Saṁyutta Nikāya 17.37

The Related Suttas Collection 17.37

4. Catutthavagga

Chapter Four

Mātusutta

Mother

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

“Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko kaṭuko pharuso antarāyiko anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya. Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ekaccaṁ puggalaṁ evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāmi: ‘na cāyamāyasmā mātupi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti. Tamenaṁ passāmi aparena samayena lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūtaṁ pariyādiṇṇacittaṁ sampajānamusā bhāsantaṁ.

“Possessions, honor, and popularity are brutal, bitter, and harsh. They’re an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary from the yoke. When I’ve comprehended the mind of a certain person, I understand: ‘This venerable would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of their mother.’ But some time later I see them tell a deliberate lie because their mind is overcome and overwhelmed by possessions, honor, and popularity.

Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko kaṭuko pharuso antarāyiko anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya.

So brutal are possessions, honor, and popularity—bitter and harsh, an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘uppannaṁ lābhasakkārasilokaṁ pajahissāma. Na ca no uppanno lābhasakkārasiloko cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

So you should train like this: ‘We will give up arisen possessions, honor, and popularity, and we won’t let them occupy our minds.’ That’s how you should train.”

Sattamaṁ.