The Buddha compares acquisitions, respect, and popularity to a horsehair rope tied to one’s calf that cuts through deeply when pulled tightly, obstructing the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
“Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko.
“Bhikkhus, |acquisitions::gain, money, profit, possessions [lābhā]|, |respect::honor, accolade, reverence [sakkāra]|, and |popularity::fame, praise [siloka]| are vicious.
Lābhasakkārasiloko, bhikkhave, chaviṁ chindati, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindati, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindati, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindati, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindati, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati.
Bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity cut through the outer skin; having cut through the outer skin, they cut through the inner skin; having cut through the inner skin, they cut through the flesh; having cut through the flesh, they cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, they cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, they stand pressing against the bone marrow.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, balavā puriso daḷhāya vāḷarajjuyā jaṅghaṁ veṭhetvā ghaṁseyya. Sā chaviṁ chindeyya, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindeyya, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindeyya, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindeyya, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindeyya, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭheyya.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a strong man would wrap a person’s calf with a strong horsehair rope and pull it tight. Then it would cut through the outer skin; having cut through the outer skin, it would cut through the inner skin; having cut through the inner skin, it would cut through the flesh; having cut through the flesh, it would cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, it would cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, it would stand pressing against the bone marrow.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko chaviṁ chindati, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindati, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindati, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindati, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindati, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati.
So too, bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity cut through the outer skin; having cut through the outer skin, they cut through the inner skin; having cut through the inner skin, they cut through the flesh; having cut through the flesh, they cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, they cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, they stand pressing against the bone marrow.
Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko kaṭuko pharuso antarāyiko anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya.
Thus, bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity are vicious, bitter, and severe; they obstruct the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘uppannaṁ lābhasakkārasilokaṁ pajahissāma, na ca no uppanno lābhasakkārasiloko cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.
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 to continue |occupying::obsessing, controlling [pariyādāya]| our minds.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”
At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, |acquisitions::gain, money, profit, possessions [lābhā]|, |respect::honor, accolade, reverence [sakkāra]|, and |popularity::fame, praise [siloka]| are vicious.
Bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity cut through the outer skin; having cut through the outer skin, they cut through the inner skin; having cut through the inner skin, they cut through the flesh; having cut through the flesh, they cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, they cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, they stand pressing against the bone marrow.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a strong man would wrap a person’s calf with a strong horsehair rope and pull it tight. Then it would cut through the outer skin; having cut through the outer skin, it would cut through the inner skin; having cut through the inner skin, it would cut through the flesh; having cut through the flesh, it would cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, it would cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, it would stand pressing against the bone marrow.
So too, bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity cut through the outer skin; having cut through the outer skin, they cut through the inner skin; having cut through the inner skin, they cut through the flesh; having cut through the flesh, they cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, they cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, they stand pressing against the bone marrow.
Thus, bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity are vicious, 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 to continue |occupying::obsessing, controlling [pariyādāya]| our minds.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko.
Lābhasakkārasiloko, bhikkhave, chaviṁ chindati, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindati, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindati, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindati, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindati, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, balavā puriso daḷhāya vāḷarajjuyā jaṅghaṁ veṭhetvā ghaṁseyya. Sā chaviṁ chindeyya, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindeyya, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindeyya, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindeyya, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindeyya, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭheyya.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko chaviṁ chindati, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindati, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindati, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindati, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindati, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati.
Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko kaṭuko pharuso antarāyiko anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘uppannaṁ lābhasakkārasilokaṁ pajahissāma, na ca no uppanno lābhasakkārasiloko cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.