specks of dirt on a fingernail ［爪上の土］ ( sōjō-no-do): The number of particles of dirt that can be placed or balanced on a fingernail, an expression used in Buddhist texts to represent extreme scarcity or rarity. In particular, it symbolizes the rarity of being born a human being, encountering the Buddha’s teachings, and attaining Buddhahood. The phrase is often contrasted with expressions such as “the specks of dirt in all the lands of the ten directions.” The Nirvana Sutra says that those who do not believe in the correct teaching are as numerous as the specks of dirt in all the lands of the ten directions, while those who believe in the correct teaching are as few as the specks of dirt that can be placed on a fingernail. “Specks of dirt” is also translated as particles of dust, etc.