Once in the forest the Buddha was asked by one of his disciples to explain the workings of karma. The Buddha took in his hand a snatch of leaves and said to the disciple: 'what is greater, the number of leaves in my hand or those on the floor of the forest in which we sit?'
The disciple replied the leaves on the floor of the forest.
The Buddha then said, "In the same way, what I teach you is but the small number of teachings necessary for you to be liberated from the cycle of life and death."
The implication of this dialogue is that there are many teachings available but they are not necessary if we wish to be liberated.
(From the Editorial, Mountain Path, December 2005)
