1.
The Discourse on Grass and Wood
124.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Monks."
"Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"This wandering in the round of rebirths, monks, is without discernible beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating and wandering in the round of rebirths. Just as, monks, if a man were to cut whatever grass, sticks, branches and leaves there are in this Indian subcontinent, and having collected them together, were to make them into sticks of four inches each and lay them down - 'This is my mother, this is my mother's mother,' even so, monks, that man's mothers' mothers would not be brought to an end, yet the grass, sticks, branches and leaves in this Indian subcontinent would be eliminated and brought to an end. What is the reason for this? This wandering in the round of rebirths, monks, is without discernible beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating and wandering in the round of rebirths. Thus for a long time, monks, suffering has been experienced by you, acute suffering has been experienced, disaster has been experienced, the cemetery has been increased. This is enough, monks, to become disenchanted with all activities, enough to become dispassionate, enough to become liberated." The first.