SN17:8 The Jackal
- fdg sc © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī. "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.[n.322] Ukkaṇṭaka (so Be and Se; Ee: ukkaṇṇaka). Spk: This is the name of a disease, said to arise in the cold season. The hairs fall off from the entire body, and the entire body, fully exposed, breaks open all over. Struck by the wind, the wounds ooze. Just as a man, bitten by a rabid dog, runs around in circles, so does the jackal when it has contracted this disease, and there is no place where it finds safety. 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. sn.ii.231 So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise … . Thus should you train yourselves." |