Once the Buddha was staying near Kosambī in the Siṁsapā forest. Then, picking up a few leaves with his hand, he asked the monks, “What do you think, monks? Which are more numerous, the few leaves in my hand or those overhead in the forest?”
“The leaves in the hand of the Buddha are few in number, Lord. Those overhead in the forest are far more numerous.”
“In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous than what I have taught. And why haven’t I taught them? Because they are not connected with the goal, do not relate to the essentials of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to liberation. That is why I have not taught them.
“And what have I taught? ‘This is suffering. This is the origination of suffering. This is the cessation of suffering. This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.’ This is what I have taught. And why have I taught these things? Because they are connected with the goal, relate to the essentials of the holy life, and lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to liberation. This is why I have taught them.
—Buddha Shakyamuni, Siṁsapā Sutra (SN 56:31)
“The leaves in the hand of the Buddha are few in number, Lord. Those overhead in the forest are far more numerous.”
“In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous than what I have taught. And why haven’t I taught them? Because they are not connected with the goal, do not relate to the essentials of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to liberation. That is why I have not taught them.
“And what have I taught? ‘This is suffering. This is the origination of suffering. This is the cessation of suffering. This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of suffering.’ This is what I have taught. And why have I taught these things? Because they are connected with the goal, relate to the essentials of the holy life, and lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to liberation. This is why I have taught them.
—Buddha Shakyamuni, Siṁsapā Sutra (SN 56:31)
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