1“Mendicants, there are places where the great rivers—the Ganges, Yamuna, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—come together and converge. Suppose a person was to draw two or three drops of water from such a place.

What do you think, mendicants? Which is more: the two or three drops drawn out or the water in the confluence?”

“Sir, the water in the confluence is certainly more. The two or three drops drawn out are tiny. Compared to the water in the confluence, it can’t be reckoned or compared, it’s not even a fraction.”

“In the same way, for a noble disciple … That’s why you should practice meditation …”

1"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 dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni, yaṁ vā sambhejjaudakan"ti?

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

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

Tatiyaṁ.