“Venerable sir, what is the reason, what is the cause, why formerly there were fewer training rules but more bhikkhus were established in final knowledge, while now there are more training rules but fewer bhikkhus are established in final knowledge?”311
“That’s the way it is, Kassapa. When beings are deteriorating and the true Dhamma is disappearing there are more training rules but fewer bhikkhus are established in final knowledge. Kassapa, the true Dhamma does not disappear so long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world. But when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma arises in the world, then the true Dhamma disappears.312
“Just as, Kassapa, gold does not disappear so long as counterfeit gold has not arisen in the world, but when counterfeit gold arises then true gold disappears, so the true Dhamma does not disappear so long as a counterfeit of the true Dhamma has not arisen in the world, but when a counterfeit of the true Dhamma arises in the world, then the true Dhamma disappears.
“It is not the earth element, Kassapa, that causes the true Dhamma to disappear, nor the water element, nor the heat element, nor the air element. It is the senseless people who arise right here who cause the true Dhamma to disappear.
“The true Dhamma does not disappear all at once in the way a ship sinks.313 There are, Kassapa, five detrimental things314 that lead to the decay and disappearance of the true Dhamma. What are the five? Here the bhikkhus, the bhikkhunı̄s, the male lay followers, and the female lay followers dwell without reverence and deference towards the Teacher; they dwell without reverence and deference towards the Dhamma; they dwell without reverence and deference towards the Saṅgha; [225] they dwell without reverence and deference towards the training; they dwell without reverence and deference towards concentration.315 These, Kassapa, are the five detrimental things that lead to the decay and disappearance of the true Dhamma.
“There are five things, Kassapa, that lead to the longevity of the true Dhamma, to its nondecay and nondisappearance. What are the five? Here the bhikkhus, the bhikkhunı̄s, the male lay followers, and the female lay followers dwell with reverence and deference towards the Teacher; they dwell with reverence and deference towards the Dhamma; they dwell with reverence and deference towards the Saṅgha; they dwell with reverence and deference towards the training; they dwell with reverence and deference towards concentration. These, Kassapa, are the five things that lead to the longevity of the true Dhamma, to its nondecay and nondisappearance.”
Chapter VI
17 Lābhasakkārasaṃyutta Connected Discourses on Gains and Honour
I. THE FIRST SUBCHAPTER
(Dreadful)
1 (1) Dreadful
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthı̄ in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!” [226]
“Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise, bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage.316 Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will abandon the arisen gain, honour, and praise, and we will not let the arisen gain, honour, and praise persist obsessing our minds.’ Thus should you train yourselves.”
2 (2) The Hook
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise, bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage. Suppose a fisherman would cast a baited hook into a deep lake, and a fish on the lookout for food would swallow it. That fish, having swallowed the fisherman’s hook, would meet with calamity and disaster, and the fisherman could do with it as he wishes.
“‘Fisherman,’ bhikkhus: this is a designation for Māra the Evil One. ‘Baited hook’: this is a designation for gain, honour, and praise. Any bhikkhu who relishes and enjoys the arisen gain, honour, and praise is called a bhikkhu who has swallowed the baited hook, who has met with calamity and disaster, and the Evil One can do with him as he wishes. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise, so bitter, vile, obstructive to achieving the unsurpassed security from bondage. Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will abandon the arisen gain, honour, and praise, and we will not let the arisen gain, honour, and praise persist obsessing our minds.’ Thus should you train yourselves.”
3 (3) The Turtle
At Sāvatthı̄. [227] “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise.... Once in the past there was a large family of turtles that had been living for a long time in a certain lake.317 Then one turtle said to another: ‘Dear turtle, do not go to such and such a region.’ But that turtle went to that region, and a hunter struck him with a corded harpoon.318 Then that turtle approached the first one. When the first turtle saw him coming in the distance, he said to him: ‘I hope, dear turtle, that you didn’t go to that region.’ –‘I did go to that region, dear.’–‘I hope you haven’t been hit or struck, dear.’–‘I haven’t been hit or struck; but there is this cord constantly following behind me.’–‘Indeed you’ve been hit, dear turtle, indeed you’ve been struck! Your father and grandfather also met with calamity and disaster on account of such a cord. Go now, dear turtle, you are no longer one of us.’
“‘Hunter,’ bhikkhus: this is a designation for Māra the Evil One. ‘Corded harpoon’: this is a designation for gain, honour, and praise. ‘Cord’: this is a designation for delight and lust. Any bhikkhu who relishes and enjoys the arisen gain, honour, and praise is called a bhikkhu who has been struck with a corded harpoon, 319 who has met with calamity and disaster, and the Evil One can do with him as he wishes. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. [228] Thus should you train yourselves.”
4 (4) The Long-Haired Goat
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Suppose a long-haired she-goat would enter a briar patch. She would get caught here and there, be held fast here and there, be bound here and there, and here and there she would meet with calamity and disaster. So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honour, and praise dresses in the morning and, taking bowl and robe, enters a village or town for alms. He gets caught here and there, is held fast here and there, is bound here and there, and here and there he meets with calamity and disaster. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
5 (5) The Dung Beetle
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Suppose there was a beetle, a dung-eater, stuffed with dung, full of dung, and in front of her was a large dunghill. Because of this she would despise the other beetles, thinking: ‘I am a dung-eater, stuffed with dung, full of dung, and in front of me there is a large dunghill.’ [229] So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honour, and praise dresses in the morning and, taking bowl and robe, enters a village or town for alms. There he would eat as much as he wants, he would be invited for the next day’s meal, and his almsfood would be plentiful. When he goes back to the monastery, he boasts before a group of bhikkhus: ‘I have eaten as much as I want, I have been invited for tomorrow’s meal, and my almsfood is plentiful. I am one who gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites, but these other bhikkhus have little merit and influence, and they do not gain robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites.’ Thus, because his mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honour, and praise, he despises the other well-behaved bhikkhus. That will lead to the harm and suffering of this senseless person for a long time. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
6 (6) The Thunderbolt
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Whom should a thunderbolt strike, bhikkhus? A trainee upon whom come gain, honour, and praise while he has not yet reached his mind’s ideal.320
“‘Thunderbolt,’ bhikkhus: this is a designation for ga
in, honour, and praise. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
7 (7) The Poisoned Dart
At Sāvatthı̄. [230] “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Whom should one pierce with a dart smeared in poison, bhikkhus? A trainee upon whom come gain, honour, and praise while he has not yet reached his mind’s ideal.321
“‘Dart,’ bhikkhus: this is a designation for gain, honour, and praise. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
8 (8) The Jackal
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Did you hear an old jackal howling when the night was fading?”
“Yes, venerable sir.”
“That old jackal is afflicted with a disease called mange.322 He cannot feel at ease whether he goes into a cave, or to the foot of a tree, or into the open air. Wherever he goes, wherever he stands, wherever he sits, wherever he lies down, there he meets with calamity and disaster. So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed with gain, honour, and praise does not feel at ease whether he goes into an empty hut, or to the foot of a tree, or into the open air. Wherever he goes, wherever he stands, wherever he sits, wherever he lies down, there he meets with calamity and disaster. [231] So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
9 (9) The Gale Winds
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Bhikkhus, high in the sky winds called gales are blowing.323 If a bird goes up there, the gale winds fling it about, and as it is flung about by the gale winds, its feet go one way, its wings another way, its head still another way, and its body still another way. So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honour, and praise dresses in the morning and, taking bowl and robe, enters a village or town for alms with body, speech, and mind unguarded, without setting up mindfulness, unrestrained in his sense faculties. He sees women there lightly clad or lightly attired and lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust he gives up the training and returns to the lower life. Some take his robe, others his bowl, others his sitting cloth, and still others his needle case, as with the bird flung by the gale winds. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
10 (10) With Verses
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Bhikkhus, I see some person here [232] whose mind is overcome and obsessed by honour, with the breakup of the body, after death, reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. Then I see some person here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by lack of honour ... reborn in a state of misery…. Then I see some person here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by both honour and lack of honour, with the breakup of the body, after death, reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:“Whether he is showered with honour,
Shown dishonour, or offered both,
His concentration does not vacillate
As he dwells in the measureless state.324
When he meditates with perseverance,
An insight-seer of subtle view
Delighting in the destruction of clinging,
They call him truly a superior man.”325
[233]
II. THE SECOND SUBCHAPTER
(The Bowl)
11 (1) Golden Bowl
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Bhikkhus, I have known of a certain person here whose mind I have encompassed with my own mind: ‘This venerable one would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of a golden bowl filled with powdered silver.’ Yet some time later I see him, his mind overcome and obsessed by gain, honour, and praise, telling a deliberate lie. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
12 (2) Silver Bowl
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Bhikkhus, I have known of a certain person here whose mind I have encompassed with my own mind: ‘This venerable one would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of a silver bowl filled with powdered gold.’ Yet some time later I see him, his mind overcome and obsessed by gain, honour, and praise, telling a deliberate lie. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
13 (3)–20 (10) Suvaṇṇanikkha, Etc.
At Sāvatthı̄. [234] “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Bhikkhus, I have known of a certain person here whose mind I have encompassed with my own mind: ‘This venerable one would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of a suvaṇṇanikkha … even for the sake of a hundred suvaṇṇanikkhas … even for the sake of a siṅginikkha … for a hundred siṅginikkhas326 … for the earth filled with gold ... for any material reward ... for the sake of his life ... for the most beautiful girl of the land.327 Yet some time later I see him, his mind overcome and obsessed by gain, honour, and praise, telling a deliberate lie. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
III. THE THIRD SUBCHAPTER
(A Woman)
21 (1) A Woman
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. [235] Bhikkhus, even though a woman, when one is alone with her, may not persist obsessing one’s mind, still gain, honour, and praise might persist obsessing one’s mind. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
22 (2) The Most Beautiful Girl of the Land
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. Bhikkhus, even though the most beautiful girl of the land, when one is alone with her, may not persist obsessing one’s mind, still gain, honour, and praise might persist obsessing one’s mind. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
23 (3) Only Son
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. A faithful female lay follower, rightly imploring her only son, dear and beloved, might implore him thus: ‘Dear, you should become like Citta the householder and Hatthaka of Āḷavaka’—for this is the standard and criterion for my male disciples who are lay followers, that is, Citta the householder and Hatthaka of Āḷavaka.328 ‘But if, dear, you go forth from the household life into homelessness, you should become like Sāriputta and Moggallāna’—for this is the standard and criterion for my male disciples who are bhikkhus, that is, Sāriputta and Moggallāna. ‘While, dear, you are a trainee, one who has not yet reached his mind’s ideal, may gain, honour, and praise not come upon you!’
“Bhikkhus, if [236] gain, honour, and praise come upon a bhikkhu while he is a trainee, one who has not yet reached his mind’s ideal, this is an obstacle for him. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
24 (4) Only Daughter
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise…. A faithful female lay follower, rightly imploring her only daughter, dear and beloved, might implore her thus: ‘Dear, you should become like Khujjuttarā the lay follower and Veḷukaṇḍakiyā, Nanda’s mother’—for this is the standard and criterion for my female disciples who are lay followers, that is, Khujjuttarā the lay follower and Veḷukaṇḍakiyā, Nanda’s mother.329 ‘But if, dear, you go forth from the household life into homelessness, you should become like the bhikkhunı̄s Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā’—for this is the standard and criterion for my female disciples who are bhikkhunı̄s, that is, Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā. ‘While, dear, you are a trainee, one who has not yet reached her mind’s ideal, may gain, honour, and praise not c
ome upon you!’
“Bhikkhus, if gain, honour, and praise come upon a bhikkhunı̄ while she is still a trainee, one who has not yet reached her mind’s ideal, this is an obstacle for her. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise…. Thus should you train yourselves.”
25 (5) Ascetics and Brahmins (1)
At Sāvatthı̄. [237] “Bhikkhus, those ascetics or brahmins who do not understand as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of gain, honour, and praise:330 these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics or brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones do not, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism or the goal of brahminhood.
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Page 74
