The Barrel

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park. Now on that occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahamoggallana were dwelling at Rajagaha in a single dwelling in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel Sanctuary. Then, in the evening, the Venerable Sāriputta emerged from seclusion and approached the Venerable Mahamoggallana. He exchanged greetings with the Venerable Mahamoggallana and, when they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to him:
“Friend Moggallana, your faculties are serene, your facial complexion is pure and bright. Has the Venerable Mahamoggallana spent the day in a peaceful dwelling?”
“I spent the day in a gross dwelling, friend, but I did have some Dhamma talk.”
“With whom did the Venerable Mahamoggallana have some Dhamma talk?”
“I had some Dhamma talk with the Blessed One, friend.”
“But the Blessed One is far away, friend. He is now dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapiṇḍika’s Park. Did the Venerable Mahamoggallana approach the Blessed One by means of spiritual power, or did the Blessed One approach the Venerable Mahamoggallana by means of spiritual power?”
“I didn’t approach the Blessed One by means of spiritual power, friend, nor did the Blessed One approach me by means of spiritual power. Rather, the Blessed One cleared his divine eye and divine ear element to communicate with me, and I cleared my divine eye and divine ear element to communicate with the Blessed One.”
“What kind of Dhamma talk did the Venerable Mahamoggallana have with the Blessed One?”
“Here, friend, I said to the Blessed One: ‘Venerable sir, it is said, “one with energy aroused, one with energy aroused.” In what way, venerable sir, does one have energy aroused?’ The Blessed One then said to me: ‘Here, Moggallana, a bhikkhu with energy aroused dwells thus: “Willingly, let only my skin, sinews, and bones remain, and let the flesh and blood dry up in my body, but I will not relax my energy so long as I have not attained what can be attained by manly strength, by manly energy, by manly exertion.” It is in such a way, Moggallana, that one has aroused energy.’ Such, friend, is the Dhamma talk that I had with the Blessed One.”
“Friend, compared to the Venerable Mahamoggallana we are like a few grains of gravel compared to the Himalayas, the king of mountains. For the Venerable Mahamoggallana is of such great spiritual power and might that if so he wished he could live on for an aeon.”
“Friend, compared to the Venerable Sāriputta we are like a few grains of salt compared to a barrel of salt. For the Venerable Sāriputta has been extolled, lauded, and praised in many ways by the Blessed One:

“‘As Sāriputta is supreme
In wisdom, virtue, and peace,
So a bhikkhu who has gone beyond
At best can only equal him.’”

In this manner both these great nagas rejoiced in what was well stated and well declared by the other.