A Rope

At Sāvatthī.

“Possessions, honor, and popularity are grim …

They cut through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until they reach the marrow and keep pressing.

Suppose a strong man was to twist a strong horse-hair rope around your shin and tighten it.

It would cut through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until it reached the marrow and kept pressing.

In the same way, possessions, honor, and popularity cut through the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, sinews, and bones, until they reach the marrow and keep pressing.

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