1At Sāvatthī. "Bhikkhus, suppose that a man would draw out two or three drops of water from the great ocean. What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more: the two or three drops of water that have been drawn out or the water in the great ocean?" sn.ii.137

2"Venerable sir, the water in the great ocean 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 in the great ocean."

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

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. "Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso mahāsamuddato dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni uddhareyya. Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yāni vā dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni yaṁ vā mahāsamudde udakan"ti?

2"Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yadidaṁ mahāsamudde udakaṁ; appamattakāni dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti mahāsamudde udakaṁ upanidhāya dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatānī"ti.

"Evameva kho, bhikkhave … pe … dhammacakkhupaṭilābho"ti.

Sattamaṁ.