5-56-6 Abhisamayavaggo | Samyutta

VI. The Breakthrough

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 7 more lives.

He is one who understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the path 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 origin of suffering.’
An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’

An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.’

52 (2) The Pond

Bhikkhus, suppose there were a pond 50 Yojanas long, 50 Yojanas wide, and 50 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 Kuśa grass.

What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the water drawn out on the tip of the blade of Kuśa 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 Kuśa grass is trifling.

Compared to the water in the pond, the water drawn out on the tip of the blade of Kuśa 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 Yamuna, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, and the Mahī—a man would draw out 2 or 3 drops of water.

What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: these 2 or 3 drops of water that have been drawn out or the water at the confluence?

Venerable sir, the water at the confluence is more. The 2 or 3 drops of water that have been drawn out are trifling.

Compared to the water at the confluence, the 2 or 3 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 Yamuna, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, and the Mahī—their water would be destroyed and eliminated except for 2 or 3 drops.

What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the water at the confluence that has been destroyed and eliminated or the 2 or 3 drops of water that remain?

Venerable sir, the water at the confluence that has been destroyed and eliminated is more; the 2 or 3 drops of water that remain are trifling.

Compared to the water at the confluence that has been destroyed and eliminated, the 2 or 3 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 7 little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels on the great earth.

What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: those 7 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 7 little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels are trifling.

Compared to the great earth, those 7 little balls of clay the size of jujube kernels 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 7 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 7 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 7 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 7 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 2 or 3 drops of water from the great ocean.

What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the 2 or 3 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 2 or 3 drops of water that have been drawn out are trifling.

Compared to the water in the great ocean, the 2 or 3 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 2 or 3 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 2 or 3 drops of water that remain?

Venerable sir, the water in the great ocean that has been destroyed and eliminated is more. The 2 or 3 drops of water that remain are trifling.

Compared to the water that has been destroyed and eliminated, the 2 or 3 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, 7 grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds.

What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the 7 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 7 grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds are trifling.

Compared to the Himalayas, the king of mountains,

the 7 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 7 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 7 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 7 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 7 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 7 more lives.

He is one who understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the path 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 origin of suffering.’
An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’

An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.’