SA-2 130（一三〇）

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was staying in the Selling Cloth Forest near the city of Narakata. At that time, the village headman of the Closed Mouth clan had this thought: "I want to see the śramaṇa Gautama, but I cannot go there without seeing my teacher Nirgrantha." He then went to see Nirgrantha, bowed at his feet, and sat to one side. Nirgrantha then told him, "Now I teach you two kinds of difficulties, so that Gautama will neither be able to swallow nor spit out."

The Closed Mouth clan asked, "Teacher! What are the two difficulties that can make Gautama neither swallow nor spit out?"

He further told him, "You should go to Gautama and say, 'Do you not act for the benefit and happiness of all beings? Do you also praise the Dharma for the benefit and happiness of all beings? If you say you do not act for the benefit and happiness of all beings, what is the difference between you and ordinary fools? If you say you want to benefit and bring happiness to beings, why do you not teach the Dharma equally to all? Why is there anyone you do not teach?'"

At that time, the village headman, having received the instruction, went to where the Buddha was, exchanged greetings, and sat to one side. He then said to the Buddha, "Do you really not want to benefit and bring happiness to all beings? Don't you always praise such a Dharma?"

The Buddha told him, "I have always wanted to benefit all beings for a long time, and I have always praised such a Dharma."

The village headman said, "If that is so, why don't you teach the Dharma equally to all beings? Why not teach it to everyone?"

The Buddha asked him, "I will ask you a question, please answer as you wish. For example, in the world, there are three kinds of fields: one is a superior field, fertile and excellent; the second is a field of moderate quality; the third is a field in a remote wilderness, with saline and barren soil. Which field would a farmer sow seeds in first?"

The village headman said, "For the sake of benefit, one would first sow seeds in good fields, hoping for great profit."

The Buddha said to him, "If the good fields are exhausted, which field would you sow seeds in next?"

The village headman said, "Next, I would sow seeds in the medium field. After sowing in the medium field, I would sow in the inferior field. I would also throw seeds, hoping for a little harvest later."

The Buddha said to him, "If you want to know the superior field, it is like my disciples, the monks and nuns. I teach them the Dharma that is good in the beginning, middle, and end, accomplishing their own benefit, with subtle meaning and phrases, fully satisfying the benefits, complete purity, and revealing the holy life. After the monks and nuns listen to my Dharma, they rely on me, take refuge in me, depend on me, and I am their captain, ferryman, and guide. I open their eyes, allowing them to see, and they abide in peace and happiness. After hearing it, they each say, 'The Buddha teaches us, and we will all practice with utmost sincerity, which will benefit us for a long time, bringing meaning and happiness.' The medium field is like my disciples, the male and female lay followers. I teach them the Dharma that is good in the beginning, middle, and end, accomplishing their own benefit, with subtle meaning and phrases, fully satisfying the benefits, complete purity, and revealing the holy life. After the male and female lay followers listen to my Dharma, they rely on me, take refuge in me, depend on me, and I am their captain, ferryman, and guide. I open their eyes, allowing them to see, and they abide in peace and happiness. After hearing it, they each say, 'The Buddha teaches us, and we will all practice with utmost sincerity, which will benefit us for a long time, bringing meaning and happiness.' If you want to know the inferior field, which is like salt-alkali wasteland, it is like the non-Buddhist practitioners. I also teach them the Dharma that is good in the beginning, middle, and end, up to revealing the holy life. Those non-Buddhist practitioners are able to listen and accept, according to their preferences, even just a single phrase, understanding its meaning. It also saves and benefits them for a long time, bringing meaning and happiness."

At that time, the village headman Bheka heard the Buddha's teaching and said, "It is rare, Gautama, to speak such a good and beautiful parable."

The Buddha said to him, "To illustrate this meaning, I will give another parable. It is like the world having three kinds of vessels: one water vessel is solid, complete, undamaged, without holes or cracks, and also without leaking. The second vessel is also complete and unbroken, without holes or cracks, but slightly leaking. The third vessel is broken and leaking. If a person were to pour water into them, which vessel should they pour into first?"

He replied, "First into the unbroken and leak-free one. After filling the complete vessel, pour into the second vessel. Although the second vessel is complete and unbroken, it slightly leaks."

The Buddha said again, "After filling these vessels, where should you pour more? Although the third vessel is leaking and broken, you should still pour water into it, because for a short while before it leaks, it can be used. The first vessel is an analogy for my disciples, the bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs. I teach the Dharma for them, so that they may attain the meaning and happiness. The second vessel is an analogy for my disciples, the upāsakas and upāsikās. I teach the Dharma for them, so that they may attain the meaning and happiness. The third vessel is an analogy for the non-Buddhist practitioners. I teach the Dharma for them, so that if they listen and accept a little, they may attain the meaning and happiness."

At that time, the village headman of the Bhelu family, having heard the Buddha's teaching, was filled with fear and anxiety, and felt revulsion and disgust. His body hair stood on end. He rose, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said, "I now sincerely repent before the Buddha! I am very foolish, like a child. The unwholesome deeds I have done, speaking falsely and unrealistically before the Buddha, are baseless and false. I only pray that you will have compassion and allow me to repent!"

The Buddha said to him, "I know your sincerity. You truly know your faults and foolishness, like a child. The unwholesome deeds you have done, speaking falsely and unrealistically before the Tathāgata, the Arhat, are baseless and false. Now that you know your faults and sincerely repent, good qualities will increase daily and evil deeds will diminish. Now I have compassion for you and accept your repentance, causing your good qualities to increase and never be lost."

At that time, the village headman of the Bhelu family, having heard the Buddha's teaching, was delighted and accepted it. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet and departed.