The Buddha uses a simile of seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds placed on the king of mountains, the Himalayas, 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 himavato pabbatarājassa satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhipeyya.
“Bhikkhus, suppose a person were to place seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds on the king of mountains, the Himalayas.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yā vā satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā yo vā himavā pabbatarājā”ti?
What do you think, bhikkhus, which is greater: the seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds that have been placed, or the king of mountains, the Himalayas?”
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ himavā pabbatarājā; appamattikā satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti himavantaṁ pabbatarājānaṁ upanidhāya satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā”ti.
“Venerable sir, the king of mountains, the Himalayas, is indeed far greater. The seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds that have been placed are very little. Compared to the king of mountains, the Himalayas, 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 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 a person were to place seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds on the king of mountains, the Himalayas.
What do you think, bhikkhus, which is greater: the seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds that have been placed, or the king of mountains, the Himalayas?”
“Venerable sir, the king of mountains, the Himalayas, is indeed far greater. The seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds that have been placed are very little. Compared to the king of mountains, the Himalayas, 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 himavato pabbatarājassa satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhipeyya.
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yā vā satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā yo vā himavā pabbatarājā”ti?
“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ himavā pabbatarājā; appamattikā satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā. Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti himavantaṁ pabbatarājānaṁ upanidhāya satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā 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.