The Buddha uses a simile of seven small pebbles the size of mung beans placed on the great mountain Sineru to contrast the extent of suffering that is exhausted and overcome by a disciple of the Noble Ones who has attained right view.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sinerussa pabbatarājassa satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhipeyya.
“Bhikkhus, suppose a person were to place seven small pebbles the size of mung beans on the great mountain |Sineru::mythical mountain at the centre of the universe [sineru]|.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yā vā satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā yo vā sineru pabbatarājā”ti?
What do you think, bhikkhus? Which is greater: the seven mung-bean-sized pebbles that were placed, or the great mountain Sineru?”
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ sineru pabbatarājā; appamattikā satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti sineruṁ pabbatarājānaṁ upanidhāya satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā”ti.
“Venerable sir, the great mountain Sineru is indeed far greater. The seven mung-bean-sized pebbles that were placed are very little. Compared to the great mountain Sineru, the seven pebbles do not amount to a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor even a hundred-thousandth part.”
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa adhigamaṁ upanidhāya aññatitthiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakānaṁ adhigamo neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti. Evaṁ mahādhigamo, bhikkhave, diṭṭhisampanno puggalo, evaṁ mahābhiñño”ti.
“So too, bhikkhus, for the disciple of the Noble Ones who has attained |right view::view that is in line with the Dhamma - teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [sammādiṭṭhi]|, who has completely penetrated [the four noble truths], this much greater is the |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]| that is exhausted and overcome; only a |small::tiny, minute, insignificant [appamattaka]| amount remains. It does not come to a hundredth part, nor to a thousandth part, nor to a hundred-thousandth part of the former mass of suffering that is exhausted and overcome compared to this final state of having at most seven more existences. Thus great, bhikkhus, is the realization of the Dhamma; thus great is the |attainment of the vision of the Dhamma::acquiring insight into the nature of reality [dhammacakkhupaṭilābha]|.”
At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, suppose a person were to place seven small pebbles the size of mung beans on the great mountain |Sineru::mythical mountain at the centre of the universe [sineru]|.
What do you think, bhikkhus? Which is greater: the seven mung-bean-sized pebbles that were placed, or the great mountain Sineru?”
“Venerable sir, the great mountain Sineru is indeed far greater. The seven mung-bean-sized pebbles that were placed are very little. Compared to the great mountain Sineru, the seven pebbles do not amount to a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor even a hundred-thousandth part.”
“So too, bhikkhus, for the disciple of the Noble Ones who has attained |right view::view that is in line with the Dhamma - teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [sammādiṭṭhi]|, who has completely penetrated [the four noble truths], this much greater is the |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]| that is exhausted and overcome; only a |small::tiny, minute, insignificant [appamattaka]| amount remains. It does not come to a hundredth part, nor to a thousandth part, nor to a hundred-thousandth part of the former mass of suffering that is exhausted and overcome compared to this final state of having at most seven more existences. Thus great, bhikkhus, is the realization of the Dhamma; thus great is the |attainment of the vision of the Dhamma::acquiring insight into the nature of reality [dhammacakkhupaṭilābha]|.”
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso sinerussa pabbatarājassa satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhipeyya.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yā vā satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā yo vā sineru pabbatarājā”ti?
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ sineru pabbatarājā; appamattikā satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti sineruṁ pabbatarājānaṁ upanidhāya satta muggamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā”ti.
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa adhigamaṁ upanidhāya aññatitthiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakānaṁ adhigamo neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti. Evaṁ mahādhigamo, bhikkhave, diṭṭhisampanno puggalo, evaṁ mahābhiñño”ti.