MN 30 Cūḷasāropama Sutta: The Shorter Simile of the Heartwood
5 pages
… he cuts its inner bark and takes it away, thinking it is heartwood; and so whatever it was he had to make with heartwood, his purpose will not be served.
After the incident with Devadatta, the Buddha cautions the mendicants against becoming complacent and points to liberation as the true heart of the teachings.