1At Sāvatthī. sn.ii.135 "Bhikkhus, suppose that in the place where these great rivers meet and converge—that is, the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhū, and the Mahī—a man would draw out two or three drops of water. What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more: these two or three drops of water that have been drawn out or the water at the confluence?"

2"Venerable sir, the water at the confluence is more. The two or three drops of water that have been drawn out are trifling. They do not amount to a hundredth part, or a thousandth part, or a hundred thousandth part of the water at the confluence."

"So too, bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … of such great benefit is it to obtain the vision of the Dhamma."

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. "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?

2"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.

Tatiyaṁ.