UD 1.9  Jaṭila sutta - Matted Hair Ascetics

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati gayāsīse. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā jaṭilā sītāsu hemantikāsu rattīsu antaraṭṭhake himapātasamaye gayāyaṁ ummujjantipi nimujjantipi, ummujjanimujjampi karonti osiñcantipi, aggimpi juhanti: “iminā suddhī”ti.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling near |Gayā::name of a village [gayā]|, on |Gayā peak::name of a rock hill near Gayā; lit. Gayā's head [gayāsīsa]|. And at that time, many matted hair ascetics, during the cold winter nights in the thick of the winter season, when snow was falling, were surfacing and submerging in the Gayā river, repeatedly immersing themselves, pouring water over their bodies, and making fire offerings, thinking, “Through this, there is purification.”

Addasā kho bhagavā te sambahule jaṭile sītāsu hemantikāsu rattīsu antaraṭṭhake himapātasamaye gayāyaṁ ummujjantepi nimujjantepi ummujjanimujjampi karonte osiñcantepi aggimpi juhante: “iminā suddhī”ti.

The Blessed One saw those many matted hair ascetics, during the cold winter nights in the thick of the winter season, when snow was falling, surfacing and submerging in the Gayā river, repeatedly immersing themselves, pouring water over their bodies, and making fire offerings, thinking, “Through this, there is purification.”

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:

“Na udakena sucī hoti,
bahvettha nhāyatī jano;
Yamhi saccañca dhammo ca,
so sucī so ca brāhmaṇo”ti.

“Not by water is one purified,
many people bathe here;
But in whom there is |truth::accuracy, reliability [sacca]| and Dhamma,
he is pure, he is a |sage::Brāhmaṇa, a title used by the Buddha for an Arahant, an awakened being [brāhmaṇa]|.”