SA 98（九八） 耕田

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling among the people of Kosala and arrived at a village called Naraka, where he stayed in a forest called Naraka.

At that time, the World-Honored One put on his robe, took his alms bowl, and entered a village called Dhara to beg for alms. He thought, "It's still very early today. Let me first pass by the place where the brahmin Kheduttha is preparing food."

At that time, the brahmin Kheduttha was plowing the fields with five hundred plows to prepare food. When he saw the World-Honored One from afar, he said, "Gautama! I am now plowing the fields and sowing seeds to prepare food. The śramaṇa Gautama should also plow the fields and sow seeds to prepare food."

The Buddha told the brahmin, "I also plow the fields and sow seeds to prepare food."

The brahmin said to the Buddha, "I have never seen the śramaṇa Gautama with a plow, yoke, harness, rope, plowshare, or whip. Yet now Gautama says, 'I also plow the fields and sow seeds to prepare food.'"

At that time, the brahmin plowman Varṣākāra spoke a verse, saying:

You yourself say you plow the fields, but I do not see you plowing. Please
tell me about plowing the fields, so that I may know the method of plowing.

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke a verse in reply,

Faith is the seed, suffering is the timely rain
Wisdom is the yoke, and conscience is the axle
Right mindfulness guards oneself, the good charioteer. Concealing body
and speech, knowing the place of food, truth is
the true vehicle, pleasure in dwelling is laziness, diligence
is neglect, peaceful and swift progress. Going straight without
turning back, reaching the place of no sorrow. Thus
the one who plows the fields attains the fruit
of immortality; thus the one who plows the fields
does not return to experience existence.

At that time, the plowman Brāhmaṇa Pāyāsi said to the Buddha, "Good plowman! Gautama! Excellent plowman! Gautama!" Then the plowman Brāhmaṇa Pāyāsi, hearing the World-Honored One's verse, his faith increased even more. He offered a full bowl of fragrant and delicious food to the World-Honored One. The World-Honored One did not accept it, because it was obtained through reciting verses. He then spoke a verse,

I do not eat food obtained through reciting verses.

Thus it is extensively explained, as was extensively explained before for the Brāhmaṇa Agni and Pāyāsi.

At that time, the plowman Brāhmaṇa Pāyāsi said to the Buddha, "Gautama! Where should I place this food now?"

The Buddha told the Brāhmaṇa, "I do not see any gods, Māras, Brahmās, Śramaṇas, Brāhmaṇas, devas, humans, or any other beings in the world who are able to eat this food and be at ease. Brāhmaṇa! You should take this food and place it in water with no living creatures, or on land with little living grass."

At that time, the Brāhmaṇa took this food and placed it in water with no living creatures. The water immediately smoked, boiled, and hissed, like a hot ball thrown into cold water, hissing. In the same way, when that food was placed in water with no living creatures, it smoked, boiled, and hissed.

At that time, the Brāhmaṇa thought, "The Śramaṇa Gautama is truly extraordinary! He is greatly virtuous and powerful, causing the food and drink to perform such supernatural feats.

At that time, the Brāhmaṇa, seeing the auspicious signs of the food, his faith increased even more. He said to the Buddha, "Gautama! Can I now go forth and receive full ordination in the true Dharma?"

The Buddha told the Brāhmaṇa, "You can now go forth and receive full ordination in the true Dharma, and attain the status of a bhikṣu." Having gone forth, he contemplated in solitude, "The reason why a noble son shaves his beard and hair, puts on the dyed robe, with right faith leaves home to practice the path..." and attained arahantship, with his mind well liberated.