The Buddha explains how acquisitions, respect, and popularity are vicious, bitter, and severe, obstructing the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage, using a simile of an old jackal with mange.
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.
Assuttha no tumhe, bhikkhave, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ jarasiṅgālassa vassamānassā”ti?
Bhikkhus, have you heard an old jackal howling during the early hours of the night, at the break of dawn?”
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Eso kho, bhikkhave, jarasiṅgālo ukkaṇḍakena nāma rogajātena phuṭṭho neva bilagato ramati, na rukkhamūlagato ramati, na ajjhokāsagato ramati; yena yena gacchati, yattha yattha tiṭṭhati, yattha yattha nisīdati, yattha yattha nipajjati; tattha tattha anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.
“That old jackal, bhikkhus, afflicted by a disease called |mange::a type of skin disease caused by parasitic mites [ukkaṇḍaka]|, finds no delight whether he enters his den, rests at the foot of a tree, or lingers in the open air. Wherever he goes, wherever he stands, wherever he sits or lies down, there he meets with only misfortune and disaster.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūto pariyādiṇṇacitto neva suññāgāragato ramati, na rukkhamūlagato ramati, na ajjhokāsagato ramati; yena yena gacchati, yattha yattha tiṭṭhati, yattha yattha nisīdati, yattha yattha nipajjati; tattha tattha anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.
In the same way, bhikkhus, a certain bhikkhu here who is overwhelmed by acquisitions, respect, and popularity, with his mind |consumed::obsessed, controlled [pariyādiṇṇa]| by them, finds no enjoyment whether he goes to an empty dwelling, to the foot of a tree, or in the open air. Wherever he goes, wherever he stands, wherever he sits or lies down, there he meets with only misfortune and disaster.
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, bitter, and severe; they obstruct the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.
Bhikkhus, have you heard an old jackal howling during the early hours of the night, at the break of dawn?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“That old jackal, bhikkhus, afflicted by a disease called |mange::a type of skin disease caused by parasitic mites [ukkaṇḍaka]|, finds no delight whether he enters his den, rests at the foot of a tree, or lingers in the open air. Wherever he goes, wherever he stands, wherever he sits or lies down, there he meets with only misfortune and disaster.
In the same way, bhikkhus, a certain bhikkhu here who is overwhelmed by acquisitions, respect, and popularity, with his mind |consumed::obsessed, controlled [pariyādiṇṇa]| by them, finds no enjoyment whether he goes to an empty dwelling, to the foot of a tree, or in the open air. Wherever he goes, wherever he stands, wherever he sits or lies down, there he meets with only misfortune and disaster.
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 kaṭuko pharuso antarāyiko anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya.
Assuttha no tumhe, bhikkhave, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ jarasiṅgālassa vassamānassā”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”.
“Eso kho, bhikkhave, jarasiṅgālo ukkaṇḍakena nāma rogajātena phuṭṭho neva bilagato ramati, na rukkhamūlagato ramati, na ajjhokāsagato ramati; yena yena gacchati, yattha yattha tiṭṭhati, yattha yattha nisīdati, yattha yattha nipajjati; tattha tattha anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūto pariyādiṇṇacitto neva suññāgāragato ramati, na rukkhamūlagato ramati, na ajjhokāsagato ramati; yena yena gacchati, yattha yattha tiṭṭhati, yattha yattha nisīdati, yattha yattha nipajjati; tattha tattha anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.
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.