Saṁyutta Nikāya 13.1 1.

Nakhasikhāsutta

Abhisamayavagga Nakhasikhāsutta Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsuṁ āropetvā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yo vāyaṁ mayā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito, ayaṁ vā mahāpathavī”ti?

Then the Blessed One, having taken a small amount of dust on his fingernail, addressed the disciples: What do you think, which is greater, the small amount of dust on my fingernail or this great earth?

“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yadidaṁ mahāpathavī.

Venerable sir, the great earth is certainly greater.

Appamattako bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito.

The small amount of dust on the Blessed One's fingernail is negligible.

Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti mahāpathaviṁ upanidhāya bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito”ti.

It does not come to a hundredth part, or a thousandth part, or a hundred-thousandth part when compared to the great earth.

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa abhisametāvino etadeva bahutaraṁ dukkhaṁ yadidaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ; appamattakaṁ avasiṭṭhaṁ.

Even so for a noble disciple who has attained right view, who has made the breakthrough, the suffering that is over and done with is far greater. What remains is negligible.

Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti purimaṁ dukkhakkhandhaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ upanidhāya yadidaṁ sattakkhattuṁparamatā.

It does not come to a hundredth part, or a thousandth part, or a hundred-thousandth part when compared to the mass of suffering that has been over and done with, now that the breakthrough to the Dhamma has been made.

Evaṁ mahatthiyo kho, bhikkhave, dhammābhisamayo; evaṁ mahatthiyo dhammacakkhupaṭilābho”ti. Paṭhamaṁ.

Such is the great benefit of knowing the Dhamma; such is the great benefit of obtaining the vision of the Dhamma.