Gomaya, or Gomayapindī Sutta

Preached at Jetavana. A monk asks the Buddha whether there is any body or anything at all that is permanent and stable. The Buddha takes a pellet of cow dung in his hand and tells him that the personality in any one span of life (attabhāva) even as small as that pellet is unstable. The Buddha then tells the monk of the great luxuries he had enjoyed as king (Mahā-Sudassana) of Kusāvati, and of how they all perished (S.iii.143f).

This sutta was preached by Mahinda at the Nandana grove, on the sixth day after his arrival in Ceylon. Mhv.xv.197.

Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G P Malalasekera (1899-1973), which is available as printed version from