SA 915（九一五） 种田

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at the Good Clothing Mango Grove in the village of Nala.

At that time, the village headman of the Kṣatriyas, who was formerly a disciple of the Nirgranthas, went to where the Nirgranthas were, bowed at their feet, and sat to one side.

At that time, the Nirgranthas said to the village headman, "Can you engage in a thorny debate with the śramaṇa Gautama, causing the śramaṇa Gautama to be unable to speak or not speak?"

The village headman said to the Nirgranthas, "Venerable ones! What is a thorny debate that causes the śramaṇa Gautama to be unable to speak or not speak?"

The Nirgranthas said to the village headman, "You go to where the śramaṇa Gautama is and say this: 'Gautama, do you not always wish to comfort all beings and praise comforting all beings?' If he says no, you should say, 'What is the difference between Gautama and an ordinary fool?' If he says he always wishes to comfort all beings and praises comforting all beings, you should further ask, 'If you wish to comfort all beings, why do you sometimes teach the Dharma to one kind of person and not to another kind of person?' Asking in this way is called a thorny debate that causes that śramaṇa Gautama to be unable to speak or not speak."

At that time, the village headman accepted the Nirgranthas' advice and went to where the Buddha was. After respectfully inquiring about his well-being, he sat to one side and said to the Buddha, "Gautama, do you not wish to always comfort all beings and praise comforting all beings?"

The Buddha told the village headman, "The Tathāgata has long been compassionate and comforting to all beings, and he also always praises comforting all beings."

The village headman said to the Buddha, "If that is so, why does the Tathāgata teach the Dharma for some people but not for others?"

The Buddha said to the village headman, "I will ask you a question, please answer as you wish. Village headman! Suppose there are three kinds of fields, one fertile and rich, the second medium, and the third barren. Which field would the farmer plow and sow first?"

The village headman said, "Gautama! The best fertile and rich field would be plowed and sown first."

"Village headman! Which field would be plowed and sown next?"

The village headman said, "Gautama! The middle field would be plowed and sown next."

The Buddha said to the village headman, "Which field would be plowed and sown next?"

The village headman said, "The lowest and thinnest field would be plowed and sown next."

The Buddha said to the village headman, "Why is it so?"

The village headman said, "I do not want to abandon the field and preserve the seeds."

The Buddha said to the village headman, "I am also like this. The fertile and moist field is also like my bhikshus and bhikshunis. I always expound the true Dharma for them, which is good in the beginning, middle, and end, with good meaning and good taste, pure and perfect, pure and bright in the practice of Brahma. They hear the Dharma and rely on my house, my continent, my shelter, my shade, and my destination. They always look at me with pure eyes and abide, thinking, 'The Dharma spoken by the Buddha, I will all uphold, so that I may benefit for a long time, peacefully and happily abiding.'

Village headman! The middle field is also like my lay male and female disciples. I also expound the true Dharma for them, which is good in the beginning, middle, and end, with good meaning and good taste, pure and perfect, pure and bright in the practice of Brahma. They hear the Dharma and rely on my house, my continent, my shelter, my shade, and my destination. They always look at me with pure eyes and abide, thinking, 'The World-Honored One's teachings, I will all uphold, so that I may benefit for a long time, peacefully and happily abiding.'

"Village headman! The lowest field of the farmer is also like my teachings for the non-Buddhist practitioners, the Nirgrantha ascetics. I also expound the Dharma for them, which is good in the beginning, middle, and end, with good meaning and good taste, pure and perfect, pure and bright in the practice of Brahma. However, among them, those who hear little of the Dharma, I also teach them, and those who hear much of the Dharma, I also teach them. However, among that assembly, those who attain a single phrase of the Dharma from my well-spoken teachings and understand its meaning, they will also benefit for a long time, peacefully and happily abiding."

At that time, the village headman said to the Buddha, "How wonderful! World-Honored One! You have well spoken this parable of the three fields."

The Buddha told the village headman, "Listen to me as I further explain with a parable. It is like a man having three water vessels that are not pierced, not broken, and also not leaking. The second vessel is not pierced or broken, but it leaks. The third vessel is pierced, broken, and leaks. What do you think, village headman? Among these three kinds of vessels, where would that man always keep clean water?"

The village headman said, "Gautama! One should first put water in the one that is not pierced, not broken, and not leaking."

The Buddha told the village headman, "Then, which vessel should one put water in next?"

The village headman said, "Gautama! One should next put water in the vessel that is not pierced, not broken, but leaking."

The Buddha told the village headman, "When that vessel is full, in which vessel should one put water next?"

The village headman said, "One should put water in the last vessel that is pierced, broken, and leaking. Why? Because it is needed for small use in a short time."

The Buddha told the village headman, "The man who has an undamaged, unbroken, and non-leaking vessel is like my disciples, the monks and nuns. I always teach them the true Dharma, and they benefit and dwell in peace and happiness for a long time. The second vessel that is undamaged and unbroken but leaking is like my disciples, the male and female lay followers. I always teach them the true Dharma, and they benefit and dwell in peace and happiness for a long time. The third vessel that is damaged, broken, and leaking is like the non-Buddhist ascetics and Nirgranthas. I also teach them the true Dharma, which is good in the beginning, middle, and end, with good meaning and good taste, pure and complete, the pure and bright practice of the Brahma-way. I teach them much and also teach them little. If they understand the meaning of even a single phrase I teach, they will also dwell in peace and happiness for a long time."

At that time, the village headman of the Kṣatriyas heard what the Buddha said, and his heart was greatly terrified, his body hair stood on end. He went forward, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and repented, saying, "World-Honored One! I am foolish, ignorant, unskillful, and unable to discern. I did not speak the truth and made false and deceptive statements to the World-Honored One!"

Hearing what the Buddha said, he joyfully rejoiced, bowed at the feet [of the Buddha], and departed.