Few are the beings who are reborn among humans; far more numerous, however, are the beings who are reborn elsewhere, apart from humans.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsuṁ āropetvā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yo cāyaṁ mayā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito yā cāyaṁ mahāpathavī”ti?
Then the Blessed One, having taken a small amount of dust on the tip of a fingernail, addressed the bhikkhus: “What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more, this small amount of dust on the tip of the fingernail or this great earth?”
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ mahāpathavī. Appamattakoyaṁ bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito. Saṅkhampi na upeti upanidhimpi na upeti kalabhāgampi na upeti mahāpathaviṁ upanidhāya bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito”ti.
“Indeed, venerable sir, the great earth is more. The small amount of dust on the tip of the fingernail put by the Blessed One does not come to a hundredth part, nor to a thousandth part, nor to a hundred-thousandth part compared to the great earth.”
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakā te sattā ye manussesu paccājāyanti; atha kho eteyeva bahutarā sattā ye aññatra manussehi paccājāyanti.
“Just so, bhikkhus, few are the beings who are reborn among humans; far more numerous, however, are the beings who are reborn elsewhere, apart from humans.”
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell |diligently::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”
At Sāvatthi.
Then the Blessed One, having taken a small amount of dust on the tip of a fingernail, addressed the bhikkhus: “What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more, this small amount of dust on the tip of the fingernail or this great earth?”
“Indeed, venerable sir, the great earth is more. The small amount of dust on the tip of the fingernail put by the Blessed One does not come to a hundredth part, nor to a thousandth part, nor to a hundred-thousandth part compared to the great earth.”
“Just so, bhikkhus, few are the beings who are reborn among humans; far more numerous, however, are the beings who are reborn elsewhere, apart from humans.”
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell |diligently::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsuṁ āropetvā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yo cāyaṁ mayā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito yā cāyaṁ mahāpathavī”ti?
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ mahāpathavī. Appamattakoyaṁ bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito. Saṅkhampi na upeti upanidhimpi na upeti kalabhāgampi na upeti mahāpathaviṁ upanidhāya bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito”ti.
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakā te sattā ye manussesu paccājāyanti; atha kho eteyeva bahutarā sattā ye aññatra manussehi paccājāyanti.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.