<p>From the Pali canon perhaps it's the Simsapa Sutta (see <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> and <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>).</p>

<p>The main message I get from that story is a bit the opposite of what you suggested: i.e. not that "The Dharma is actually all the leaves in all the trees", rather that the central doctrine is only the four noble truths (stress; origin of stress; cessation of stress; path of practice leading to the cessation of stress).</p>

<p>I think there are other suttas in which he said, "I have taught one thing and one thing only, i.e. dukkha and the cessation of dukkha.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-29T10:45:24.770Z
Brilliant that's exactly it. I'm going to reread to check my understanding which is probably wrong.
Crab Bucket
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-29T10:59:09.903Z
I think that sutta is also understood as evidence of the Buddha's omniscience and ability to see everything.([iddhi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Addhi) and [abhiññā](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81)); and whether 'everything he knows' should also be called "dharmas" I don't know (maybe yes they can because dharma is a slightly multi-meaninged word); and there's also a long [footnote](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html#fn-2); ...
ChrisW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-29T10:59:27.180Z
... what he's asking people to know is, "Therefore, monks, your task is to learn: 'This is Suffering, this is the Arising of Suffering, this is the Cessation of Suffering, this is the Path that leads to the Cessation of Suffering.' That is your task."
ChrisW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-29T10:42:01.483Z
2015-05-29T10:42:01.483Z
ChrisW
<p>There is a story in the Pali Canon where the Buddha compares the Dharma to leaves on a tree. If I can give a very approximate quote to what I remember</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The dharma that I have taught is just a handful of leaves. The Dharma
  is actually all the leaves in all the trees</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So the point been that there is a lot more to the Dharma then what the Buddha is teaching at that point. Can anyone give the exact reference for that story - I'm fairly certain it is from the Pali Canon.</p>

<pali-canon><reference-request>
Where does the Buddha compare the Dharma to leaves on a tree?
# Where does the Buddha compare the Dharma to leaves on a tree?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-29)

There is a story in the Pali Canon where the Buddha compares the Dharma to leaves on a tree. If I can give a very approximate quote to what I remember

> The dharma that I have taught is just a handful of leaves. The Dharma
> is actually all the leaves in all the trees

So the point been that there is a lot more to the Dharma then what the Buddha is teaching at that point. Can anyone give the exact reference for that story - I'm fairly certain it is from the Pali Canon.

**Tags:** pali-canon, reference-request


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-05-29. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

From the Pali canon perhaps it's the Simsapa Sutta (see [here](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html) and [here](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.than.html)).

The main message I get from that story is a bit the opposite of what you suggested: i.e. not that "The Dharma is actually all the leaves in all the trees", rather that the central doctrine is only the four noble truths (stress; origin of stress; cessation of stress; path of practice leading to the cessation of stress).

I think there are other suttas in which he said, "I have taught one thing and one thing only, i.e. dukkha and the cessation of dukkha.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Brilliant that's exactly it. I'm going to reread to check my understanding which is probably wrong.  
> **username_1**: I think that sutta is also understood as evidence of the Buddha's omniscience and ability to see everything.([iddhi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%B9%9Addhi) and [abhiññā](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81)); and whether 'everything he knows' should also be called "dharmas" I don't know (maybe yes they can because dharma is a slightly multi-meaninged word); and there's also a long [footnote](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.031.wlsh.html#fn-2); ...  
> **username_1**: ... what he's asking people to know is, "Therefore, monks, your task is to learn: 'This is Suffering, this is the Arising of Suffering, this is the Cessation of Suffering, this is the Path that leads to the Cessation of Suffering.' That is your task."  

---

