"The Simile of the Cloth" Extracts from the Vatthupama Sutta. A summary: Knowing the defilements as defilements they are abandoned, Knowing one has abandoned (any) defilement(s) is the cause for giving rise to enthusiasm, gladness, joy, tranquility and stillness of mind.
Vatthupama Sutta: The Simile of the Cloth
"Monks, suppose a cloth were stained and dirty, and a dyer dipped it in some dye or other, whether blue or yellow or red or pink, it would take the dye badly and be impure in color. And why is that? Because the cloth was not clean. So too, monks, when the mind is defiled, an unhappy destination [in a future existence] may be expected.
"Monks, suppose a cloth were clean and bright, and a dyer dipped it in some dye or other, whether blue or yellow or red or pink, it would take the dye well and be pure in color. And why is that? Because the cloth was clean. So too, monks, when the mind is undefiled, a happy destination [in a future existence] may be expected.
"Knowing, monks, covetousness and unrighteous greed to be a defilement of the mind, the monk abandons them."
"Knowing...
- ill will
- anger
- hostility
- denigration
- domineering
- envy
- jealousy
- hypocrisy
- fraud
- obstinacy
- presumption
- conceit
- arrogance
- vanity
- negligence
...to be a defilement of the mind, he abandons it.
"When in the monk who thus knows that [a defilement] is a defilement of the mind, this [defilement] has been abandoned."
"When he has given up, renounced, let go, abandoned and relinquished [the defilements] in part, he knows: 'I am endowed with unwavering confidence in the Buddha... in the Dhamma... in the Sangha; and he gains enthusiasm for the goal, gains enthusiasm for the Dhamma, gains gladness connected with the Dhamma. When he is gladdened, joy is born in him; being joyous in mind, his body becomes tranquil; his body being tranquil, he feels happiness; and the mind of him who is happy becomes concentrated.
"He knows: 'I have given up, renounced, let go, abandoned and relinquished [the defilements] in part'; and he gains enthusiasm for the goal, gains enthusiasm for the Dhamma, gains gladness connected with the Dhamma. When he is gladdened, joy is born in him; being joyous in mind, his body becomes tranquil; when his body is tranquil, he feels happiness; and the mind of him who is happy becomes concentrated.
Commenter: "It may be asked why the Buddha had given this simile of the soiled cloth. He did so to show that effort brings great results. A cloth soiled by dirt that is adventitious (i.e., comes from outside; agantukehi malehi), if it is washed can again become clean because of the cloth's natural purity. But in the case of what is naturally black, as for instance (black) goat's fur, any effort (of washing it) will be in vain. Similarly, the mind too is soiled by adventitious defilements (agantukehi kilesehi). But originally, at the phases of rebirth(-consciousness) and the (sub-conscious) life-continuum, it is pure throughout (pakatiya pana sakale pi patisandhi-bhavanga-vare pandaram eva). As it was said (by the Enlightened One): 'This mind, monks, is luminous, but it becomes soiled by adventitious defilements' (AN 1.49). But by cleansing it one can make it more luminous, and effort therein is not in vain."
Commenter: "Defilements of the mind" (cittassa upakkilesa). Comy.: "When explaining the mental defilements, why did the Blessed One mention greed first? Because it arises first. For with all beings wherever they arise, up to the level of the (Brahma heaven of the) Pure Abodes, it is first greed that arises by way of lust for existence (bhava-nikanti). Then the other defilements will appear, being produced according to circumstances. The defilements of mind, however, are not limited to the sixteen mentioned in this discourse. But one should understand that, by indicating here the method, all defilements are included." Sub.Comy. mentions the following additional defilements: fear, cowardice, shamelessness and lack of scruples, insatiability, evil ambitions, etc.
Resources
Vatthupama Sutta: The Simile of the Cloth https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.007.nypo.html
Ajahn Brahmali: Sutta guidance for the Vatthupama Sutta https://bswa.org/teaching/mn7-vatthupama-sutta-simile-cloth/
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