III. The Book of the Threes

XII. The Downfall

[249]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī.

There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," they replied,
and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, there are these three forms of purity.¹

What three?

Purity of body,
purity of speech,
purity of mind.

And of what sort is purity of body?

Herein a certain one
abstains from taking life,
from stealing,
from wrong practice in sensual lusts.

This is called
'purity of body.'

■

And of what sort is purity of speech?

Herein a certain one
abstains from falsehoods,
slander,
bitter speech,
idle babble.

This is called
'purity of speech.'

■

[250] And of what sort is purity of mind?

Herein a certain one
is not covetous
or malevolent of heart
and has right view.

This is called
'purity of mind.'

These are the three forms of purity."

¹ Soceyyaṃ = suci-bhāva. Comy.