A FingernailNakhasikhāsutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Then the Buddha, picking up a little bit of dirt on his fingernail, addressed the mendicants:Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsuṁ āropetvā bhikkhū āmantesi: “What do you think, mendicants?“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Which is more: the little bit of dirt on my fingernail, or this great earth?”katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yo vāyaṁ mayā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito, ayaṁ vā mahāpathavī”ti?

“Sir, the great earth is far more.“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yadidaṁ mahāpathavī. The little bit of dirt on your fingernail is tiny.Appamattako bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito. Compared to the great earth, it’s not nearly a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth part.”Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti mahāpathaviṁ upanidhāya bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito”ti.

“In the same way, for a noble disciple accomplished in view, an individual with comprehension, the suffering that’s over and done with is more,“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa abhisametāvino etadeva bahutaraṁ dukkhaṁ yadidaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ; what’s left is tiny.appamattakaṁ avasiṭṭhaṁ. Compared to the mass of suffering in the past that’s over and done with, it’s not nearly a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth part, since there are at most seven more lives.Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti purimaṁ dukkhakkhandhaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ upanidhāya yadidaṁ sattakkhattuṁparamatā. That’s how very beneficial it is to comprehend the teachingEvaṁ mahatthiyo kho, bhikkhave, dhammābhisamayo; and gain the vision of the teaching.”evaṁ mahatthiyo dhammacakkhupaṭilābho”ti.