apprentice, having placed the gold in a crucible, blows upon it, blows upon it thoroughly, and blows upon it completely. So long as that gold has not been blown upon, not blown upon thoroughly, not blown upon completely, its dross not removed, not expelled, it is not malleable, not workable, not radiant; it is brittle, and it does not lend itself properly to being worked. But there comes a time, bhikkhus, when the goldsmith or the goldsmith's apprentice blows upon that gold, blows upon it thoroughly, and blows upon it completely. Then that gold, having been blown upon, blown upon thoroughly, blown upon completely, its dross removed and expelled, becomes malleable, workable, and radiant; it is not brittle, and it lends itself properly to being worked. Then whatever kind of ornament he wishes—whether a diadem-band, earrings, a neck-ornament, or a golden garland—it serves his purpose.
So too, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu devoted to the higher mind (adhicitta) there are gross defilements: bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, and mental misconduct. A thoughtful bhikkhu, capable by nature, abandons these, dispels them, eliminates them, and brings them to nought. When that has been abandoned, when that has been eliminated, for the bhikkhu devoted to the higher mind there remain defilements of a middling kind: thoughts of sensual pleasure, thoughts of ill will, and thoughts of harming. A thoughtful bhikkhu, capable by nature, abandons these, dispels them, eliminates them, and brings them to nought. When that has been abandoned, when that has been eliminated, for the bhikkhu devoted to the higher mind there remain subtle defilements: thoughts about his relations, thoughts about his country, and thoughts connected with not being despised. A thoughtful bhikkhu, capable by nature, abandons these, dispels them, eliminates them, and brings them to nought. When that has been abandoned, when that has been eliminated, there then remain only thoughts about the Dhamma. That concentration (samādhi) is neither peaceful nor sublime; it has not gained tranquility, has not attained unification, but is maintained by forcefully suppressing and checking [the defilements] by means of volitional exertion. But there comes a time, bhikkhus, when that mind (citta) becomes steadied internally, settles down, becomes unified, and is concentrated. That concentration is peaceful and sublime; it has gained tranquility and attained unification; it is not maintained by forcefully suppressing and checking [the defilements] by means of volitional exertion. Then, toward whatever state realizable by direct knowledge (abhiññā) he inclines his mind for its realization by direct knowledge, he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, there being a suitable basis.
If he wishes: "May I wield the manifold kinds of spiritual power: having been one, may I become many; having been many, may I become one; may I appear and vanish; may I go unhindered through a wall, through a rampart, through a mountain as though through space; may I dive in and out of the earth as though it were water; may I walk on water without sinking as though on earth; may I travel cross-legged through the sky like a bird on the wing; may I touch and stroke with my hand even this moon and sun, so mighty and powerful; may I exercise mastery with the body as far as the Brahmā world"—he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, there being a suitable basis.
If he wishes: "May I, with the divine ear element, which is purified and surpasses the human, hear both kinds of sounds, the divine and the human, those that are far as well as near"—he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, there being a suitable basis.
If he wishes: "May I understand the minds of other beings, of other persons, having encompassed them with my own mind: may I understand a mind with lust as a mind with lust, and a mind without lust as a mind without lust; may I understand a mind with hatred as a mind with hatred, and a mind without hatred as a mind without hatred; may I understand a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion; may I understand a contracted mind as contracted, and a distracted mind as distracted; may I understand an exalted mind as exalted, and an unexalted mind as unexalted; may I understand a surpassable mind as surpassable, and an unsurpassable mind as unsurpassable; may I understand a concentrated mind as concentrated, and an unconcentrated mind as unconcentrated; may I understand a liberated mind as liberated, and an unliberated mind as unliberated"—he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, there being a suitable basis.
If he wishes: "May I recollect my manifold past abodes, that is: one birth, two births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births, forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many aeons of world-contraction, many aeons of world-expansion, many aeons of world-contraction and expansion: 'There I was so named, of such a clan, of such appearance, with such food, experiencing such pleasure and pain, with such a life span; passing away from there, I was reborn elsewhere; there too I was so named, of such a clan, of such appearance, with such food, experiencing such pleasure and pain, with such a life span; passing away from there, I was reborn here.' Thus may I recollect my manifold past abodes with their modes and details"—he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, there being a suitable basis.
If he wishes: "May I, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, see beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate—and understand how beings fare on according to their actions: 'These beings, indeed, who were endowed with bodily misconduct, endowed with verbal misconduct, endowed with mental misconduct, revilers of the noble ones, holding wrong view, undertaking actions based on wrong view—with the breakup of the body, after death, they have been reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, the lower world, hell. But these beings, who were endowed with bodily good conduct, endowed with verbal good conduct, endowed with mental good conduct, not revilers of the noble ones, holding right view, undertaking actions based on right view—with the breakup of the body, after death, they have been reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.' Thus, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, may I see beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate—and understand how beings fare on according to their actions"—he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, there being a suitable basis.
If he wishes: "May I, with the destruction of the taints (āsava), realize for myself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, dwell in it"—he attains the capacity to witness it in each case, there being a suitable basis.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.