At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, |acquisitions::gain, money, profit, possessions [lābhā]|, |respect::honor, accolade, reverence [sakkāra]|, and |popularity::fame, praise [siloka]| are harsh, bitter, and severe; they obstruct the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.
”Here, bhikkhus, I know of a certain person by directly knowing their mind with my mind in this way: ‘This venerable one would not, even for a silver bowl filled with powdered gold, intentionally speak a deliberate lie.’ But then I see that person at a later time, overwhelmed by acquisitions, respect, and popularity, with a mind consumed by them, speaking a deliberate lie.“
Thus, bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity are harsh, bitter, and severe; they obstruct the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will abandon the arisen acquisitions, respect and popularity, and we will not let the arisen acquisitions, respect, and popularity continue to |occupy::obsessing, controlling [pariyādāya]| our minds.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”