“Mendicants, there are places where the great rivers—the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—join together and converge. Suppose that water dried up and evaporated except two or three drops. What do you think, mendicants? Which is more: the water in the confluence that has dried up and evaporated, or the two or three drops left?”
“Sir, the water in the confluence that has dried up and evaporated is certainly more. The two or three drops left are tiny. Compared to the water in the confluence that has dried up and evaporated, it doesn’t count, there’s no comparison, it’s not worth a fraction.”
PL
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ saṁbhejjaudakaṁ yadidaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādinnaṁ; appamattakāni dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni avasiṭṭhāni. Saṅkhampi na upenti, upanidhampi na upenti, kalabhāgampi na upenti saṁbhejjaudakaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādinnaṁ upanidhāya dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni avasiṭṭhānī”ti.
EN
“In the same way, for a noble disciple … That’s why you should practice meditation …”
“Mendicants, there are places where the great rivers—the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—join together and converge. Suppose that water dried up and evaporated except two or three drops. What do you think, mendicants? Which is more: the water in the confluence that has dried up and evaporated, or the two or three drops left?”
“Sir, the water in the confluence that has dried up and evaporated is certainly more. The two or three drops left are tiny. Compared to the water in the confluence that has dried up and evaporated, it doesn’t count, there’s no comparison, it’s not worth a fraction.”
PL
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ saṁbhejjaudakaṁ yadidaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādinnaṁ; appamattakāni dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni avasiṭṭhāni. Saṅkhampi na upenti, upanidhampi na upenti, kalabhāgampi na upenti saṁbhejjaudakaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādinnaṁ upanidhāya dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni avasiṭṭhānī”ti.
EN
“In the same way, for a noble disciple … That’s why you should practice meditation …”
Sutraya