The Turtle Kumma Sutta (SN 17:3)
- suttas - - evening talks - short morning talks - lectures - guided meditations - talk collections - other themes - chants - - - - à¹à¸à¸¢ - Franā§ais - Espaā±ol - - Portuguāªs - Ð ÑÑÑкий - - - УкÑаÑнÑÑка Submit Search - Home - Suttas - SN - SN 17:3 The Turtle ## Browse Suttas Go to Saṃyutta Nikṅya index SN index ## The Turtle Kumma Sutta  (SN 17:3) Staying near Sṅvatthī. "Monks, gains, offerings, & fame are a cruel thing, a harsh, bitter obstacle to the attainment of the unexcelled rest from bondage. "Once, monks, a large family of turtles had lived for a long time in a certain freshwater lake. Then one turtle said to another, ),
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('â', My dear turtle, donât go to that area.â But the turtle went to that area, and because of that a hunter lanced him with a harpoon. So he went back to the first turtle. The first turtle saw him coming from afar, and on seeing him said to him, ),
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('â', I hope, dear turtle, that you didnât go to area.â "),
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('â', I went to that area, dear turtle.â "),
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('â', Then I hope you havenât been wounded or hurt.â "),
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('â', I havenât been wounded or hurt, but thereâs this cord that keeps dragging behind me.â "),
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('â', Yes, dear turtle, youâre wounded, youâre hurt. It was because of that cord that your father & grandfather fell into misfortune & disaster. Now go, dear turtle. You are no longer one of us.â "The hunter, monks, stands for Mṅra, the Evil One. The harpoon stands for gains, offerings, & fame. The cord stands for delight & passion. Any monk who relishes & revels in gains, offerings, & fame that have arisen is called a monk lanced by the harpoon, who has fallen into misfortune & disaster. The Evil One can do with him as he will. Thatâs how cruel gains, offerings, & fame are: a harsh, bitter obstacle to the attainment of the unexcelled rest from bondage. "So you should train yourselves: ),
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('â', We will put aside any gains, offerings, & fame that have arisen; and we will not let any gains, offerings, & fame that have arisen keep our minds consumed.â Thatâs how you should train yourselves." See also: ANÂ 8:7 - --> - - - -