SN 13.3

Sambhejjaudakasutta

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati. “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yatthimā mahānadiyo saṁsandanti samenti, seyyathidaṁ— gaṅgā yamunā aciravatī sarabhū mahī, tato puriso dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni uddhareyya. Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yāni vā dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni yaṁ vā sambhejjaudakan”ti?

Where the Waters Join Together

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are places where the great rivers—the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—join together and converge. Suppose a person was to draw two or three drops of water from such a place. What do you think, mendicants? Which is more: the two or three drops drawn out or the water in the confluence?”

“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ sambhejjaudakaṁ; appamattakāni dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti sambhejjaudakaṁ upanidhāya dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatānī”ti. “Evameva kho, bhikkhave …pe… dhammacakkhupaṭilābho”ti.

“Sir, the water in the confluence is certainly more. The two or three drops drawn out are tiny. Compared to the water in the confluence, it’s not nearly a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth part.” “In the same way, for a noble disciple, the suffering that’s over and done with is more …”