The Buddha uses different similes to explain how acquisitions, respect, and popularity are vicious, bitter, and severe, obstructing the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
17.13
“Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ekaccaṁ puggalaṁ evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāmi: ‘na cāyamāyasmā suvaṇṇanikkhassāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
“Here, bhikkhus, I know of a certain person by directly knowing their mind with my mind in this way: ‘This venerable one would not, even for the sake of a gold coin, intentionally speak a deliberate lie.’
17.14
suvaṇṇanikkhasatassāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for a hundred gold coins.’
17.15
siṅgīnikkhassāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for the sake of an |ornamental gold coin::a gold coin of a higher quality or greater value than a regular gold coin [siṅgīnikkha]|.’
17.16
siṅgīnikkhasatassāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for a hundred ornamental gold coins.’
17.17
pathaviyāpi jātarūpaparipūrāya hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for the sake of the |whole earth filled with gold::world filled with gold [pathavī + jātarūpaparipūra]|.’
17.18
āmisakiñcikkhahetupi sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie |for the sake of a small worldly benefit::for the purpose of a small worldly gain [āmisakiñcikkhahetu]|.’
17.19
jīvitahetupi sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even |for the sake of their own life::on account of one’s life [jīvitahetu]|.’
17.20
janapadakalyāṇiyāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā'ti. Tamenaṁ passāmi aparena samayena lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūtaṁ pariyādiṇṇacittaṁ sampajānamusā bhāsantaṁ.
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for the sake of a country’s most beautiful woman.’ I see that person at a later time, overwhelmed by acquisitions, respect, and popularity, with a mind consumed by them, speaking a deliberate lie.”
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.
17.13
“Here, bhikkhus, I know of a certain person by directly knowing their mind with my mind in this way: ‘This venerable one would not, even for the sake of a gold coin, intentionally speak a deliberate lie.’
17.14
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for a hundred gold coins.’
17.15
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for the sake of an |ornamental gold coin::a gold coin of a higher quality or greater value than a regular gold coin [siṅgīnikkha]|.’
17.16
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for a hundred ornamental gold coins.’
17.17
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for the sake of the |whole earth filled with gold::world filled with gold [pathavī + jātarūpaparipūra]|.’
17.18
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie |for the sake of a small worldly benefit::for the purpose of a small worldly gain [āmisakiñcikkhahetu]|.’
17.19
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even |for the sake of their own life::on account of one’s life [jīvitahetu]|.’
17.20
‘Nor would they speak a deliberate lie even for the sake of a country’s most beautiful woman.’ I see that person at a later time, overwhelmed by acquisitions, respect, and popularity, with a mind consumed by them, speaking a deliberate lie.”
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.
“Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ekaccaṁ puggalaṁ evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāmi: ‘na cāyamāyasmā suvaṇṇanikkhassāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
suvaṇṇanikkhasatassāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
siṅgīnikkhassāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
siṅgīnikkhasatassāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
pathaviyāpi jātarūpaparipūrāya hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
āmisakiñcikkhahetupi sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
jīvitahetupi sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
janapadakalyāṇiyāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā'ti. Tamenaṁ passāmi aparena samayena lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūtaṁ pariyādiṇṇacittaṁ sampajānamusā bhāsantaṁ.
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.