At one time the Sublime One was abiding at Kosambi in a s²msapa forest. And there the Sublime One had taken up a few s²msapa leaves in his hand and addressed the monks: “What do you think monks; which are greater in number, these few s²msapa leaves in my hand or those that are in the s²msapa forest above?”

“The s²msapa leaves in the hand of the Sublime One are of smaller amount than those that are in the s²msapa forest above.”

“Even so monks, it is just this way with those things of perfected knowledge that I have not taught. And why monks, have I not taught these?”

“Monks, indeed because these are not of significance to what is beneficial; neither do they lead to the principles of the renounced life, nor to disillusionment, nor to dispassion, nor to cessation, nor to peacefulness, nor to perfected knowledge, nor to awakening, nor to Liberation. It is for this reason that I have not taught these.”

“And what, monks, have I taught? ‘This is affliction’ monks, this I have taught; ‘this is the genesis of affliction’ monks, this I have taught; ‘this is the extinction of affliction’ monks, this I have taught; ‘this is the way of progress leading to the extinction of affliction’ monks, this I have taught.”

“And why monks, have I taught these? “Monks, indeed because these are of significance to what is beneficial; they lead to the principles of the renounced life, to disillusionment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peacefulness, to perfected knowledge, to awakening, to Liberation. It is for this reason that I have taught these.”

“Therefore, monks, it is your task to reflect ‘this is affliction’; it is your task to reflect ‘this is the genesis of affliction’; it is your task to reflect ‘this is the extinction of affliction’; it is your task to reflect ‘this is the way of progress leading to the extinction of affliction’.

[Khantijayo Bhikkhu]