The Little Bit of Soil in the Fingernail

Monks, what do you think which is more: the little bit of soil that I have taken up in my fingernail or this great earth?

‘Venerable Sir, the great earth is more. The little bit of soil that The Perfectly Enlightened One has taken up in his fingernail is insignificant. Compared to the great earth, that little bit of soil is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction.’

So too, Monks, for a Noble Disciple, a person accomplished in view who has made the breakthrough, the discontentedness that has been destroyed and eliminated is more, while that which remains is insignificant.

Compared to the former mass of discontentedness that has been destroyed and eliminated, the latter is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction, as there is a maximum of seven more lives. He is one who understands as it really is: ‘This is discontentedness’; ‘This is the cause of discontentedness’; ‘This is the elimination of discontentedness’; ‘This is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness’.

Therefore, Monks, an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is discontentedness’; an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is the cause of discontentedness’; an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is the elimination of discontentedness’; an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness.’

(Reference: SN 56.51)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how the amount of discontentedness that has been eliminated by a “Noble Disciple accomplished in view” is more than the insignificant amount that still remains.

The Buddha uses an analogy to describe just how insignificant the amount of discontentedness remaining in the mind of a Noble Disciple is related to the discontentedness that has been eliminated through learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings.

The soil of the entire earth represents all the discontentedness that has been eliminated by a Noble Disciple while the amount of soil under The Buddha’s fingernail represents the amount of discontentedness that still remains in the mind.

The Buddha explains “Compared to the former mass of discontentedness that has been destroyed and eliminated, the latter is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction, as there is a maximum of seven more lives”.

With each being who is alive today having had countless previous lives, the amount of discontentedness experienced in the past has been massive and extensive but, the amount of discontentedness that remains to be eliminated “is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction” because the being who is a Stream-Enterer will attain Enlightenment in “a maximum of seven more lives”.

A Noble Disciple will deeply understand and be practicing The Four Noble Truths. The Buddha makes that clear with this Teaching, “He is one who understands as it really is: ‘This is discontentedness’; ‘This is the cause of discontentedness’; ‘This is the elimination of discontentedness’; ‘This is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness’”.

He then encourages other Students who are not “accomplished in view”, having not attained the first Stage of Enlightenment as a Stream-Enterer, to make an effort to breakthrough to The Four Noble Truths with this Teaching. “Therefore, Monks, an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is discontentedness’; an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is the cause of discontentedness’; an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is the elimination of discontentedness’; an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness’”.

A Teacher can support and encourage Students to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings but it is the Student who will need to apply the effort and energy through determination, dedication, and diligence to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to experience the results of a peaceful, calm, serene, and content mind with joy - permanently. The mind can completely and entirely eliminate 100% of all discontentedness through applying effort towards the attainment of Enlightenment.

Every Practitioner will need to do the work to experience the results.