[1748] "Bhikkhus, suppose there were a lotus pond fifty yojanas in length, fifty yojanas in width, and fifty yojanas in depth, full of water, brimful so that a crow could drink from it. Then a man would draw up some water with the tip of a blade of kusa grass. What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more: the water drawn up with the tip of the blade of kusa grass, or the water in the lotus pond?"
"This alone is more, venerable sir, namely, the water in the lotus pond. The water drawn up with the tip of the blade of kusa grass is trifling: compared with the water in the lotus pond, the water drawn up with the tip of the blade of kusa grass does not amount to counting, does not amount to comparison, does not even amount to a fraction."
"Just so, bhikkhus, for a noble disciple … effort (yoga) should be made."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.