The king said, ‘Venerable Nāgasena, what is the characteristic mark of faith?’
‘Tranquillisation, O king, and aspiration.’
‘And how is tranquillisation the mark of faith?’
As faith, O king, springs up in the heart it breaks through the five hindrances—lust, malice, mental sloth, spiritual pride, and doubt—and the heart, free from these hindrances, becomes clear, serene, untroubled.’
‘Give me an illustration.’
‘Just, O king, as a suzerain king, when on the march with his fourfold army, might cross over a small stream, and the water, disturbed by the elephants and cavalry, the chariots and the bowmen, might become fouled, turbid, and muddy. And when he was on the other side the monarch might give command to his attendants, saying: “Bring some water, my good men. I would fain drink.” Now suppose the monarch had a water-clearing gem, and those men, in obedience to the order, were to throw the jewel into the water; then at once all the mud would precipitate itself, and the sandy atoms of shell and bits of water-plants would disappear, and the water would become clear, transparent, and serene, and they would then bring some of it to the monarch to drink. The water is the heart; the royal servants are the recluse; the mud, the sandy atoms, and the bits of water-plants are evil dispositions; and the water-cleansing gem is faith.’