“What do you think, Sakyans? Take a man who, for an honest day’s work, earns two dollars … three dollars … four dollars … five dollars … six dollars … seven dollars … eight dollars … nine dollars … ten dollars … twenty dollars … thirty dollars … forty dollars … fifty dollars … a hundred dollars. Is this enough to call him a deft and industrious man?” “Yes, sir.”

“What do you think, Sakyans? Suppose that man earned a hundred or a thousand dollars every day and saved it all up. If he lived for a hundred years, would he not accumulate a large mass of wealth?” “Yes, sir.”

“What do you think, Sakyans? Would that man, on account of that wealth, experience absolute happiness for a single day or night, or even half a day or night?” “No, sir.” “Why is that?” “Because sensual pleasures, sir, are impermanent, hollow, false, and deceptive.”

“But take one of my disciples who lives diligent, keen, and resolute for ten years, practicing in line with my instructions. They can experience absolute happiness for a hundred years, ten thousand years, or a hundred thousand years. And they could become a once-returner or a non-returner, or, as a sure bet, a stream-enterer. Let alone ten years,