Cleansing the Body and Mind

Once the Buddha traveled to Kosala and stayed in a forest next to the Sundari River. There was a person who believed that bathing in that river could remove all karmic obstructions. The Buddha told him, "You should rely on self-transformation to get rid of your karmic hindrances. You should avoid killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and lying in your daily life. Moreover, you should always be compassionate and practice generosity to eliminate stinginess. This is the true method for cleansing the body and mind. If the inner mind is purified, the exterior will naturally be cleansed. In contrast, the mind of a person with a lot of defilements cannot be purified, even if heavenly waters were used to wash away the dirt."