The Tathāgata Taught Very Few Compared to the Numerous Things He Had Known

On one occasion The Perfectly Enlightened One was residing at Kosambī in a simsapā grove. Then The Perfectly Enlightened One took up a few simsapā leaves in his hand and addressed the Monks thus:

What do you think, Monks, which is more numerous: these few simsapā leaves that I have taken up in my hand or those in the simsapā grove overhead?

‘Venerable Sir, the simsapā leaves that The Perfectly Enlightened One has taken up in his hand are few, but those in the simsapā grove overhead are numerous.’

So too, Monks, the things I have directly known but have not taught you are numerous, while the things I have taught you are few.

And why, Monks, have I not taught those many things?

Because they are unbeneficial, irrelevant to the fundamentals of the holy life, and do not lead to fading away of strong feelings, to freedom from strong feelings, to elimination, to peace, to direct knowledge (experience), to Enlightenment, to Nibbāna.

Therefore I have not taught them.

And what, Monks, have I taught?

I have taught: ‘This is discontentedness’; I have taught: ‘This is the cause of discontentedness’; I have taught: ‘This is the elimination of discontentedness’; I have taught: ‘This is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness.’

And why, Monks, have I taught this?

Because this is beneficial, relevant to the fundamentals of the holy life, and leads to fading away of strong feelings, to freedom from strong feelings, to elimination, to peace, to direct knowledge (experience), to Enlightenment, to Nibbāna. Therefore I have taught this.

(Reference: SN 56.31)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how enormous the wisdom was that he acquired through his independent journey to Enlightenment based on a simile related to all the “leaves” of the trees in the forest, while that which he taught was represented by only the few leaves gathered in his hand.

Though the wisdom he acquired was deep and profound encompassing The Natural Laws of Existence and wisdom beyond what others would be able to comprehend, he focused his efforts over the course of his 45-year Teaching career on sharing only those Teachings that lead to Enlightenment even though he understood wisdom well beyond that which he actually shared.

The Teachings a Practitioner needs to learn, reflect, and practice to experience Enlightenment are enormous enough that will challenge a Practitioner to understand and practice on a daily basis. Had Gotama Buddha shared all his wisdom and wisdom not associated with the awakening of the mind to Enlightenment, it would have only detracted from his objective of guiding countless beings to Enlightenment during his lifetime and after his death.

Through a Practitioner learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings he did share, the mind will gradually awaken to Enlightenment and then be able to see more and more of the leaves in all of the forest.

He then once again returns to emphasizing the importance and fundamental role of The Four Noble Truths ensuring his Students are always reminded how significant it is to learn, reflect, and practice The Four Noble Truths as that Teaching is the beginning of what leads to the complete elimination of all discontentedness.