Buddhism Denies the Concept of Washing Away
One’s Sin as Held in Other Religious Beliefs.
In regards to the religious belief that sin is inherited and newly born human beings must be baptized or the religious belief about a savior who was born to redeem other human beings, the Lord Buddha had the following to say:
Suddhi asuddhi paccattan Purity or impurity is a personal concern. Nanano annan viso-dhaye No one can redeem others from sin.
The Lord Buddha teaches that one individual's sin cannot be passed onto another individual. The Lord Buddha also teaches that once an individual commits a misdeed, no one else can redeem him from its ill consequences.
In regards to the religious belief that one can wash away one's sin by bathing in the sacred river, the Lord Buddha negated such belief as shown in the Vatthu-pama Sutta as follows.
Once our Lord Buddha was staying in the great Jetavana Temple near the city of Savatthi, a Brahmin by the name of Sundrika-bhara-davaja (who believed in the concept of washing away one's sin in the sacred river) was seated near Him. The Brahmin heard the Lord Buddha talk about internal bathing so he asked the Lord Buddha, "Is the Exalted One going to the Pahuka River to bathe?"
The Lord Buddha answered, "What good can come from bathing in the Pahuka River?" The Brahmin said, "The Pahuka River is widely known to be sacred and can impart purity to those who bathe in it as their sin is floated away."
The Lord Buddha said, "Indecent, sinful folk travel to the Pahuka River, to the Gaya River, to the Adhi-kakka Landing, to the Sundrika River, to the Sarasdi River, to the Pyaga Landing, or to the Bahu-madi River. Although they do it regularly, they still cannot become pure. None of these rivers can ever cleanse one from one's retribution, from one's base action which results in a misdeed but cleanliness is achieved by decent individuals that perform only deeds of purity. You should bathe in my teachings and cause delight in others by not lying, not killing, not stealing, by having Right View, and by not being miserly. Then there will be no need for you to bathe or drink in the Gaya River."
