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Mar 19th
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Home Teachings Fames, Honors, and Gains

Fames, Honors, and Gains

How to Deal with Fames, Honors, and Gains

In Buddhism, we strive to keep the purity of our hearts from the corruptions of the world, and this is part of the Buddhist's life. The Buddha taught in the Samyutta Nikaya,


The Hook

On another occasion, also at Savatthi, The Blessed One said this:

Hard, monks, are Fame, Favors and Gains; cutting, rough obstructions to securing the ultimate refuge from bondage.

If the Fisherman, monks, were to cast a flesh-baited hook into a deep pool and some hungry fish there with eyes in his head that could see were to swallow that bait; I say, monks, that for sure that fish, swallowing that Fisherman's bait, has been waylaid, has come upon hard luck, is subject to being treated in any way that Fisherman wishes.

"The Fisherman," monks, is another word for Mara, the Evil One.

"Flesh-Baited Hook," monks, is another word for Fame, Honor and Gains.

Any monks, who, set on enjoying pleasure, tastes Fame, Honor, and Gains; I say, monks, that for sure that monk has swallowed the Fisherman's Bait, has been waylaid, has come upon hard luck, is subject to being treated in any way Mara wishes.

Even this hard, monks, are Fame, Honor, and Gains; cutting, rough obstructions to securing the ultimate refuge from bondage.

Wherefore, monks, train yourselves this way: "When Fame, Honor, and Gains come to us, we will let them go, and not let them take holding in our heart."

This is the way you must train yourselves.

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" Him I call a brahmana who, in this world, has given up sensual pleasures, and leaving the homelife has become a bhikkhu; who has eradicated sensual desires and has come to the end of existence. "

The Dhammapada


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