Light/Dark

Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Linked Discourses

Vol 1:
Verses
SN1-11
Vol 2:
Causation
SN12-21
Vol 3:
Aggregates
SN22-34
Vol 4:
Sense Bases
SN35-44
Vol 5:
Great Book
SN45-56

SN17: Linked Discourses on Possessions, Honour, and Popularity

III. The Third Chapter — SN17.29: A Rope

1At Sāvatthī.

“Possessions, honor, and popularity are brutal …

They cut through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until they reach the marrow and stay pressing there.

2Suppose a strong man was to twist a tough horse-hair rope around your shin and tighten it. It would cut through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until it reached the marrow and stayed pressing there.

In the same way, possessions, honor, and popularity cut through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until they reach the marrow and stay pressing there.

So brutal are possessions, honor, and popularity. …”

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati.

""Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko.

Lābhasakkārasiloko, bhikkhave, chaviṁ chindati, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindati, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindati, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindati, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindati, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati.

2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, balavā puriso daḷhāya vāḷarajjuyā jaṅghaṁ veṭhetvā ghaṁseyya. Sā chaviṁ chindeyya, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindeyya, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindeyya, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindeyya, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindeyya, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭheyya.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko chaviṁ chindati, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindati, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindati, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindati, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindati, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati.

Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko … pe … evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.

Navamaṁ.