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SN 17.11

A Gold Cup

Suvaṇṇapātisutta

from: Chapter Two

A Gold Cup

At Sāvatthī.

“Possessions, honor, and popularity are grim …

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 cup filled with silver powder.’ But some time later I see them tell a deliberate lie because their mind is overcome and overwhelmed by possessions, honor, and popularity.

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

Translation: German (Ayyā Sabbamittā), English (Bhikkhu Sujato). Source: SuttaCentral / Bilara (public domain, CC0).

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