NAKHASIKHA SUTTA

NAKHASIKHA SUTTA

          Thus I have heard, on a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Sāvathī at the Jeta Grove, in Ānāthapiṇḍika’s park.

          Then the exalted One took up a little pinch of dust on the tip of his finger-nail and said to the brethren: - What think ye, brethrens? Whether is this pinch of dust that I have taken up on my finger nail the greater, or the mighty earth?

          ‘The later, lord the mighty earth is the greater. Infinitely small is this pinch of dust taken up by the exalted One on his finger-nail, not by a hundred parts, nor by a thousand parts, not by a hundred thousand parts does it equal the mighty earth when set beside it--- ] is pinch of dust taken up by the exalted One on his finger-nail.

          Even so, brethren, for the Ariyan who has won vision for the person who has understanding this is the greater ill, to wit, that which for him wholly perished, wholly finished, little is the ill that remains, not worth a hundredth parts, not worth the thousand parts, not worth than a hundred thousand parts when measure with the former ill which for him is wholly perished, wholly finished, to wit, a term of seven times.

          So great in good, brethren, is it to be wise in the Norm; so great in good is it to have gained the eye the Norm.

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TIP OF THE NAIL

Then the exalted One, lifting up a little sand on the tip of his finger-nail, addressed the brethren:-

           ‘As to this what think ye, brethren? Which is greater, this little sand lifted on my finger-nail, or this greater earth?

          This, lord, is greater; even this greater earth. A trifle is a little sand lifted by the exalted One on to his finger-nail. It can not come in to the reckoning, it can not come in to the comparison, it can not form a fraction when compare with the great earth—this little sand lifted by the exalted One to his finger-nail.

          ‘Even so, brethren, are the beings that are reborn among humans few in number against the greater number that are reborn elsewhere and not among human.

‘Wherefore, brethren, thus must ye train yourselves: - “We will live earnestly”--- even thus.

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NAKHASIKHA SUTTA

          Discourse with reference to a pinch of dust on the tip of the nail.

          The Bhagava was at Sāvathī--- having sat in a suitable place that Bhikkhu said to the Bhagava thus:

          “Venerable sir, is there any corporeality which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to the change and eternal like all things permanent?

          Venerable sir, is there any sensation which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal --- like all things permanent? Venerable sir, is there any perception --- permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal --- like all things permanent? Are there any volitional activities which are permanent Stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent? Venerable sir, is there any consciousness which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent?

          Bhikkhu, there is no corporeality which is permanent, stable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent? Bhikkhu, there is no sensation --- no perception ---  no volitional activities --- p--- no consciousness which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent.

           Then the Bhagavā took a pinch of dust and, placing it on the tip of his nail, said to the Bhikkhu:

          Bhikkhu, there is no corporeality which is even as little as this pinch of dust (on my nail) and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to changes and eternal like all things permanent. Bhikkhu if there were corporeality which is even as little as this pinch of dust and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent, the practice of the life of purity for the complete extinction of dukkha would not have appeared. Bhikkhu, it is because there is no corporeality which is even as little as this pinch of the dust and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent, that the practice of the life of purity for the complete extinction of dukkha has appeared.

          Bhikkhu, there is no sensation which is even as little as this pinch of dust (on my nail) and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent, bhikkhu if there were sensation which is even as little as this pinch of dust and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent, that the practice of the life of purity for the complete extinction of dukkha would have not appeared.  Bhikkhu, It is because there is no sensation which is even as that the practice of the life of purity for the complete extinction of dukkha has appeared.

          Bhikkhu there is no perception which is as little as this pinch of --- p --- bhikkhu, there is no volitional activity which is even as little as this pinch of the dust and which is permanent, Bhikkhu, if there were volitional activity which is even as little as this pinch of dust and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent, the practice of the life of purity for the complete extinction of dukkha would not have appeared.

          Bhikkhu, it is because no volitional activity  which is even as little as this pinch of the dust and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent, that the practice of the life of purity for the complete extinction of dukkha has appeared.

          Bhikkhu, there is no consciousness which is even as little as this pinch of the dust and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent, Bhikkhu, if there were consciousness which is even as little as this pinch of dust and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent, that the practice of the life of purity for the complete extinction of dukkha would have not appeared.

          Bhikkhu, it is because there is no consciousness which is even as little as this pinch of dust and which is permanent, stable, durable, not subject to change and eternal like all things permanent, that the practice of the life of purity for the complete extinction of dukkha would have not appeared.  Bhikkhu, It is because there is no sensation which is even as that the practice of the life of purity for the complete extinction of dukkha has appeared.

          Bhikkhu, what do you think of this? Is corporeality permanent or impermanent?

          “Impermanent Venerable, sir”

          s a sensation --- perception --- volitional activity --- is consciousness permanent or impermanent?

          “Impermanent Venerable, sir” --- P---

          Therefore --- who perceive thus --- p --- there is nothing more to do for such realization.

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          Then the exalted One, taking up a little dust on the tip of his finger-nail, said to the monks:

          ‘Now what think ye, is this mighty earth, this little dust I have taken up on the tip of my finger-nail, or this mighty earth?

          ‘Greater, lord is this mighty earth. Exceeding small is this little dust taken up on the tip of the exalted One’s finger-nail it can not be reckoned, it can not be compared therewith. It does not come to the merest fraction of a part of it when set beside the mighty earth, this little dust taken up on the tip of the exalted One’s finger-nail.

          ‘Well, just so, monks, for the Ariyan disciple who is blessed with vision, for the person who has understanding, far greater is this ill which he has destroyed, which he has used up, in finitely small is that ill which remains. It can not be reckoned, it can not compared therewith, it does not come to the merest fraction of a part of it when set beside  that ill which he has destroyed which he has used up, that is, it is just a period of  seven lives at most for the man who understands, as it really is:

          This is ill---- this is the practice that leads to the ceasing of ill ---

          Wherefore, monks, ye mist make an effort to realize: this is ill-----.