Beings Are Few Who Are Reborn Among Heavenly Beings or Human Beings Because They Have Not Seen The Four Noble Truths

What do you think, Monks, which is more: the little bit of soil in my fingernail or the 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, the little bit of soil that The Perfectly Enlightened One has taken up in his fingernail is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction.’

So too, Monks, those beings are few who, when they pass away as heavenly beings, are reborn among the heavenly beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away as heavenly beings, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the realm of afflicted spirits …

For what reason?

Because, Monks, they have not seen The Four Noble Truths.

What four?

The noble truth of discontentedness, the noble truth of the cause of discontentedness, the noble truth of the elimination of discontentedness, the noble truth of 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.’

What do you think, Monks, which is more: the little bit of soil in my fingernail or the 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, the little bit of soil that The Perfectly Enlightened One has taken up in his fingernail is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction.’

So too, Monks, those beings are few who, when they pass away as heavenly beings, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away as heavenly beings, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the realm of afflicted spirits …

For what reason?

Because, Monks, they have not seen The Four Noble Truths.

What four?

The noble truth of discontentedness, the noble truth of the cause of discontentedness, the noble truth of the elimination of discontentedness, the noble truth of 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 56.61)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares that there “are few who are reborn among heavenly beings” and there “are more numerous who, when they pass away as heavenly beings, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the realm of afflicted spirits …” due to beings not having understood The Four Noble Truths. The Buddha shares a similar Teaching related to how there “are few who are reborn among human beings” and there “are more numerous who, when they pass away as heavenly beings, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the realm of afflicted spirits …” due to beings not having understood The Four Noble Truths.

It is The Four Noble Truths that helps a Practitioner to breakthrough to understanding discontentedness, the cause of discontentedness, the elimination of discontentedness, and the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness (i.e. The Eight Fold Path).

Without this understanding and practice, a being would have no opportunity to acquire the wisdom of why their mind experiences discontentedness and how to eliminate it, thus, they would not be able to attain Enlightenment.

It is through learning, reflecting, and practicing The Four Noble Truths that a Practitioner can make the breakthrough to understand they cause their own discontent feelings to establish Right View and then have the ability to eliminate all discontentedness from the mind.

The Buddha uses an analogy to describe just how few beings are reborn among human beings and heavenly beings.

The soil of the entire earth represents all the beings that exist while the amount of soil under The Buddha’s fingernail represents the number of beings who are reborn as human beings or heavenly beings with the opportunity to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings to attain Enlightenment.

The Buddha explains “those beings are few who are reborn among human beings” or “heavenly beings”. But “are more numerous who, when they pass away as heavenly beings, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the realm of afflicted spirits …” due to beings not having understood The Four Noble Truths.

He then encourages Students 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.