Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
13. Abhisamaya Saṃyutta

Sutta 1

Nakha-Sikhā Suttaṃ

The Fingernail

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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[1][pts][bodh][than] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time, Bhagava, round Sāvatthi revisiting,
Jeta woods, Anāthapiṇḍika's park

[2][pts][bodh][than] There, Bhagava raised up an itty-bitti-bit-a dust on a nail-tip and said to the Beggars:

"Now what do you think, Beggars?

Which is the greater, that bit of dust I have taken and raised up on my nail-tip
or this great Earth?"

[3][pts][bodh][than] "That which is greater, Bhante, is this great Earth
of small measure is that bit of dust
Bhagava has raised up on his nail-tip
not even a hundredth part does it come to,
not a thousandth part,
not a hundred-thousandth part
does that bit of dust
Bhagava has raised up on his nail-tip come to
compared with this Great Earth."

[4][pts][bodh][than] "Even so, Beggars, the noble listener
succeeding in view,
a person who has overcome,
has thoroughly burnt off,
thoroughly given up that which is the greater pain,
of small measure is that which remains
not even a hundredth part does it come to,
not a thousandth part,
not a hundred-thousandth part
does it come to;
being here seven more times tops,
is of small measure compared to
that former pile of du-k-kha of his
which has been thoroughly burnt off,
thoroughly given up.

[5][pts][bodh][than] Such a great attainment is it beggars,
this higher connection to Dhamma,
such a great attainment is it,
this gaining the eye of Dhamma."