SN 17.29

Rajjusutta

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati. “Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko. Lābhasakkārasiloko, bhikkhave, chaviṁ chindati, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindati, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindati, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindati, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindati, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati.

A Rope

At Sāvatthī. “Possessions, honor, and popularity are grim … They cut through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until they reach the marrow and keep pressing.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, balavā puriso daḷhāya vāḷarajjuyā jaṅghaṁ veṭhetvā ghaṁseyya. Sā chaviṁ chindeyya, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindeyya, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindeyya, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindeyya, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindeyya, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭheyya. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko chaviṁ chindati, chaviṁ chetvā cammaṁ chindati, cammaṁ chetvā maṁsaṁ chindati, maṁsaṁ chetvā nhāruṁ chindati, nhāruṁ chetvā aṭṭhiṁ chindati, aṭṭhiṁ chetvā aṭṭhimiñjaṁ āhacca tiṭṭhati. Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe… evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Suppose a strong man was to twist a strong horse-hair rope around your shin and tighten it. It would cut through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until it reached the marrow and kept pressing. In the same way, possessions, honor, and popularity cut through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until they reach the marrow and keep pressing. So grim are possessions, honor, and popularity. …”