51 (1) The Fingernail

Then the Blessed One took up a little bit of soil in his fingernail and addressed the Bhikkhus thus:

“Bhikkhus, what do you think which is more: the little bit of soil that I have taken up in my fingernail or this great earth?”

“Venerable sir, the great earth is more. The little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail is trifling. Compared to the great earth, that little bit of soil is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple, a person accomplished in view who has made the breakthrough, the suffering that has been destroyed and eliminated is more, while that which remains is trifling. Compared to the former mass of suffering that has been destroyed and eliminated, the latter is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction, as there is a maximum of seven more lives. He is one who understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’

“Therefore, Bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”

52 (2) The Pond

“Bhikkhus, suppose there were a pond fifty yojanas long, fifty yojanas wide, and fifty yojanas deep, full of water, overflowing so that a crow could drink from it, and a man would draw out some water from it on the tip of a blade of kusa grass. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the water drawn out on the tip of the blade of kusa grass or the water in the pond?”

“Venerable sir, the water in the pond is more. The water drawn out on the tip of the blade of kusa grass is trifling. Compared to the water in the pond, the water drawn out on the tip of the blade of kusa grass is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … Therefore an exertion should be made.…”

53 (3) Water at the Confluence (1)

“Bhikkhus, suppose that in the place where these great rivers meet and converge—that is, the Ganges, the Yamunā, the AciravatI, the SarabhŪ, and the MahI—a man would draw out two or three drops of water. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: these two or three drops of water that have been drawn out or the water at the confluence?”

“Venerable sir, the water at the confluence is more. The two or three drops of water that have been drawn out are trifling. Compared to the water at the confluence, the two or three drops of water that have been drawn out are not calculable, do not bear comparison, do not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … Therefore an exertion should be made.…”

54 (4) Water at the Confluence (2)

“Bhikkhus, suppose that in the place where these great rivers meet and converge—that is, the Ganges, the Yamunā, the AciravatI, the SarabhŪ, and the MahI—their water would be destroyed and eliminated except for two or three drops. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the water at the confluence that has been destroyed and eliminated or the two or three drops of water that remain?”

“Venerable sir, the water at the confluence that has been destroyed and eliminated is more; the two or three drops of water that remain are trifling. Compared to the water at the confluence that has been destroyed and eliminated, the two or three drops of water that remain are trifling; they are not calculable, do not bear comparison, do not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … Therefore an exertion should be made.…”

55 (5) The Earth (1)

“Bhikkhus, suppose that a man would place seven little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels on the great earth. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: those seven little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels that have been placed there or the great earth?”

“Venerable sir, the great earth is more. The seven little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels are trifling. Compared to the great earth, those seven little balls of clay the size of jujube kernals are trifling; they are not calculable, do not bear comparison, do not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … Therefore an exertion should be made.…”

56 (6) The Earth (2)

“Bhikkhus, suppose that the great earth would be destroyed and eliminated except for seven little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the great earth that has been destroyed and eliminated or the seven little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels that remain?”

“Venerable sir, the great earth that has been destroyed and eliminated is more. The seven little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels that remain are trifling. Compared to the great earth that has been destroyed and eliminated, the seven little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels that remain are not calculable, do not bear comparison, do not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … Therefore an exertion should be made.…”

57 (7) The Ocean (1)

“Bhikkhus, suppose that a man would draw out two or three drops of water from the great ocean. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the two or three drops of water that have been drawn out or the water in the great ocean?”

“Venerable sir, the water in the great ocean is more. The two or three drops of water that have been drawn out are trifling. Compared to the water in the great ocean, the two or three drops of water that have been drawn out are not calculable, do not bear comparison, do not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … Therefore an exertion should be made.…”

58 (8) The Ocean (2)

“Bhikkhus, suppose that the great ocean would be destroyed and eliminated except for two or three drops of water. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the water in the great ocean that has been destroyed and eliminated or the two or three drops of water that remain?”

“Venerable sir, the water in the great ocean that has been destroyed and eliminated is more. The two or three drops of water that remain are trifling. Compared to the water that has been destroyed and eliminated, the two or three drops of water that remain are not calculable, do not bear comparison, do not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … Therefore an exertion should be made.…”

59 (9) The Mountain (1)

“Bhikkhus, suppose that a man would place on the Himalayas, the king of mountains, seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds that have been placed there or the Himalayas, the king of mountains?”

“Venerable sir, the Himalayas, the king of mountains, is more. The seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds are trifling. Compared to the Himalayas, the king of mountains, the seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds are not calculable, do not bear comparison, do not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … Therefore an exertion should be made.…”

60 (10) The Mountain (2)

“Bhikkhus, suppose that the Himalayas, the king of mountains, would be destroyed and eliminated except for seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds. What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the portion of the Himalayas, the king of mountains, that has been destroyed and eliminated or the seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds that remain?”

“Venerable sir, the portion of the Himalayas, the king of mountains, that has been destroyed and eliminated is more. The seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds that remain are trifling. Compared to the portion of the Himalayas, the king of mountains, that has been destroyed and eliminated, the seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds that remain are not calculable, do not bear comparison, do not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, for a noble disciple, a person accomplished in view who has made the breakthrough, the suffering that has been destroyed and eliminated is more, while that which remains is trifling. Compared to the former mass of suffering that has been destroyed and eliminated, the latter is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction, as there is a maximum of seven more lives. He is one who understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’

“Therefore, Bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”