At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, |acquisitions::gain, money, profit, possessions [lābhā]|, |respect::honor, accolade, reverence [sakkāra]|, and |popularity::fame, praise [siloka]| are vicious.
Bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity cut through the outer skin; having cut through the outer skin, they cut through the inner skin; having cut through the inner skin, they cut through the flesh; having cut through the flesh, they cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, they cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, they stand pressing against the bone marrow.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a strong man would wrap a person’s calf with a strong horsehair rope and pull it tight. Then it would cut through the outer skin; having cut through the outer skin, it would cut through the inner skin; having cut through the inner skin, it would cut through the flesh; having cut through the flesh, it would cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, it would cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, it would stand pressing against the bone marrow.
So too, bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity cut through the outer skin; having cut through the outer skin, they cut through the inner skin; having cut through the inner skin, they cut through the flesh; having cut through the flesh, they cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, they cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, they stand pressing against the bone marrow.
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.”