What do you think? When that farmer wants to plant seeds, where would he plant them first: the good field, the average one, or the poor one?”
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?
“Sir, he’d plant them first in the good field, then the average, then he may or may not plant seed in the poor field.
“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.
Why is that?
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Because at least it can be fodder for the cattle.”
Antamaso gobhattampi bhavissatī”ti.
“To me, the monks and nuns are like the good field.
“Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, yaṁ aduṁ khettaṁ aggaṁ; evameva mayhaṁ bhikkhubhikkhuniyo.
I teach them the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And I reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.
Tesāhaṁ dhammaṁ desemi—ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ, sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsemi.
Why is that?
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Because they live with me as their island, protection, shelter, and refuge.
Ete hi, gāmaṇi, maṁdīpā maṁleṇā maṁtāṇā maṁsaraṇā viharanti.
To me, the laymen and laywomen are like the average field.
Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, yaṁ aduṁ khettaṁ majjhimaṁ; evameva mayhaṁ upāsakaupāsikāyo.
I also teach them the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And I reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.
Tesaṁ pāhaṁ dhammaṁ desemi—ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ, sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsemi.
Why is that?
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Because they live with me as their island, protection, shelter, and refuge.
Ete hi, gāmaṇi, maṁdīpā maṁleṇā maṁtāṇā maṁsaraṇā viharanti.
To me, the ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers of other religions are like the poor field, the bad ground of sand and salt.
Seyyathāpi, gāmaṇi, yaṁ aduṁ khettaṁ hīnaṁ jaṅgalaṁ ūsaraṁ pāpabhūmi; evameva mayhaṁ aññatitthiyā samaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakā.
I also teach them the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And I reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.
Tesaṁ pāhaṁ dhammaṁ desemi—ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsemi.
Why is that?
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Hopefully, they might understand even a single sentence, which would be for their lasting welfare and happiness.
Appeva nāma ekaṁ padampi ājāneyyuṁ taṁ nesaṁ assa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyāti.
- This sutta shows us the three main fields of merit. The first who are worthy of donations and reverence are the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. First of all, you should know that the Lord Buddhas are all bhikkhus. The first sermons are always addressed to those who have left family life and to those who have little desire. The monastic path is perfect for reaching all the stages of the magga phala, especially the higher ones (Anagami-Arahant). Let us assume that a lay person has become anagami and that a monk is a puthujuna or sotāpanna anugami. The lay anagami will bow down and pay homage to this monk. See Annatarabhikkhu Vatthu He or she does it because he or she knows that it is not given to everyone. It is extremely difficult to become a bhikkhu and maintain this way of life. See Rarity of Monkhood. Lays come second because they still enjoy sensual pleasures or are always in worldly affairs. However, they can also reach all the magga stages, but the anagami and arahant stages are more difficult. When they become arahants, they become bhikkhu or they attain parinibbãna within 7 days. Anariya yogis are a field of merit even if it is the lowest. They make an effort to avoid the dangers of sensual pleasures (even if they have not fully understood them) by attaining jhānas. Some are even exposed to the Dhamma and understand certain concepts. Although many will not become ariyas, it will be for their future happiness. Lord Buddha said that he teaches them so that they become free in the future. This would mean that they will attain magga phala when their paramis are mature enough. Remember that some of them are bodhisattas, paccekabodhisattas and future disciples of a Lord Buddha. Sumedha was an anariya yogi who attained all jhānas, arupavacara samapatti and iddhis. Although he saw Lord Buddha Dipankara, he could understand the Dhamma, but he did not do so because he aspired to be a Lord Buddha. Eventually, he becomes our Lord Buddha Gautama.
- Venerable Arahant Sāriputta was an anariya yogi named Sarada during the time of Lord Buddha Anomadassi. He was a great anariya master who had all the jhānas, iddhis and arupavacara samapatti. He had 74,000 disciples following him. Lord Anomadassi saw him in a vision and knew that he developed enormous Kusulas and the paramis necessary to be the great disciple of a Lord Buddha. He came to visit him and to give a sermon. At the end of the sermon, all of Sarada’s disciples became cetovimutta arahants. Sarada had listened to the sermon, but he had not reached a single magga phala. Lord Anomadassi told him that he would become a great arahant in 100,000 Kappa who would be the best disciple of Lord Gautama. He exhorted him to continue his life as a yogi and all the 74,000 arahant disciples left with Lord Anomadassi. Sarada lived his life as a solitary yogi and took rebirth in a Brahma world. All this is to say that the anariya yogis of today cultivate the paramis to become ariyas without even knowing it. This is why Lord Buddha said that he teaches them the Dhamma for their future happiness. He is not talking about mere worldly happiness, they do not need him to attain jhanas and live a moral life! He speaks of the supramundane happiness of magga phala. On this basis, there is merit in giving them offerings, even if it is worth less than the bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, Upasaka and Upasika. The Sangha is the supreme and perfect field of merit.
- We must encourage those who teach and live the Dhamma (Monkhood), those who listen to their advice (Lay people) and those who understand it to some extent (anariya yogis).