有一次，佛陀在摩揭陀國那爛陀地方遊化，住在那羅村一位賣衣人家的芒果園中。 當地有一位村長，因為他家世襲以鍛造刀子為生，家族就以「刀師」為姓。

這天，這位刀師村長去見他的老師尼乾子，尼乾子對他說：

「你會不會以一種兩難的詭辯術，論敗沙門瞿曇，讓他啞口無言？」

「老師！有什麼兩難的詭辯術，可以論敗沙門瞿曇，讓他啞口無言？」

「你先問沙門瞿曇，看他是不是要普渡眾生，讓一切眾生得利益安樂，也讚歎能讓一切眾生得利益安樂的人。

如果他回答『不』，那就嘲笑他跟平凡的愚夫沒什麼不同。

如果他回答『是』，那就質疑他，為何只對一些人說法，不對一切眾生說法。 這樣的兩難詭辯術，就可以論敗沙門瞿曇，讓他啞口無言。」

刀師村長受了尼乾子的慫恿，就到芒果園見佛陀，想用尼乾子所教的那一套來問難佛陀。 刀師村長說：

「瞿曇！你不是要普渡眾生，讓一切眾生得利益安樂，也讚歎讓一切眾生得利益安樂嗎？」

「村長！長久以來，如來一向是慈悲利益一切眾生，讓一切眾生得利益安樂，也常常讚歎能讓一切眾生得利益安樂的人。」

「瞿曇！如果這樣，那為何如來不對眾生一視同仁地說法，只對某些人詳盡地說法，而對其他人卻不詳盡地說法呢？」

「村長！讓我來問你，請你照實回答。

譬如，有人擁有三塊田，第一塊很肥沃，第二塊中等，第三塊很貧瘠又帶有鹽分，村長！你說田主人會先選哪塊田播種？」

「那當然是選最肥沃的那塊先播種耕作囉，瞿曇！」

「然後呢？村長！」

「然後再選中等的那塊，瞿曇！」

「最後呢？村長！」

「最後剩下來的種子，才考慮去播種最貧瘠的那塊，或者根本就放棄那塊最貧瘠的不播種，將剩下來的種子拿去餵牛。」

「為何要這樣做呢？」

「這樣才不會浪費種子，將來的收成也會比較好啊！」

「村長！我也是這樣。那些傾生命的全部投入，跟隨我出家修學的比丘、比丘尼們，就像是那最肥沃的田地，所以，我樂意常常為他們說全然純正的善法，同時也以我一生清淨修行的身教，展現出來教化他們。為什麼我會這樣全心全力地教導他們呢？因為他們聽了我的教說後，會以我的教說為安住處，為依靠的島嶼，為保護，為庇蔭，為歸依，他們能常常這樣地自我反省，自我勉勵： 『世尊教導我的，我都要憶持實踐，使自己能得到利益安樂。』 村長！而我的在家弟子：優婆塞、優婆夷們，就像那塊中等的田地，我也樂意常常為他們說純正的善法，展現我清淨修行的身教，而他們也會依循我的教導，努力修學，使自己能得到利益安樂。 村長！那些像尼乾子之輩的外道異學，就像那塊含鹽分的貧瘠田地，我也樂意為他們說純正的善法，展現我清淨修行的身教，他們能聽進去多少，就算多少，即使只聽進去一句法，也能享有一句法的利益安樂。」

 「好奇特喔，世尊！用這麼善巧的三種田作譬喻解說。」

「村長！讓我再打個比方：譬如有三個水瓶，第一個水瓶完好無缺，也沒有漏水裂縫，第二個水瓶外觀完好，但有漏水裂縫，第三個水瓶不僅有漏水裂縫，還有缺損，村長！你想人們會先使用哪個水瓶來裝水？」

「瞿曇！當然是先用那個完好無缺，也不會漏水的水瓶了。」

「然後呢？」

「瞿曇！然後再用那個外觀無缺陷，但有裂縫的水瓶。」 「如果兩個瓶子都已經裝滿了，還有剩餘的水，怎麼辦？」

「那只好拿那個有缺損的破瓶子來裝了，或許還能短暫儲存，作小小的用途，也或許根本不使用它，將剩餘的水拿來洗碗盤。」

「村長！那完好無缺，也沒有裂縫的水瓶，就像我比丘、比丘尼出家弟子們，那稍有裂縫的水瓶，就像我優婆塞、優婆夷在家弟子們，而那破損的瓶子，就像尼乾子之輩的外道異學。」

佛陀輕易地就連舉兩個貼切的例子，論破了尼乾子自以為萬無一失的兩難論，聽得刀師村長大為恐怖，毛骨悚然，趕快頂禮佛足，懺悔說：

「世尊！我是那麼地愚癡，不辨是非，竟然在世尊面前胡言妄語。」 。

On one occasion, the Buddha was traveling and teaching in Nalanda, State of Magadha, dwelling at the mango grove of a garment merchant in Nara Village. The family name of headman of the village was “Asibandhakaputta--Knife Master” because his family was forging knife for living by hereditary.

On this day, the headman Asibandhakaputta visited his teacher Nigaha-nataputta who told him:

“Can you employ a dilemma sophistry to defeat ascetic Gotama in a debate and let him speechless?”

“Teacher, what dilemma sophistry can defeat ascetic Gotama in a debate and let him speechless?”

“You first ask ascetic Gotama, to see whether he would like to deliver all the sentient beings, let all sentient beings obtain benefit, peace and happiness, and praise those who can let all sentient beings to obtain benefit, peace and happiness.

If his answer is “no”, then laugh at him that he is no different from the ordinary fool, if his answer is “yes”, then query him why he preaches Dharma to some, but not to all sentient beings. Such dilemma sophistry will be able to defeat ascetic Gotama and let him speechless.”

Encouraged by Nigaha-nataputta, headman Asibandhakaputta proceeded to see the Buddha in the mango grove, and contemplated to query the Buddha according to what he learned from Nigaha-nataputta.

Headman Asibandhakaputta said:

“Gotama, don’t you want to deliver all the sentient beings, let all sentient beings obtain benefit, peace and happiness, and praise those who can let all sentient beings to obtain benefit, peace and happiness?”

“Headman! The Tathagata has always been dwelling compassionate towards all sentient beings, let all sentient beings obtain benefit, peace and happiness, and praise those who can allow all sentient beings to obtain benefit, peace and happiness.”

“Gotama! If that is the case, then why the Tathagata doesn’t preach the Dharma to all sentient beings indiscriminately, and only teaches Dharma thoroughly to some and not to all others?”

“Headman! I will ask you about this. Please answer truthfully.

Suppose a person here had three fields: one excellent, one of middling quality, and one inferior—rough, salty, with bad ground. What do you think, Headman? If the person 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?”

“Of course, select the excellent field to sow and cultivate first, Gotama!”

“Then? Headman!”

“Then select the one with middling quality, Gotama!”

“Lastly? Headman!”

“Finally consider sowing the seeds in the field that was inferior, or give up sowing seeds in the inferior field completely and use the remaining seeds as fodder for the cattle.”

“Why so doing?”

“So that the seeds won’t be wasted and will ensure better harvest in the future.”

“Headman! I do the same. Those bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, who devote their entire life following me to become monastic to study, just like the most fertile field, thus, I’ll often be willing to teach them the purest wholesome Dharma, and in the meantime, I reveal my life that is perfectly complete and pure to teach them. For what reason I would wholeheartedly spare no effort to teach them? Because after listening to my preaching, they would dwell with me as their island, with me as their shelter, with me as their protector, with me as their refuge. They often are able to conduct self-retrospect and self-encouragement that:

“The World Honored One teaches us, we should remember and insist upon practice, enable to obtain benefit, peace and happiness.”

Headman! Just like the field of middling quality are the male and female lay followers to me. To them too I’ll often be willing to teach them the purest wholesome Dharma; in the meantime, I reveal my life that is perfectly complete and pure to teach them. They also would follow my teaching, practice diligently and allow themselves to obtain benefit, peace and happiness.

Headman! Just like that field that is inferior—rough, salty, with bad ground—are the ascetics, Brahmins, and the wanderers of other sects such as Nigaha-nataputta and the like; yet to them too I teach the dharma that is pure perfect and wholesome, I reveal my life as example that is perfectly complete and pure, regardless how much them absorbed, if they understand even a single sentence from the Dharma, they will be able to enjoy the benefit, pure and happiness from the single sentence of the Dharma.”

“Magnificent, The World Honored One! Using such skillful means of the three types of fields as metaphor for explanation.”

“Headman! Let me draw an analogy again: suppose there are three water-pots: one without cracks, which does not let water seep through and escape; and one looks fine but with cracks, which lets water seep through and escape; and one not only with cracks, which lets water seep through and escape but also with flaws. What do you think, Headman! If people wants to store water where would he store it first?”

“Gotama! Of course, first use the water-pot that is without cracks, which does not let water seep through and escape.”

“If two water-pots have been full, what to do with the remaining water?”

“Then had no choice but store it in the broken water-pot with flaws, perhaps it could hold water temporary and fulfill trivially its usage, or discard it complete and use the remaining water for washing dishes.”

“Headman! Just like the intact water-pot that is without cracks are my monastic Bhikkhus and Bhikkunis, just like the water-pot with slight cracks are my male and female lay followers to me, and just like the water-pot with cracks are the ascetics, Brahmins, and the wanderers of other sects such as Nigaha-nataputta and the like.”

Upon hearing about the two appropriate metaphors the Buddha raised effortlessly and defeated Nigaha-nataputta’s dilemma sophistry which he considered surefire, Asibandhakaputta the headman felt sending cold shivers down his spine, making his hair stand on end and was absolutely horrified, he quickly paid homage to the Buddha said with repentant: “The World Honored One! I was so foolish who couldn’t tell right from wrong, even talk nonsense in from of The World Honored One.”

一、本則故事取材自《雜阿含第九一五經》、《別譯雜阿含第一三○經》、《相應部第四二相應第七經》。

二、佛陀普渡眾生了嗎？那也要看眾生是否有被渡的條件，這是相對的。佛陀當然會先在良田播種上用心，先選用完好不漏水的瓶子。

三、印順法師在《成佛之道》〈聞法趣入〉章中說：「如器受於水，如地植於種，應離三種失，諦聽善思念。」雖不清楚法師此段說法的出處，但與本則故事中佛陀的譬喻，其意涵上是那麼的一致。  

1. This story was derived from Samyuktagama 915th Sutra, Other Translation Samyuktagama 130th Sutra, and Samyutta-Nikaya 42nd Samyutta 7th Sutra.

2. Does the Buddha deliver all Sentient Beings? Pending upon whether or not the Sentient Beings possess the conditions that could be delivered, this is relative. The Buddha of course would be mindful of sowing seeds on the fertile field, and choose first the perfect water-pot that does not let water seep through and escape.

3. In the chapter “Hearing the Dharma and Destin Into” of “The Path to the Buddhahood”, Venerable Yin Shun stated that: “Just like device holding water, sowing seed on ground, should be freed from three kinds of faults, listen carefully, contemplate and remember.” Although the source cited by the Venerable in this paragraph was unclear, the content was so consistent with the metaphors used by the Buddha in this story