1"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?"

"Venerable sir, the water in the great ocean is more. The two or three drops of water that have been drawn out are trifling. Compared to the water in the great ocean, the two or three drops of water that have been drawn out are not calculable, do not bear comparison, do not amount even to a fraction."

"So too, bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … Therefore an exertion should be made. … "

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

"Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yadidaṁ – mahāsamudde udakaṁ; appamattakāni dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni. Saṅkhampi na upenti, upanidhampi na upenti, kalabhāgampi na upenti mahāsamudde udakaṁ upanidhāya dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatānī"ti.

"Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa … pe … yogo karaṇīyo"ti.

Sattamaṁ.