[107] "Bhikkhus, in the southern country districts there is what is called a 'washing' (dhovana). On that occasion there is food, drink, hard food, soft food, savouries, and beverages, as well as dancing, singing, and instrumental music. There is that washing, bhikkhus; I do not say that there is not. But that washing, bhikkhus, is low, vulgar, of the worldling, ignoble, and unbeneficial; it does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation (nirodha), to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna. But I, bhikkhus, will teach a noble washing—a washing that leads exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna; a washing in dependence on which beings subject to birth are freed from birth, beings subject to aging are freed from aging, beings subject to death are freed from death, and beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. Listen to it and attend carefully; I will speak."
"Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"And what, bhikkhus, is that noble washing which leads exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna; a washing in dependence on which beings subject to birth are freed from birth, beings subject to aging are freed from aging, beings subject to death are freed from death, and beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair?
"For one of right view, bhikkhus, wrong view is washed away; and the many evil, unwholesome states that come into being with wrong view as condition are also washed away for him; and with right view as condition, many wholesome states go to fulfilment by development.
"For one of right thought, bhikkhus, wrong thought is washed away … For one of right speech, bhikkhus, wrong speech is washed away … For one of right action, bhikkhus, wrong action is washed away … For one of right livelihood, bhikkhus, wrong livelihood is washed away … For one of right effort, bhikkhus, wrong effort is washed away … For one of right mindfulness, bhikkhus, wrong mindfulness is washed away … For one of right concentration (samādhi), bhikkhus, wrong concentration is washed away … For one of right knowledge (ñāṇa), bhikkhus, wrong knowledge is washed away … For one of right deliverance, bhikkhus, wrong deliverance is washed away; and the many evil, unwholesome states that come into being with wrong deliverance as condition are also washed away for him; and with right deliverance as condition, many wholesome states go to fulfilment by development.
"This, bhikkhus, is that noble washing which leads exclusively to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna; a washing in dependence on which beings subject to birth are freed from birth, beings subject to aging are freed from aging, beings subject to death are freed from death, and beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are freed from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.