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 turbulent winds high in the sky.
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.
Upari, bhikkhave, ākāse verambhā nāma vātā vāyanti. Tattha yo pakkhī gacchati tamenaṁ verambhā vātā khipanti. Tassa verambhavātakkhittassa aññeneva pādā gacchanti, aññena pakkhā gacchanti, aññena sīsaṁ gacchati, aññena kāyo gacchati.
High in the sky, bhikkhus, turbulent winds blow. If a bird goes up there, the turbulent winds hurl it about, and as it is thrown about by the turbulent winds, its feet go in one direction, its wings go in another direction, its head goes in another direction, and its body goes in yet another direction.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūto pariyādiṇṇacitto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisati arakkhiteneva kāyena arakkhitāya vācāya arakkhitena cittena, anupaṭṭhitāya satiyā, asaṁvutehi indriyehi. So tattha passati mātugāmaṁ dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā. Tassa mātugāmaṁ disvā dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. Tassa aññe cīvaraṁ haranti, aññe pattaṁ haranti, aññe nisīdanaṁ haranti, aññe sūcigharaṁ haranti, verambhavātakkhittasseva sakuṇassa.
So too, bhikkhus, a certain bhikkhu here who is overwhelmed by acquisitions, respect, and popularity, with his mind consumed by them, dresses early in the morning, takes his alms bowl and outer robe, and enters a village or town for alms with body |unguarded::unprotected [arakkhita]|, speech unguarded, and mind unguarded, without setting up |mindfulness::recollection of the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly with sustained attention, free from craving and distress [sati]|, |unrestrained::uncontrolled [asaṃvuta]| in his sense faculties. There he sees a woman who is scantily clothed or improperly covered. On seeing the woman who is scantily clothed or improperly covered, |lust::passion, infatuation, desire [rāga]| invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and returns to the household life. Then some take his robe, others his bowl, others his sitting cloth, and still others his sewing kit, as with the bird that is thrown about by the turbulent winds.
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.
High in the sky, bhikkhus, turbulent winds blow. If a bird goes up there, the turbulent winds hurl it about, and as it is thrown about by the turbulent winds, its feet go in one direction, its wings go in another direction, its head goes in another direction, and its body goes in yet another direction.
So too, bhikkhus, a certain bhikkhu here who is overwhelmed by acquisitions, respect, and popularity, with his mind consumed by them, dresses early in the morning, takes his alms bowl and outer robe, and enters a village or town for alms with body |unguarded::unprotected [arakkhita]|, speech unguarded, and mind unguarded, without setting up |mindfulness::recollection of the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly with sustained attention, free from craving and distress [sati]|, |unrestrained::uncontrolled [asaṃvuta]| in his sense faculties. There he sees a woman who is scantily clothed or improperly covered. On seeing the woman who is scantily clothed or improperly covered, |lust::passion, infatuation, desire [rāga]| invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust, he gives up the training and returns to the household life. Then some take his robe, others his bowl, others his sitting cloth, and still others his sewing kit, as with the bird that is thrown about by the turbulent winds.
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.
Upari, bhikkhave, ākāse verambhā nāma vātā vāyanti. Tattha yo pakkhī gacchati tamenaṁ verambhā vātā khipanti. Tassa verambhavātakkhittassa aññeneva pādā gacchanti, aññena pakkhā gacchanti, aññena sīsaṁ gacchati, aññena kāyo gacchati.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūto pariyādiṇṇacitto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisati arakkhiteneva kāyena arakkhitāya vācāya arakkhitena cittena, anupaṭṭhitāya satiyā, asaṁvutehi indriyehi. So tattha passati mātugāmaṁ dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā. Tassa mātugāmaṁ disvā dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. Tassa aññe cīvaraṁ haranti, aññe pattaṁ haranti, aññe nisīdanaṁ haranti, aññe sūcigharaṁ haranti, verambhavātakkhittasseva sakuṇassa.
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.