Chapter 6 Labhasakkara Samyutta (On Gains and Honor)
SN 17.1 Dāruṇa Sutta: Dreadful
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus!" "Venerable sir!" those bhikkhus replied.
The Blessed One said this: "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise, bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage, Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: 'We will abandon the arisen gain, honor, and praise, and we will not let the arisen gain, honor, and praise persist obsessing our minds.' Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, obstructing spiritual progress.)
SN 17.2 Baḷisa Sutta: The Hook
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise, bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage. Suppose a fisherman would cast a baited hook into a deep lake, and a fish on the lookout for food would swallow it. That fish, having swallowed the fisherman's hook, would meet with calamity and disaster, and the fisherman could do with it as he wishes. "
''Fisherman,bhikkhus: this is a designation for Mara the Evil One. 'Baited hook': this is a designation for gain, honor, and praise. Any bhikkhu who relishes and enjoys the arisen gain, honor, and praise is called a bhikkhu who has swallowed the baited hook, who has met with calamity and disaster, and the Evil One can do with him as he wishes. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise, so bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage. Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: 'We will abandon the arisen gain, honor, and praise, and we will not let the arisen gain, honor, and praise persist obsessing our minds.' Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, which catch you like fish on a hook.)
SN 17.3 Kumma Sutta: The Turtle
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise .... Once in the past there was a large family of turtles that had been living for a long time in a certain lake. Then one turtle said to another: 'Dear turtle, do not go to such and such a region: But that turtle went to that region, and a hunter struck him with a corded harpoon. Then that turtle approached the first one. When the first turtle saw him coming in the distance, he said to him: 'I hope, dear turtle, that you didn't go to that region.'
'I did go to that region, dear.' 'I hope you haven't been hit or struck, dear.' 'I haven't been hit or struck; but there is this cord constantly following behind me.' 'Indeed you've been hit, dear turtle, indeed you've been struck! Your father and grandfather also met with calamity and disaster on account of such a cord. Go now, dear turtle, you are no longer one of us.'
'Hunter,' bhikkhus: this is a designation for Mara the Evil One. 'Corded harpoon': this is a designation for gain, honor, and praise. 'Cord': this is a designation for delight and lust. Any bhikkhu who relishes and enjoys the arisen gain, honor, and praise is called a bhikkhu who has been struck with a corded harpoon, who has met with calamity and disaster, and the Evil One can do with him as he wishes. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise . . .. Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, which hit you like a harpoon hits a careless turtle.)
SN 17.4 Dīghalomika Sutta: The Long-Haired Goat
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise ... . Suppose a long-haired she-goat would enter a briar patch. She would get caught here and there, be held fast here and there, be bound here and there, and here and there she would meet with calamity and disaster. So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise dresses in the morning and, taking bowl and robe, enters a village or town for alms. He gets caught here and there, is held fast here and there, is bound here and there, and here and there he meets with calamity and disaster. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, which snare you like a long-haired goat in a briar patch.)
SN 17.5 Mīḷhaka Sutta: The Dung Beetle
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise ... . Suppose there was a beetle, a dung-eater, stuffed with dung, full of dung, and in front of her was a large dunghill. Because of this she would despise the other beetles, thinking: 'I am a dung-eater, stuffed with dung, full of dung, and in front of me there is a large dunghill.' So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise dresses in the morning and, taking bowl and robe, enters a village or town for alms. There he would eat as much as he wants, he would be invited for the next day's meal, and his alms food would be plentiful. When he goes back to the monastery, he boasts before a group of bhikkhus: 'I have eaten as much as I want, I have been invited for tomorrow's meal, and my alms food is plentiful. I am one who gains robes, alms food, lodgings, and medicinal requisites, but these other bhikkhus have little merit and influence, and they do not gain robes, alms food, lodgings, and medicinal requisites.' Thus, because his mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise, he despises the other well-behaved bhikkhus. That will lead to the harm and suffering of this senseless person for a long time. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves."
(A monk who is proud on account of their material possessions, honor, and praise is like a dung beetle proud of their ball of dung.)
SN 17.6 Asani Sutta: The Thunderbolt
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise ... . Whom should a thunderbolt strike, bhikkhus? A trainee upon whom come gain, honor, and praise while he has not yet reached his mind's ideal. "
'Thunderbolt,' bhikkhus: this is a designation for gain, honor, and praise. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise ... . Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, like a lightning strike.)
SN 17.7 Diddha Sutta: The Poisoned Dart
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise .... Whom should one pierce with a dart smeared in poison, bhikkhus? A trainee upon whom come gain, honor, and praise while he has not yet reached his mind's ideal."
'Dart,' bhikkhus: this is a designation for gain, honor, and praise. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise ... . Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, like a poison dart.)
SN 17.8 Siṅgāla Sutta: The Jackal
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise ... . Did you hear an old jackal howling when the night was fading?" "Yes, venerable sir." "That old jackal is afflicted with a disease called mange. He cannot feel at ease whether he goes into a cave, or to the foot of a tree, or into the open air. Wherever he goes, wherever he stands, wherever he sits, wherever he lies down, there he meets with calamity and disaster. So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed with gain, honor, and praise does not feel at ease whether he goes into an empty hut, or to the foot of a tree, or into the open air. Wherever he goes, wherever he stands, wherever he sits, wherever he lies down, there he meets with calamity and disaster. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves."
(A monk who is proud on account of their material possessions, honor, and praise is never at peace, like a mangy jackal.)
SN 17.9 Verambha Sutta: The Gale Winds
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise .... Bhikkhus, high in the sky winds called gales are blowing. If a bird goes up there, the gale winds fling it about, and as it is flung about by the gale winds, its feet go one way, its wings another way, its head still another way, and its body still another way. So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise dresses in the morning and,taking bowl and robe, enters a village or town for alms with body, speech, and mind unguarded, without setting up mindfulness, unrestrained in his sense faculties. He sees women there lightly clad or lightly attired and lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust he gives up the training and returns to the lower life. Some take his robe, others his bowl, others his sitting cloth, and still others his needle case, as with the bird flung by the gale winds. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise ... . Thus should you train yourselves."
(A monk who is proud on account of their material possessions, honor, and praise is never at peace, like a bird in a gale.)
SN 17.10 Sagāthaka Sutta: With Verses
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise .... Bhikkhus, I see some person here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by honor, with the breakup of the body, after death, reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. Then I see some person here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by lack of honor ... reborn in a state of misery .... Then I see some person here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by both honor and lack of honor, with the breakup of the body, after death, reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves."
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: "Whether he is showered with honor, Shown dishonor, or offered both, His concentration does not vacillate As he dwells in the measureless state. When he meditates with perseverance, An insight-seer of subtle view Delighting in the destruction of clinging, They call him truly a superior man."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, and attachment to them leads to a bad rebirth.)
SN 17.11 Suvaṇṇapāti Sutta: Golden Bowl
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise .... Bhikkhus, I have known of a certain person here whose mind I have encompassed with my own mind: 'This venerable one would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of a golden bowl filled with powdered silver.' Yet some time later I see him, his mind overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise, telling a deliberate lie. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise . . .. Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, which can corrupt the mind even of a pure mendicant.)
SN 17.12 Rūpiyapāti Sutta: Silver Bowl
At Savatthi. Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise .... Bhikkhus, I have known of a certain person here whose mind I have encompassed with my own mind: 'This venerable one would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of a silver bowl filled with powdered gold.' Yet some time later I see him, his mind overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise, telling a deliberate lie. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, which can corrupt the mind even of a pure monk.)
SN 17.13-20 Suvaṇṇanikkhasuttādiaṭṭhaka Suvannanikkha, Etc.
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise .... Bhikkhus, I have known of a certain person here whose mind I have encompassed with my own mind: 'This venerable one would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of a suvannanikkha ... even for the sake of a hundred suvannanikkhas . .. even for the sake of a sitiginikkha ... for a hundred sitiginikkhas... for the earth filled with gold ... for any material reward ... for the sake of his life ... for the most beautiful girl of the land. Yet some time later I see him, his mind overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise, telling a deliberate lie. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves." (Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, which can corrupt the mind even of a pure mendicant.)
SN 17.21 Mātugāma Sutta: A Woman
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise ... Bhikkhus, even though a woman, when one is alone with her, may not persist obsessing one's mind, still gain, honor, and praise might persist obsessing one's mind. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves. "
(Material possessions, honor, and praise can be even more tempting than a woman.)
SN 17.22 Kalyāṇī Sutta : The Most Beautiful Girl of the Land
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise ... . Bhikkhus, even though the most beautiful girl of the land, when one is alone with her, may not persist obsessing one's mind, still gain, honor, and praise might persist obsessing one's mind. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise can be even more tempting than the finest lady in the land.)
SN 17.23 Ekaputtaka Sutta: Only Son
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise .... A faithful female lay follower, rightly imploring her only son, dear and beloved, might implore him thus: 'Dear, you should become like Citta the householder and Hatthaka of Alavaka' for this is the standard and criterion for my male disciples who are lay followers, that is, Citta the householder and Hatthaka of A!avaka. But if, dear, you go forth from the household life into homelessness, you should become like Sariputta and Moggallana'-for this is the standard and criterion for my male disciples who are bhikkhus, that is, Sariputta and Moggallana. 'While, dear, you are a trainee, one who has not yet reached his mind's ideal, may gain, honor, and praise not come upon you!' "
"Bhikkhus, if gain, honor, and praise come upon a bhikkhu while he is a trainee, one who has not yet reached his mind's ideal, this is. an obstacle for him. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves.”
(A laywoman should wish that if her son remains in the household life, he should be like Citta and Hatthaka. But if he becomes a monk, may material possessions, honor, and praise not come to him!）
SN 17.24 Ekadhītu Sutta: Only Daughter
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise ... . A faithful female lay follower, rightly imploring her only daughter, dear and beloved, might implore her thus: 'Dear, you should become like Khujjuttara the lay follower and Velukandakiya, Nanda's mother'-for this is the standard and criterion for my female disciples who are lay followers, that is, Khujjuttara the lay follower and Velukandakiya, Nanda's mother. 'But if, dear, you go forth from the household life into homelessness, you should become like the bhikkhunis Khema and Uppalavanna for this is the standard and criterion for my female disciples who are bhikkhunis, that is, Khema and Uppalavanna. 'While, dear, you are a trainee, one who has not yet reached her mind's ideal, may gain, honor, and praise not come upon you!'
"Bhikkhus, if gain, honor, and praise come upon a bhikkhuni while she is still a trainee, one who has not yet reached her mind's ideal, this is an obstacle for her. 50 ' dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves."
(A laywoman should wish that if her daughter remains in the household life, she should be like Khujjuttarā and Veḷukaṇḍakiyā. But if she becomes a nun, may material possessions, honor, and praise not come to her!)
SN 17.25 Samaṇabrāhmaṇa Sutta: Ascetics and Brahmins (1) At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, those ascetics or brahmins who do not understand as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of gain, honor, and praise: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics or brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones do not, by realizing it themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism or the goal of brahminhood. "
"But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of gain, honor, and praise: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood."
(Someone who doesn’t fully understand material possessions, honor, and praise is no true ascetic.)
SN 17.26 Dutiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇa Sutta:Ascetics and Brahmins (2)
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, those ascetics or brahmins who do not understand as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of gain, honor, and praise: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics . '"
"But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand these things: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood."
(Someone who doesn’t fully understand material possessions, honor, and praise is no true ascetic.)
SN 17.27 Tatiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇa Sutta: Ascetics and Brahmins (3)
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, those ascetics or brahmins who do not understand gain, honor, and praise, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics ... "But, bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand these things: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahmin-hood."
(Someone who doesn’t fully understand material possessions, honor, and praise is no true ascetic.)
SN 17.28 Chavi Sutta: Skin
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise ... Gain, honor, and praise cut through the outer skin, then through the inner skin, then through the flesh, then through the sinews, then through the bone. Having cut through the bone, they reach right to the marrow. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise cut to the bone.)
SN 17.29 Rajju Sutta: The Rope
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise .... Gain, honor, and praise cut through the outer skin, then through the inner skin, then through the flesh, then through the sinews, then through the bone. Having cut through the bone, they reach right to the marrow. Suppose, bhikkhus, a strong man would wrap one's leg with a taut horsehair rope and pull it tight. It would cut through the outer skin, then through the inner skin, then through the flesh, then through the sinews, then through bone. Having cut through the bone, it would reach right to the marrow. So too, bhikkhus, gain, honor, and praise cut through the outer skin ... they reach right to the marrow. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves. "
(Material possessions, honor, and praise cut to the bone, like a rope.)
SN 17.30 Bhikkhu Sutta: The Bhikkhu
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, gain, honor, and praise, I say, are an obstacle even for a bhikkhu who is an arahant, one with taints destroyed. " When this was said, the Venerable Ananda asked the Blessed One: "Why, venerable sir, are gain, honor, and praise an obstacle even for a bhikkhu with taints destroyed?"
"I do not say, Ananda, that gain, honor, and praise are an obstacle to his unshakable liberation of mind. But I say they are an obstacle to [his attainment of] those pleasant dwellings in this very life which are achieved by one who dwells diligent, ardent, and resolute. So dreadful, Ananda, are gain, honor, and praise, so bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage. Therefore, Ananda, you should train yourselves thus: 'We will abandon the arisen gain, honor, and praise, and we will not let the arisen gain, honor, and praise persist obsessing our minds.' Thus should you train yourselves."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise are even a problem for a perfected one, as they interfere with their meditation.)
SN 17.31 Bhindi Sutta: Schism
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise ... Because his mind was overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise, Devadatta provoked a schism in the Sangha. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise ... . Thus should you train yourselves."
(Devadatta provoked a schism due to material possessions, honor, and praise.)
SN 17.32 Kusalamūla Sutta: Wholesome Root
"Because his mind was overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise, Devadatta's wholesome root was cut off .... "
(Devadatta’s wholesome nature was cut off due to material possessions, honor, and praise.)
SN 17.34 Sukkadhamma Sutta: Bright Nature
"Because his mind was overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise, Devadatta's bright nature was cut off .... "
(Devadatta’s bright nature was cut off due to material possessions, honor, and praise.)
SN 17.35 Acirapakkanta Sutta: Not Long After He Left
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajagaha on Mount Vulture Peak not long after Devadatta had left. There, with reference to Devadatta, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus, Devadatta's gain, honor, and praise arose to his own downfall and destruction. Just as a plantain tree, a bamboo, or a reed yields fruit to its own downfall and destruction, so Devadatta's gain, honor, and praise arose to his own downfall and destruction. Just as a mule becomes pregnant to its own downfall and destruction, so Devadatta's gain, honor, and praise arose to his own downfall and destruction. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves."
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: "As its own fruit brings destruction To the plantain, bamboo, and reed, As its embryo destroys the mule, So do honors destroy the scoundrel."
(Material possessions, honor, and praise led to Devadatta’s downfall, like the fruit of a plantain.)
SN 17.36 Pañcarathasata Sutta: Five Hundred Carts
While dwelling at Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Now on that occasion Prince Ajatasattu was going to attend upon Devadatta morning and evening with five hundred carts, and an offering of food was conveyed to him in five hundred pots. Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and reported this matter to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said: "Bhikkhus, do not be envious of Devadatta's gain, honor, and praise. As long as Prince Ajatasattu goes to attend upon Devadatta morning and evening with five hundred carts, and an offering of food is conveyed to him in five hundred pots, only decline can be expected of Devadatta in regard to wholesome states, not growth. "
"Just as a wild dog becomes even wilder when they sprinkle bile over its nose,so too, bhikkhus, so long as Prince Ajatasattu goes to attend upon Devadatta only decline can be expected of Devadatta in regard to wholesome states, not growth. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise .... Thus should you train yourselves." (Prince Ajātasattu supplied devadatta with 500 carts of offerings, leading to his downfall.)
SN 17.37-43 Matu Sutta, Pitusuttādichakka: Mother, father, Etc.
At Savatthi. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honor, and praise, bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage. Bhikkhus, I have known of a certain person here, whose mind I have encompassed with my own mind: 'This venerable one would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of his mother ... even for the sake of his father ... even for the sake of his brother .. , his sister ... his son ... his daughter ... his wife. Yet some time later I see him, his mind overcome and obsessed by gain, honor, and praise, telling a deliberate lie. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honor, and praise, so bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage.
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus:"We will abandon the arisen gain, honor, and praise, and we will not let the arisen gain, honor, and praise persist obsessing our minds.' Thus should you train yourselves."
(The disadvantages of gain, honor and praise.)
References 1. www.accesstoinsight.org 2. https://suttacentral.net/ 3. The connected discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)