SN 13.11

Tatiyapabbatasutta

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati. “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sinerussa pabbatarājassa satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhipeyya. Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yā vā satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā yo vā sineru pabbatarājā”ti?

A Mountain (3rd)

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, suppose a person was to place on Sineru, the king of mountains, seven pebbles the size of mung beans. What do you think, mendicants? Which is more: the seven pebbles the size of mung beans, or Sineru, the king of mountains?”

“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ sineru pabbatarājā; appamattikā satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti sineruṁ pabbatarājānaṁ upanidhāya satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā”ti.

“Sir, Sineru, the king of mountains, is certainly more. The seven pebbles the size of mung beans are tiny. Compared to Sineru, it’s not nearly a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth part.”

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa adhigamaṁ upanidhāya aññatitthiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakānaṁ adhigamo neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti. Evaṁ mahādhigamo, bhikkhave, diṭṭhisampanno puggalo, evaṁ mahābhiñño”ti.

“In the same way, compared with the achievements of a noble disciple accomplished in view, the achievements of the ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers of other religions is not nearly a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth part. So great is the achievement of the individual accomplished in view, so great is their direct knowledge.”