Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
17. Labhasakkara Saṃyutta
Sutta 5
Pilahaka Sutta
The Dung Beetle
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Provenance, terms and conditons
[5][pts][bodh][olds] Dwelling at Sāvatthi. "Monks, gains, offerings, and fame are a cruel thing, a harsh, bitter obstacle to the attainment of the unexcelled rest from bondage. Suppose there were a beetle, a dung-eater, full of dung, gorged with dung, with a huge pile of dung in front of him. He, because of that, would look down on other beetles: 'Yes, sirree! I am a dung-eater, full of dung, gorged with dung, with a huge pile of dung in front of me!' In the same way, there is the case where a certain monk — conquered by gains, offerings, and fame, his mind consumed — puts on his robes and, carrying his bowl and outer robe, goes into a village or town for alms. Having eaten there as much as he likes — full of almsfood and invited again for the next day — he goes to the monastery and, in the midst of a group of monks, boasts, 'I have eaten as much as I like, I am full of almsfood and have been invited again for tomorrow. I am a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for curing illness. These other monks, though, have next to no merit, next to no influence. They aren't recipients of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicinal requisites for curing illness.' Conquered by gains, offerings, and fame, his mind consumed, he looks down on other well-behaved monks. That will be for this worthless man's long-term suffering and harm. That's how cruel gains, offerings, and fame are: a harsh, bitter obstacle to the attainment of the unexcelled rest from bondage.
"Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will put aside any gains, offerings, and fame that have arisen; and we will not let any gains, offerings, and fame that have arisen keep our minds consumed.' That's how you should train yourselves."
