On a certain occasion, while the Exalted One was in residence at Nalanda, he addressed the village headman Asibandhakaputta as follows:

"Here a farmer, a householder, has three fields: one field with good soil, one field with fair soil, one field with poor soil,--a jungle, barren land impregnated with salt, poor land. What think you of this, headman? Suppose that farmer, that householder, wished to sow seed,--where would he sow seed first,--in that field with good soil? or in that field with fair soil? or in that field with poor soil,--that jungle, that barren land impregnated with salt, that poor land?

"Reverend Sir, if that farmer, that householder, wished to sow seed, he would first sow seed in that field with good soil; having sown seed there, he would sow seed in that field with fair soil; having sown seed there, he would sow no seed at all in that field with poor soil,--that jungle, that barren land impregnated with salt, that poor land. Why not? 'Without fail, I must have feed for my cattle!'

"Headman, just like that field with good soil are my monks and nuns. To them I preach the Doctrine, beautiful in its beginning, beautiful in its middle, beautiful in its end, in the spirit and in the letter; I proclaim the Holy Life in all its fulness, in all its purity. Why is this? Because, headman, they abide possessing Me for an island of retirement, Me for a cave of retreat, Me for an armor of defense, Me for a refuge.

"Headman, just like that field with fair soil are my lay disciples, both male and female. To them I preach the Doctrine, beautiful in its beginning, beautiful in its middle, beautiful in its end, in the spirit and in the letter; I proclaim the Holy Life in all its fulness, in all its purity. Why is this? Because, headman, they abide possessing Me for an island of retirement, Me for a cave of retreat, Me for an armor of defense, Me for a refuge.

"Headman, just like that field with poor soil,--that jungle, that barren land impregnated with salt, that poor land, are the teachers of perverse doctrines opposed to me,--the wandering ascetics, both monks and Brahmans. To them I preach the Doctrine, beautiful in its beginning, beautiful in its middle, beautiful in its end, in the spirit and in the letter; I proclaim the Holy Life in all its fulness, in all its purity. Why is this? 'Perhaps, were they to know but a single word, it would be to their welfare and happiness for a long time to come!'

"Suppose, headman, a man had three waterpots: one waterpot uncracked, unattractive, not very attractive; one waterpot uncracked, attractive, very attractive; one waterpot cracked, attractive, very attractive. What think you of this, headman? Suppose that man wished to put water into a waterpot,--into which waterpot would he put it first,--into that waterpot which was uncracked, unattractive, not very attractive? or into that waterpot which was uncracked, attractive, very attractive? or into that waterpot which was cracked, attractive, very attractive?

"Reverend Sir, if that man wished to put water into a waterpot, he would first put it into that waterpot which was uncracked, unattractive, not very attractive; having put water into that waterpot, he would put water into that waterpot which was uncracked, attractive, very attractive; having put water into that waterpot, he would put no water at all into that third waterpot. Why not? 'Without fail, I must have water to wash my utensils!'

"Headman, just like that waterpot which is uncracked, unattractive, not very attractive, are my monks and nuns. To them I preach the Doctrine....Headman, just like that waterpot which is uncracked, attractive, very attractive, are my lay disciples, both male and female. To them I preach the Doctrine....Headman, just like that waterpot which is cracked, attractive, very attractive, are the teachers of perverse doctrines opposed to me,--the wandering ascetics, both monks and Brahmans. To them preach the Doctrine, beautiful in its beginning, beautiful in its middle, beautiful in its end, in the spirit and in the letter; I proclaim the Holy Life in all its fulness, in all its purity. Why is this? 'Perhaps, were they to know but a single word, it would be to their welfare and happiness for a long time to come!'"