Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Connected Discourses

SN17: Connected Discourses on Gains and Honour

SN17:13–20 Suvaṇṇanikkha, Etc.

1At Sāvatthī. sn.ii.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 singinikkha … for a hundred singinikkhas [n.326] The suvaṇṇanikkha and the singinikkha seem to be two different types of golden coin, the latter presumably of greater value than the former, or made from a superior species of gold. Spk glosses suvaṇṇanikkhassa as ekassa kañcananikkhassa, and singinikkhassa as singisuvaṇṇanikkhassa. … for the earth filled with gold … for any material reward … for the sake of his life … for the most beautiful girl of the land. [n.327] Janapadakalyaṇi. See below SN17:22 and SN47:20, and the famous simile in MN79. 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."


1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. "Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ekaccaṁ puggalaṁ evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāmi: ‘Na cāyamāyasmā suvaṇṇanikkhassāpi hetu … pe … suvaṇṇanikkhasatassāpi hetu … siṅgīnikkhassāpi hetu … siṅgīnikkhasatassāpi hetu … pathaviyāpi jātarūpaparipūrāya hetu … āmisakiñcikkhahetupi … jīvitahetupi … janapadakalyāṇiyāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti. Tamenaṁ passāmi aparena samayena lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūtaṁ pariyādiṇṇacittaṁ sampajānamusā bhāsantaṁ. Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko … pe … evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.


Dasamaṁ.
Dutiyo vaggo.

2Dve pāti dve suvaṇṇā ca,
Siṅgīhi apare duve;
Pathavī kiñcikkhajīvitaṁ,
Janapadakalyāṇiyā dasāti.

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