1"Bhikkhus, suppose that a man would place on the Himalayas, the king of mountains, seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds. What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more: the seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds that have been placed there or the Himalayas, the king of mountains?"

"Venerable sir, the Himalayas, the king of mountains, is more. The seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds are trifling. Compared to the Himalayas, the king of mountains, the seven grains of gravel the size of mustard seeds 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 himavato pabbatarājassa satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhipeyya. Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ – yā vā satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā, ayaṁ vā himavā pabbatarājā"ti?

"Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yadidaṁ – himavā pabbatarājā; appamattikā satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā. Saṅkhampi na upenti, upanidhampi na upenti, kalabhāgampi na upenti himavantaṁ pabbatarājānaṁ upanidhāya satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā"ti.

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

Navamaṁ.