SN 17.37 Mātu Sutta. Mother.

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mikenz66
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SN 17.37 Mātu Sutta. Mother.

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SN 17.37 Mātu Sutta. Mother.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato.


https://suttacentral.net/sn17-catutthavagga

At Sāvatthī. “Possessions, honor, and popularity are brutal, bitter, and harsh. They’re an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary. When I’ve comprehended the mind of a certain person, I understand: ‘This venerable would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of their mother.’ But some time later I see them tell a deliberate lie because their mind is overcome and overwhelmed by possessions, honor, and popularity. That’s how brutal, bitter, and harsh are possessions, honor, and popularity. They’re an obstacle to reaching the supreme sanctuary. So you should train like this: ‘We will give up arisen possessions, honor, and popularity, and we won’t let them occupy our minds.’ That’s how you should train.”
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mikenz66
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Re: SN 17.37 Mātu Sutta. Mother.

Post by mikenz66 »

Subsequent suttas substitute father... brother … sister … son … daughter … wife for mother.

Bhikkhu Bodhi quotes the commentary:
"This venerable one would not tell a deliberate lie even for the sake of his mother..."

Spk: When bandits grab hold of his mother in the wilderness and say they will release her only if he tells a deliberate lie, even then he won’t tell a deliberate lie. The same method in the other cases.
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