1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Nalanda in Pavarika's Mango Grove. Then Asibandhakaputta the headman approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: "Venerable sir, doesn’t the Blessed One dwell compassionate towards all living beings?"

"Yes, headman, the Tathāgata dwells compassionate towards all living beings."

"Then why is it, venerable sir, that the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma thoroughly to some, yet not so thoroughly to others?" sn.iv.315

"Well then, headman, I will question you about this. Answer as you see fit. What do you think, headman? Suppose a farmer here had three fields: one excellent, one of middling quality, and one inferior—rough, salty, with bad ground. What do you think, headman? If that farmer wishes to sow seed, where would he sow it first: in the excellent field, in the field of middling quality, or in the field that was inferior, the one that was rough, salty, with bad ground?"

"If, venerable sir, that farmer wishes to sow seed, he would sow it in the excellent field. Having sown seed there, he would next sow seed in the field of middling quality. Having sown seed there, he might or might not sow seed in the field that was inferior, the one that was rough, salty, with bad ground. For what reason? Because at least it can be used as fodder for the cattle."

2"Headman, just like the field that is excellent are the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs to me. I teach them the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; I reveal the holy life that is perfectly complete and pure. For what reason? Because they dwell with me as their island, with me as their shelter, with me as their protector, with me as their refuge.

"Then, headman, just like the field of middling quality are the male and female lay followers to me. To them too I teach the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; I reveal the holy life that is perfectly complete and pure. For what reason? Because they dwell with me as their island, with me as their shelter, with me as their protector, with me as their refuge.

"Then, headman, just like that field that is inferior—sn.iv.316 rough, salty, with bad ground—are the ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers of other sects to me. Yet to them too I teach the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; I reveal the holy life that is perfectly complete and pure. For what reason? Because if they understand even a single sentence, that will lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time.

3"Suppose, headman, a man had three waterpots: one without cracks, which does not let water seep through and escape; one without cracks, but which lets water seep through and escape; and one with cracks, which lets water seep through and escape. What do you think, headman? If that man wants to store water, where would he store it first: in the waterpot that is without cracks, which does not let water seep through and escape; or in the waterpot that is without cracks, but which lets water seep through and escape; or in the waterpot that has cracks, which lets water seep through and escape?"

"If, venerable sir, that man wants to store water, he would store it in the waterpot that is without cracks, which does not let water seep through and escape. Having stored water there, he would next store it in the waterpot that is without cracks, but which lets water seep through and escape. Having stored it there, he might or might not store it in the waterpot that has cracks, which lets water seep through and escape. For what reason? Because it can at least be used for washing dishes."

4"Headman, just like the waterpot that is without cracks, which does not let water seep through and escape, are the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs to me. I teach them the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; I reveal the holy life that is perfectly complete and pure. For what reason? Because they dwell with me as their island, with me as their shelter, with me as their protector, with me as their refuge.

"Then, headman, just like the waterpot that is without cracks, but which lets water seep through and escape, are the male and female lay followers to me. To them sn.iv.317 too I teach the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; I reveal the holy life that is perfectly complete and pure. For what reason? Because they dwell with me as their island, with me as their shelter, with me as their protector, with me as their refuge.

"Then, headman, just like the waterpot that has cracks, which lets water seep through and escape, are the ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers of other sects to me. Yet to them too I teach the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; I reveal the holy life that is perfectly complete and pure. For what reason? Because if they understand even a single sentence, that will lead to their welfare and happiness for a long time."

5When this was said, Asibandhakaputta the headman said to the Blessed One: "Magnificent, venerable sir! … From today let the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nāḷandāyaṁ vihārati pāvārikambavane. Atha kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "nanu, bhante, bhagavā sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī vihāratī"ti?

"Evaṁ, gāmaṇi, tathāgato sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī vihāratī"ti.

"Atha kiñcarahi, bhante, bhagavā ekaccānaṁ sakkaccaṁ dhammaṁ deseti, ekaccānaṁ no tathā sakkaccaṁ dhammaṁ desetī"ti?

"Tena hi, gāmaṇi, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, idhassu kassakassa gahapatino tīṇi khettāni – ekaṁ khettaṁ aggaṁ, ekaṁ khettaṁ majjhimaṁ, ekaṁ khettaṁ hīnaṁ jaṅgalaṁ ūsaraṁ pāpabhūmi. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, asu kassako gahapati bījāni patiṭṭhāpetukāmo kattha paṭhamaṁ patiṭṭhāpeyya, yaṁ vā aduṁ khettaṁ aggaṁ, yaṁ vā aduṁ khettaṁ majjhimaṁ, yaṁ vā aduṁ khettaṁ hīnaṁ jaṅgalaṁ ūsaraṁ pāpabhūmī"ti?

"Asu, bhante, kassako gahapati bījāni patiṭṭhāpetukāmo yaṁ aduṁ khettaṁ aggaṁ tattha patiṭṭhāpeyya. Tattha patiṭṭhāpetvā yaṁ aduṁ khettaṁ majjhimaṁ tattha patiṭṭhāpeyya. Tattha patiṭṭhāpetvā yaṁ aduṁ khettaṁ hīnaṁ jaṅgalaṁ ūsaraṁ pāpabhūmi tattha patiṭṭhāpeyyapi, nopi patiṭṭhāpeyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Antamaso gobhattampi bhavissatī"ti.

2"Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, yaṁ aduṁ khettaṁ aggaṁ; evameva mayhaṁ bhikkhubhikkhuniyo. Tesāhaṁ dhammaṁ desemi – ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ, sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsemi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ete hi, gāmaṇi, maṁdīpā maṁleṇā maṁtāṇā maṁsaraṇā vihāranti.

Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, yaṁ aduṁ khettaṁ majjhimaṁ; evameva mayhaṁ upāsakaupāsikāyo. Tesaṁ pāhaṁ dhammaṁ desemi – ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ, sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsemi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ete hi, gāmaṇi, maṁdīpā maṁleṇā maṁtāṇā maṁsaraṇā vihāranti.

Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, yaṁ aduṁ khettaṁ hīnaṁ jaṅgalaṁ ūsaraṁ pāpabhūmi; evameva mayhaṁ aññatitthiyā samaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakā. Tesaṁ pāhaṁ dhammaṁ desemi – ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsemi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Appeva nāma ekaṁ padampi ājāneyyuṁ taṁ nesaṁ assa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyāti.

3Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, purisassa tayo udakamaṇikā – eko udakamaṇiko acchiddo ahārī aparihārī, eko udakamaṇiko acchiddo hārī parihārī, eko udakamaṇiko chiddo hārī parihārī. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, gāmaṇi, asu puriso udakaṁ nikkhipitukāmo kattha paṭhamaṁ nikkhipeyya, yo vā so udakamaṇiko acchiddo ahārī aparihārī, yo vā so udakamaṇiko acchiddo hārī parihārī, yo vā so udakamaṇiko chiddo hārī parihārī"ti?

"Asu, bhante, puriso udakaṁ nikkhipitukāmo, yo so udakamaṇiko acchiddo ahārī aparihārī tattha nikkhipeyya, tattha nikkhipitvā, yo so udakamaṇiko acchiddo hārī parihārī tattha nikkhipeyya, tattha nikkhipitvā, yo so udakamaṇiko chiddo hārī parihārī tattha nikkhipeyyapi, nopi nikkhipeyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Antamaso bhaṇḍadhovanampi bhavissatī"ti.

4"Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, yo so udakamaṇiko acchiddo ahārī aparihārī; evameva mayhaṁ bhikkhubhikkhuniyo. Tesāhaṁ dhammaṁ desemi – ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsemi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ete hi, gāmaṇi, maṁdīpā maṁleṇā maṁtāṇā maṁsaraṇā vihāranti.

Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, yo so udakamaṇiko acchiddo hārī parihārī; evameva mayhaṁ upāsakaupāsikāyo. Tesāhaṁ dhammaṁ desemi – ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsemi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ete hi, gāmaṇi, maṁdīpā maṁleṇā maṁtāṇā maṁsaraṇā vihāranti.

Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, yo so udakamaṇiko chiddo hārī parihārī; evameva mayhaṁ aññatitthiyā samaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakā. Tesāhaṁ dhammaṁ desemi – ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsemi. Taṁ kissa hetu? Appeva nāma ekaṁ padampi ājāneyyuṁ, taṁ nesaṁ assa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā"ti.

5Evaṁ vutte, asibandhakaputto gāmaṇi bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante … pe … upāsakaṁ maṁ bhagavā dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.

Sattamaṁ.