Mahākaccāna and One Fine Night 9.1

9.1

“Seyyathāpi, āvuso, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṃ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva mūlaṃ atikkamma khandhaṃ sākhāpalāse sāraṃ pariyesitabbaṃ maññeyya;

“Reverends, suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But he’d pass over the roots and trunk, imagining that the heartwood should be sought in the branches and leaves.