[1719] Bhikkhus, suppose a man were to cut down whatever grass, sticks, branches, and foliage there are in this Jambudīpa, and gather it into one heap; having gathered it into one heap, he would make it into stakes; having made stakes, he would impale the large creatures in the great ocean on the large stakes, impale the middle-sized creatures in the great ocean on the middle-sized stakes, and impale the minute creatures in the great ocean on the minute stakes. And, bhikkhus, the gross creatures in the great ocean would not yet have been used up when the grass, sticks, branches, and foliage in this Jambudīpa had come to depletion and exhaustion. More numerous than these, bhikkhus, are the minute creatures in the great ocean, which could not easily be impaled on stakes. For what reason? Because of the minuteness of the body (attabhāva), bhikkhus. So vast, bhikkhus, is the plane of misery (apāya). Freed from a plane of misery so vast, bhikkhus, the person accomplished in view (diṭṭhisampanna) understands as it really is: 'This is suffering (dukkha)' … understands as it really is: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made [to understand]: 'This is suffering' … an exertion should be made [to understand]: 'This is the way of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.