The Buddha shares a simile of a wooly goat entering a thicket of thorns 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.
“Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko kaṭuko pharuso antarāyiko anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya.
“Bhikkhus, |acquisitions::gain, money, profit, possessions [lābhā]|, |respect::honor, accolade, reverence [sakkāra]|, and |popularity::fame, praise [siloka]| are vicious, bitter, and severe; they obstruct the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dīghalomikā eḷakā kaṇṭakagahanaṁ paviseyya. Sā tatra tatra sajjeyya, tatra tatra gayheyya, tatra tatra bajjheyya, tatra tatra anayabyasanaṁ āpajjeyya.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a |wooly::long-haired [dīghalomika]| goat would enter |a thicket of thorns::a tangled area of prickly plants, such as briars [kaṇṭakagahana]|. She would get caught here and there, entangled here and there, trapped here and there, and would come to meet misfortune and disaster.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūto pariyādiṇṇacitto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisati. So tatra tatra sajjati, tatra tatra gayhati, tatra tatra bajjhati, tatra tatra anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.
So too, bhikkhus, when a certain bhikkhu, overwhelmed by acquisitions, respect, and popularity, with his mind |consumed::obsessed, controlled [pariyādiṇṇa]| by them, dresses early in the morning, takes his alms bowl and outer robe, and enters a village or town for alms, he becomes attached here and there, caught here and there, trapped here and there, and meets with misfortune and disaster.
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.
“Bhikkhus, |acquisitions::gain, money, profit, possessions [lābhā]|, |respect::honor, accolade, reverence [sakkāra]|, and |popularity::fame, praise [siloka]| are vicious, bitter, and severe; they obstruct the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.
Suppose, bhikkhus, a |wooly::long-haired [dīghalomika]| goat would enter |a thicket of thorns::a tangled area of prickly plants, such as briars [kaṇṭakagahana]|. She would get caught here and there, entangled here and there, trapped here and there, and would come to meet misfortune and disaster.
So too, bhikkhus, when a certain bhikkhu, overwhelmed by acquisitions, respect, and popularity, with his mind |consumed::obsessed, controlled [pariyādiṇṇa]| by them, dresses early in the morning, takes his alms bowl and outer robe, and enters a village or town for alms, he becomes attached here and there, caught here and there, trapped here and there, and meets with misfortune and disaster.
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.
“Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko kaṭuko pharuso antarāyiko anuttarassa yogakkhemassa adhigamāya.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dīghalomikā eḷakā kaṇṭakagahanaṁ paviseyya. Sā tatra tatra sajjeyya, tatra tatra gayheyya, tatra tatra bajjheyya, tatra tatra anayabyasanaṁ āpajjeyya.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūto pariyādiṇṇacitto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisati. So tatra tatra sajjati, tatra tatra gayhati, tatra tatra bajjhati, tatra tatra anayabyasanaṁ āpajjati.
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.