The Buddha uses a simile of seven lumps of clay placed on the great earth 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, puriso mahāpathaviyā satta kolaṭṭhimattiyo guḷikā upanikkhipeyya.
“Bhikkhus, suppose that a person were to place seven lumps of clay the size of jujube kernels on the great earth.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yā vā satta kolaṭṭhimattiyo guḷikā upanikkhittā yā vā mahāpathavī”ti?
What do you think, bhikkhus, which is greater: the seven lumps of clay that were placed, or the great earth?”
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yadidaṁ mahāpathavī; appamattikā satta kolaṭṭhimattiyo guḷikā upanikkhittā. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti mahāpathaviṁ upanidhāya satta kolaṭṭhimattiyo guḷikā upanikkhittā”ti.
“Venerable sir, the great earth is far greater. The seven lumps of clay that were placed are very little. Compared to the great earth, the seven lumps of clay 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 a person were to place seven lumps of clay the size of jujube kernels on the great earth.
What do you think, bhikkhus, which is greater: the seven lumps of clay that were placed, or the great earth?”
“Venerable sir, the great earth is far greater. The seven lumps of clay that were placed are very little. Compared to the great earth, the seven lumps of clay 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 mahāpathaviyā satta kolaṭṭhimattiyo guḷikā upanikkhipeyya.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yā vā satta kolaṭṭhimattiyo guḷikā upanikkhittā yā vā mahāpathavī”ti?
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yadidaṁ mahāpathavī; appamattikā satta kolaṭṭhimattiyo guḷikā upanikkhittā. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti mahāpathaviṁ upanidhāya satta kolaṭṭhimattiyo guḷikā upanikkhittā”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.