mn40:6.1 Imagine that just by wearing an outer robe someone with covetousness, ill will, irritability, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view could give up these things. If that were the case, your friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would make you an outer robe wearer as soon as you were born. They’d encourage you:
mn40:6.2 ‘Please, dearest, wear an outer robe! By doing so you will give up covetousness, ill will, irritability, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view.’
mn40:6.3 But sometimes I see someone with these bad qualities who is an outer robe wearer. That’s why I say that you don’t deserve the label ‘outer robe wearer’ just because you wear an outer robe.
mn40:6.4 Imagine that just by going naked …
mn40:6.5 wearing dust and dirt …
mn40:6.6 immersing in water …
mn40:6.7 staying at the root of a tree …
mn40:6.8 staying in the open air …
mn40:6.9 standing continually …
mn40:6.10 eating at set intervals …
mn40:6.11 reciting hymns …
mn40:6.12 having matted hair someone with covetousness, ill will, irritability, acrimony, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view could give up these things. If that were the case, your friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would make you a matted-hair ascetic as soon as you were born. They’d encourage you:
mn40:6.13 ‘Please, dearest, become a matted-hair ascetic! By doing so you will give up covetousness, ill will, irritability, hostility, disdain, contempt, jealousy, stinginess, deviousness, deceit, corrupt wishes, and wrong view.’
mn40:6.14 But sometimes I see someone with these bad qualities who is a matted-hair ascetic. That’s why I say that you don’t deserve the label ‘matted-hair ascetic’ just because you have matted hair.