At Sāvatthi.

"Bhikkhus, suppose that the great earth were to be exhausted and depleted, leaving only seven lumps of clay the size of jujube seeds.

What do you think, bhikkhus, which is greater: the earth that has been exhausted and depleted, or the seven tiny lumps of clay that remain?"

"Venerable sir, the great earth that has been exhausted and depleted is indeed far greater. The seven lumps of clay that remain are very little. Compared to the great earth that has been exhausted and depleted, the seven lumps of clay do not amount to a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor even a hundred-thousandth part."

"Just so, bhikkhus, for the disciple of the noble ones who has attained right view, who has completely penetrated [the four noble truths], this much greater is the suffering that is exhausted and overcome; only a small amount remains. It does not come to a hundredth part, nor to a thousandth part, nor to a hundred-thousandth part of the former mass of suffering that is exhausted and overcome compared to this final state of having at most seven more existences. Thus great, bhikkhus, is the realization of the Dhamma; thus great is the attainment of the vision of the Dhamma."