Winds Blowing in High Altitudes

1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta's grove in Sāvatthi.

2. The Blessed One addressed the monks from there. “Monks, gain, honor and fame are severe, cruel and dangerous for him who wants to end unpleasantness.

3. “Monks, there is a wind blowing in high altitudes. If birds fly there, they drop down. Anyone seized by that wind does not use his feet to go, birds cannot fly caught in it they move on top of that wind.

4. “Monks, in the same manner a certain monk with a mind overcome and consumed by gain, honor and fame, wears robes in the morning and taking bowl and robes enters a village or hamlet for alms food, with body, words and mind not protected, mindfulness not established and mental faculties not controlled.

5. “There he sees a woman carelessly dressed and covered and his mind is consumed by greed. With a mind consumed by greed he steps down to the lower life. His robe is carried away by someone bowl by another, seat is carried away by another and the needle-case by another. Like the bird dropped by the winds of the high altitude.

6. “Monks, gain, honor and fame are severe, cruel and dangerous for him who wants to end unpleasantness.

7. “Therefore, monks, you should train thus: “We will get rid of arisen gain, honor and fame. Arisen gain, honor and fame will not take control of our minds. Monks, you should train in this manner.”