[205] Bhikkhus, just as in this Jambudīpa the delightful parks, delightful groves, delightful landscapes, and delightful lotus ponds are few, while more numerous are the steep and rugged tracts, the rivers hard to cross, the places of stumps and thorns, and the rough mountainous terrain — even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that are born on land; far more numerous are those beings that are born in water.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that are reborn among human beings; far more numerous are those beings that are reborn elsewhere than among human beings.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that are reborn in the middle countries; far more numerous are those beings that are reborn in the border countries, among the uncomprehending barbarians (milakkha).
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that are wise, not dull, not stupid and inarticulate, capable of knowing the meaning of what is well spoken and badly spoken; far more numerous are those beings that are unwise, dull, stupid and inarticulate, incapable of knowing the meaning of what is well spoken and badly spoken.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that are endowed with the noble eye of wisdom (paññācakkhu); far more numerous are those beings that are sunk in ignorance (avijjā), utterly confused.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that gain the sight of the Tathāgata; far more numerous are those beings that do not gain the sight of the Tathāgata.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that gain the hearing of the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata; far more numerous are those beings that do not gain the hearing of the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that, having heard the Dhamma, retain it; far more numerous are those beings that, having heard the Dhamma, do not retain it.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that examine the meaning of the teachings they have retained; far more numerous are those beings that do not examine the meaning of the teachings they have retained.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that, having understood the meaning and understood the Dhamma, practice in accordance with the Dhamma; far more numerous are those beings that, having understood the meaning and understood the Dhamma, do not practice in accordance with the Dhamma.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that are stirred by things that are grounds for a sense of urgency (saṃvega); far more numerous are those beings that are not stirred by things that are grounds for a sense of urgency.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that, being stirred, strive wisely; far more numerous are those beings that, being stirred, do not strive wisely.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that, making relinquishment (vavassagga) their object, gain concentration (samādhi), gain one-pointedness of mind; far more numerous are those beings that, making relinquishment their object, do not gain concentration, do not gain one-pointedness of mind.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that obtain the finest food and the finest tastes; far more numerous are those beings that do not obtain the finest food and the finest tastes, but subsist on gleanings, on scraps of food gathered in a bowl.
Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings that obtain the taste of the meaning, the taste of the Dhamma, the taste of liberation; far more numerous are those beings that do not obtain the taste of the meaning, the taste of the Dhamma, the taste of liberation.
Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: "We shall be obtainers of the taste of the meaning, the taste of the Dhamma, the taste of liberation." Thus, bhikkhus, should you train yourselves.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.