1“Mendicants, suppose a man was to draw up two or three drops of water from the ocean.

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

“Sir, the water in the ocean is certainly more. The two or three drops drawn out are tiny. Compared to the water in the ocean, 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, 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. Sankhampi 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.