Linked Discourses
2. Chapter Two

A Gold Ingot, Etc.

Saṁyutta Nikāya
2. Dutiyavagga
Suvaṇṇanikkhasuttādiaṭṭhaka
Linked Discourses
2. Chapter Two
A Gold Ingot, Etc.
Saṁyutta Nikāya
2. Dutiyavagga
Suvaṇṇanikkhasuttādiaṭṭhaka

Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, which can corrupt the mind even of a pure mendicant.

← Suttas
Vista:

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, when I’ve comprehended the mind of a certain individual, I understand: ‘This venerable would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of a gold ingot.’ …”

“Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ekaccaṁ puggalaṁ evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāmi: ‘na cāyamāyasmā suvaṇṇanikkhassāpi hetu …pe…

“Mendicants, when I’ve comprehended the mind of a certain individual, I understand:
“Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ekaccaṁ puggalaṁ evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāmi:
‘This venerable would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of a gold ingot.’ …”
‘na cāyamāyasmā suvaṇṇanikkhassāpi hetu …pe…

“Mendicants, when I’ve comprehended the mind of a certain individual, I understand: “Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ekaccaṁ puggalaṁ evaṁ cetasā ceto paricca pajānāmi: ‘This venerable would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of a gold ingot.’ …” ‘na cāyamāyasmā suvaṇṇanikkhassāpi hetu …pe…

“‘… for the sake of a hundred gold ingots.’ …”

suvaṇṇanikkhasatassāpi hetu …

“‘… for the sake of a hundred gold ingots.’ …”
suvaṇṇanikkhasatassāpi hetu …

“‘… for the sake of a hundred gold ingots.’ …” suvaṇṇanikkhasatassāpi hetu …

“‘… for the sake of a mountain of gold.’ …”*The Purāṇas list the nikkha (“ingot”) as the largest gold coin, but here a siṅgīnikkha must be much more than a hundred of the largest coins, and hence cannot be a coin at all. Siṅgīsuvaṇṇa means “mountain gold” (AN 3.70:38.3). Given that the next step is the entire earth, perhaps siṅgīnikkha means “golden mountain”. A “golden mountain” (pabbatassa suvaṇṇassa) appears in a similar context at SN 4.20:3.2.

siṅgīnikkhassāpi hetu …

“‘… for the sake of a mountain of gold.’ …”*The Purāṇas list the nikkha (“ingot”) as the largest gold coin, but here a siṅgīnikkha must be much more than a hundred of the largest coins, and hence cannot be a coin at all. Siṅgīsuvaṇṇa means “mountain gold” (AN 3.70:38.3). Given that the next step is the entire earth, perhaps siṅgīnikkha means “golden mountain”. A “golden mountain” (pabbatassa suvaṇṇassa) appears in a similar context at SN 4.20:3.2.
siṅgīnikkhassāpi hetu …

“‘… for the sake of a mountain of gold.’ …”*The Purāṇas list the nikkha (“ingot”) as the largest gold coin, but here a siṅgīnikkha must be much more than a hundred of the largest coins, and hence cannot be a coin at all. Siṅgīsuvaṇṇa means “mountain gold” (AN 3.70:38.3). Given that the next step is the entire earth, perhaps siṅgīnikkha means “golden mountain”. A “golden mountain” (pabbatassa suvaṇṇassa) appears in a similar context at SN 4.20:3.2.siṅgīnikkhassāpi hetu …

“‘… for the sake of a hundred mountains of gold.’ …”

siṅgīnikkhasatassāpi hetu …

“‘… for the sake of a hundred mountains of gold.’ …”
siṅgīnikkhasatassāpi hetu …

“‘… for the sake of a hundred mountains of gold.’ …” siṅgīnikkhasatassāpi hetu …

“‘… for the sake of the whole earth full of gold.’ …”

pathaviyāpi jātarūpaparipūrāya hetu …

“‘… for the sake of the whole earth full of gold.’ …”
pathaviyāpi jātarūpaparipūrāya hetu …

“‘… for the sake of the whole earth full of gold.’ …” pathaviyāpi jātarūpaparipūrāya hetu …

“‘… for any kind of material reward.’ …”

āmisakiñcikkhahetupi …

“‘… for any kind of material reward.’ …”
āmisakiñcikkhahetupi …

“‘… for any kind of material reward.’ …” āmisakiñcikkhahetupi …

“‘… for the sake of life.’ …”

jīvitahetupi …

“‘… for the sake of life.’ …”
jīvitahetupi …

“‘… for the sake of life.’ …” jīvitahetupi …

“‘… for the sake of the finest lady in the land.’ But some time later I see them tell a deliberate lie because their mind is overcome and overwhelmed by possessions, honor, and popularity.

janapadakalyāṇiyāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti. Tamenaṁ passāmi aparena samayena lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūtaṁ pariyādiṇṇacittaṁ sampajānamusā bhāsantaṁ.

“‘… for the sake of the finest lady in the land.’
janapadakalyāṇiyāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti.
But some time later I see them tell a deliberate lie because their mind is overcome and overwhelmed by possessions, honor, and popularity.
Tamenaṁ passāmi aparena samayena lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūtaṁ pariyādiṇṇacittaṁ sampajānamusā bhāsantaṁ.

“‘… for the sake of the finest lady in the land.’ janapadakalyāṇiyāpi hetu sampajānamusā bhāseyyā’ti. But some time later I see them tell a deliberate lie because their mind is overcome and overwhelmed by possessions, honor, and popularity. Tamenaṁ passāmi aparena samayena lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūtaṁ pariyādiṇṇacittaṁ sampajānamusā bhāsantaṁ.

So grim are possessions, honor, and popularity. …”

Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe… evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

So grim are possessions, honor, and popularity. …”
Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe…
evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

So grim are possessions, honor, and popularity. …” Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe… evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Dasamaṁ.

Dasamaṁ.

Dutiyo vaggo.

Dutiyo vaggo.

Dutiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Tassuddānaṁ

Tassuddānaṁ

Dve pāti dve suvaṇṇā ca, Siṅgīhi apare duve; Pathavī kiñcikkhajīvitaṁ, Janapadakalyāṇiyā dasāti.

Dve pāti dve suvaṇṇā ca,
Siṅgīhi apare duve;
Pathavī kiñcikkhajīvitaṁ,
Janapadakalyāṇiyā dasāti.

Dve pāti dve suvaṇṇā ca, Siṅgīhi apare duve; Pathavī kiñcikkhajīvitaṁ, Janapadakalyāṇiyā dasāti.