The Earth II

1. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta's grove in Sāvatthī.

2. “Bhikkhus, the great earth gets exhausted and consumed leaving behind seven balls of mud the size of the kernel of the jujube. Bhikkhus, which is the greater the exhausted and consumed portion of the earth or the seven balls of mud left?”

3. “Venerable sir, indeed, this great earth that has exhausted and is consumed is more in volume than the seven balls of mud, the size of the kernel of a jujube. The remaining seven balls of mud cannot be reckoned, do not come up to one hundredth portion of the earth not even the one thousandth portion, and not even the one hundred thousandth portion.”

4. “In the same manner, bhikkhus, the unpleasantness already scattered and exhausted by the noble disciple who has come to righteousness of view, has penetrated the Teaching is very much more and it is only a little that remains to be exhausted, not even the one hundred thousandth portion and certainly not more. The unpleasantness that remains to be exhausted is the unpleasantness of seven lives the maximum.

5. “Thus the realization of the Teaching is very beneficial and very fruitful.”