Ekottaragama (Sanskrit fragments) 13.5.6

13.5.6

「設復有人無此二十一結染著心者，當知斯人必生天上，不墮地獄中。猶如新淨白㲲，隨意欲作何色，青、黃、赤、黑，必成其色，終不敗壞。所以然者，以其淨故。此亦如是，其有無此二十一結染著心者，當觀其人必生天上，不墮惡趣。

“Thus, monks, if someone’s mind is defiled by these twenty-one bonds, one should observe that person as sure to fall into bad destinies and not be born in a good place. Supposing, again, that someone’s mind isn’t defiled by any of these twenty-one bonds, one should know that this person is sure to be born up in Heaven and not fall to Hell. They’re like a fresh and clean white cloth that’ll accept any color one decides to give it, whether it be blue, yellow, red, or black. It’s sure to become that color, and it’ll never fade. Why is that? Because it’s clean. Likewise, when someone’s mind isn’t defiled by any of these twenty-one bonds, one should know that this person is sure to be born up in Heaven and not fall to Hell.