The Buddha uses a simile of the water at the confluence of great rivers to illustrate 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, yatthimā mahānadiyo saṁsandanti samenti, seyyathidaṁ— gaṅgā yamunā aciravatī sarabhū mahī, tato puriso dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni uddhareyya.
“Bhikkhus, suppose that in a place where these great rivers merge and converge — namely |the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, and the Mahī::five great rivers of ancient India that were significant for trade, agriculture, and cultural activities| — a person would draw out two or three drops of water.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yāni vā dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni yaṁ vā sambhejjaudakan”ti?
What do you think, bhikkhus, which is greater: these two or three drops of water that have been drawn out, or the |water at the confluence::junction where waters converge [sambhejjaudaka]|?”
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ sambhejjaudakaṁ; appamattakāni dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti sambhejjaudakaṁ upanidhāya dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatānī”ti.
“Venerable sir, the water at the confluence is indeed far greater. The two or three drops of water that have been drawn out are very little. Compared to the water at the confluence, these two or three drops do not amount to a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor even a hundred-thousandth part.”
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa abhisametāvino etadeva bahutaraṁ dukkhaṁ yadidaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ; appamattakaṁ avasiṭṭhaṁ. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti purimaṁ dukkhakkhandhaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ upanidhāya, yadidaṁ sattakkhattuṁparamatā. Evaṁ mahatthiyo kho, bhikkhave, dhammābhisamayo; evaṁ mahatthiyo dhammacakkhupaṭilābho”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 that in a place where these great rivers merge and converge — namely |the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, and the Mahī::five great rivers of ancient India that were significant for trade, agriculture, and cultural activities| — a person would draw out two or three drops of water.
What do you think, bhikkhus, which is greater: these two or three drops of water that have been drawn out, or the |water at the confluence::junction where waters converge [sambhejjaudaka]|?”
“Venerable sir, the water at the confluence is indeed far greater. The two or three drops of water that have been drawn out are very little. Compared to the water at the confluence, these two or three drops 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, yatthimā mahānadiyo saṁsandanti samenti, seyyathidaṁ— gaṅgā yamunā aciravatī sarabhū mahī, tato puriso dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni uddhareyya.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yāni vā dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni yaṁ vā sambhejjaudakan”ti?
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ sambhejjaudakaṁ; appamattakāni dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatāni. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti sambhejjaudakaṁ upanidhāya dve vā tīṇi vā udakaphusitāni ubbhatānī”ti.
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa abhisametāvino etadeva bahutaraṁ dukkhaṁ yadidaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ; appamattakaṁ avasiṭṭhaṁ. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti purimaṁ dukkhakkhandhaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ upanidhāya, yadidaṁ sattakkhattuṁparamatā. Evaṁ mahatthiyo kho, bhikkhave, dhammābhisamayo; evaṁ mahatthiyo dhammacakkhupaṭilābho”ti.