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SN 56.51 Which is more? My fingernail dust or the Earth?

 





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SN 56.51 Nakhasikhā: A Fingernail

51. Nakhasikhāsutta51. A Fingernail
Atha kho bhagavā parittaṃ nakhasikhāyaṃ paṃsuṃ āropetvā bhikkhū āmantesi:Then the Buddha, picking up a little bit of dirt under his fingernail, addressed the monks:
“Taṃ kiṃ maññatha, bhikkhave,“What do you think, monks?
katamaṃ nu kho bahutaraṃ—yo vāyaṃ mayā paritto nakhasikhāyaṃ paṃsu āropito, ayaṃ vā mahāpathavī”ti?Which is more: the little bit of dirt under my fingernail, or this great earth?”
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṃ yadidaṃ—mahāpathavī; appamattakāyaṃ bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṃ paṃsu āropito.“Sir, the great earth is certainly more. The little bit of dirt under your fingernail is tiny.
Saṅkhampi na upeti, upanidhampi na upeti, kalabhāgampi na upeti mahāpathaviṃ upanidhāya bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṃ paṃsu āropito”ti.Compared to the great earth, it can’t be reckoned or compared, it’s not even a fraction.”
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa abhisametāvino etadeva bahutaraṃ dukkhaṃ yadidaṃ parikkhīṇaṃ pariyādinnaṃ; appamattakaṃ avasiṭṭhaṃ.“In the same way, for a person with comprehension, a noble-one's-disciple accomplished in view, the suffering that’s over and done with is more, what’s left is tiny.
Saṅkhampi na upeti, upanidhampi na upeti, kalabhāgampi na upeti purimaṃ dukkhakkhandhaṃ parikkhīṇaṃ pariyādinnaṃ upanidhāya yadidaṃ sattakkhattuparamatā;Compared to the mass of suffering in the past that’s over and done with, it can’t be reckoned or compared, it’s not even a fraction, since there are at most seven more lives.
yo ‘idaṃ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti … pe … ‘ayaṃ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti.Such a person truly understands about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

(same dukkha refrain as SN 56.1.2)

 
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṃ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo … pe … ‘ayaṃ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.Therefore, monks, you should be yoked, attached, devoted [to seeing the four noble truths all the time]…



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