sutta » sn » sn13 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 13.1

Nakhasikhāsutta

A Fingernail

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsuṁ āropetvā bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then the Buddha, picking up a little bit of dirt under his fingernail, addressed the mendicants:

“Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
“What do you think, mendicants?

katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yo vāyaṁ mayā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito, ayaṁ vā mahāpathavī”ti?
Which is more: the little bit of dirt under my fingernail, or this great earth?”

“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yadidaṁ mahāpathavī.
“Sir, the great earth is far more.

Appamattako bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito.
The little bit of dirt under your fingernail is tiny.

Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti mahāpathaviṁ upanidhāya bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito”ti.
Compared to the great earth, it’s not nearly a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth part.”

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa abhisametāvino etadeva bahutaraṁ dukkhaṁ yadidaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ;
“In the same way, for a noble disciple accomplished in view, a person with comprehension, the suffering that’s over and done with is more,

appamattakaṁ avasiṭṭhaṁ.
what’s left is tiny.

Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti purimaṁ dukkhakkhandhaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ upanidhāya yadidaṁ sattakkhattuṁparamatā.
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.

Evaṁ mahatthiyo kho, bhikkhave, dhammābhisamayo;
That’s how very beneficial it is to comprehend the teaching

evaṁ mahatthiyo dhammacakkhupaṭilābho”ti.
and gain the vision of the teaching.”

Paṭhamaṁ.