Acquisitions, respect, and popularity cut through deeply (SN 17.28)

The Buddha compares acquisitions, respect, and popularity to a destructive force that cuts through deeply, and obstructs the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.

Meditating Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, ca. 3rd–5th century

At Sāvatthi.

“Bhikkhus, acquisitions [1], respect [2], and popularity (fame, praise [siloka]) are vicious.

Bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity cut through the outer skin; having cutting through the outer skin, they cut through the inner skin; having cutting through the inner skin, they cut through the flesh; having cutting through the flesh, they cut through the sinews; having cut through the sinews, they cut through the bones; having cut through the bones, they stand pressing against the bone marrow.

Thus, bhikkhus, acquisitions, respect, and popularity are vicious, bitter, and severe; they obstruct the attainment of the unsurpassed safety from bondage.

Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will abandon the arisen acquisitions, respect and popularity, and we will not let the arisen acquisitions, respect, and popularity to continue occupying (obsessing, controlling [pariyādāya]) our minds.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”

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One of the three types of craving is bhavataṇhā. This is the spiritual or worldly striving to “be someone,” the “I must become something” energy. Also known as: aspiration for identity, drive for status or attainment, romanticizing some better self or future state.

Just as one learns to gradually discern and recognize craving associated with sensual pleasures when arising in one's experience, one should also similarly gradually learn to recognize bhavataṇhā. For when left unchecked, it inevitably leads one on a quest for that becoming, for that ambition, for that status or attainment.

[1] acquisitions [lābhā] ≈ gain, money, profit, possessions

[2] respect [sakkāra] ≈ honor, accolade, reverence

Related Teachings:

• Acquisitions, respect, and popularity are an obstacle even for an arahant (SN 17.30) - The Buddha explains how even for an arahant, acquisitions, respect, and popularity are an obstacle to the attainment of pleasant abidings in this very life.
• Reviewing one's failings and successes from time to time (AN 8.7) - The Buddha advises the bhikkhus to review their own failings and the failings of others, and to overcome acquisitions, loss, fame, disrepute, honor, dishonor, evil wishes, and evil friendship.
• If the underlying tendency to craving is not rooted out, suffering springs up again and again (DhP 334 - 343)