Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
“Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko kaṭuko pharuso antarāyiko anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya.
“Bhikkhus, |acquisitions::gain, money, profit, possessions [lābhā]|, |respect::honor, accolade, reverence [sakkāra]|, and |popularity::fame, praise [siloka]| are vicious, bitter, and severe; they obstruct the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.
Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, aññatarasmiṁ udakarahade mahākummakulaṁ ciranivāsi ahosi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, aññataro kummo aññataraṁ kummaṁ etadavoca: ‘mā kho tvaṁ, tāta kumma, etaṁ padesaṁ agamāsī’ti.
Once, bhikkhus, in a certain lake, there lived a large family of turtles for a long time. Then, one turtle said to another: ‘Dear turtle, please don’t go to that particular area.’
Agamāsi kho, bhikkhave, so kummo taṁ padesaṁ. Tamenaṁ luddo papatāya vijjhi.
But that turtle went to that area, and there, a hunter struck it with a |harpoon::A thrown or dropped spear-like weapon, often used in fishing or hunting, which is typically attached to a rope or cord. [papatā]|.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, so kummo yena so kummo tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho, bhikkhave, so kummo taṁ kummaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna taṁ kummaṁ etadavoca: ‘kacci tvaṁ, tāta kumma, na taṁ padesaṁ agamāsī’ti?
Then, that turtle went to where the other turtle was. When the first turtle saw him coming from a distance, he said to him: ‘Dear turtle, surely you didn’t go to that area?’
‘Agamāsiṁ khvāhaṁ, tāta kumma, taṁ padesan’ti.
‘I did go to that area, dear turtle.’
‘Kacci panāsi, tāta kumma, akkhato anupahato’ti?
‘Surely, dear turtle, you are not injured or struck?’
‘Akkhato khomhi, tāta kumma, anupahato, atthi ca me idaṁ suttakaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhan’ti.
‘I am uninjured, dear turtle, not struck, but there is little string trailing from the rear of my back.’
‘Tagghasi, tāta kumma, khato, taggha upahato. Etena hi te, tāta kumma, suttakena pitaro ca pitāmahā ca anayaṁ āpannā byasanaṁ āpannā. Gaccha dāni tvaṁ, tāta kumma, na dāni tvaṁ amhākan’ti.
‘Truly, dear turtle, you are |injured::hurt [khata]|; truly, you are struck. It is because of this string, dear turtle, that your fathers and grandfathers met with misfortune, met with disaster. Now go, dear turtle, you are no longer one of us.’
Luddoti kho, bhikkhave, mārassetaṁ pāpimato adhivacanaṁ.
Bhikkhus, the term ‘hunter’ is a designation for |Māra::the ruler of the sensual realm, often depicted as a tempter who tries to obstruct beings from the path to liberation [māra]| the Evil One.
Papatāti kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasilokassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
The term ‘harpoon’ is a designation for acquisitions, respect, and popularity.
Suttakanti kho, bhikkhave, nandīrāgassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
The term ‘little string’ is a designation for delighting in |passion::intense desire, strong emotion, infatuation, obsession, lust [rāga]|.
Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ lābhasakkārasilokaṁ assādeti nikāmeti—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu giddho papatāya anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato.
Any bhikkhu who |relishes::enjoys the taste of, takes pleasure in [assādeti]| and longs for arisen acquisitions, respect, and popularity is called a bhikkhu who has been struck with a harpoon, who has met with misfortune and disaster, and the Evil One can do with him as he wishes.
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.”