At one time the Buddha was staying near Nāḷandā in Pāvārika’s Mango Grove. Then Asibandhaka’s son the chief went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, doesn’t the Buddha live full of sympathy for all living beings?” “Yes, chief.” “So why then, sir, do you teach some people thoroughly and others less thoroughly?” “Well then, chief, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think? Suppose a farmer has three fields: one is good, one is average, and one is poor—bad ground of sand and salt. 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?” “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. Why is that? Because at least it can be fodder for the cattle.”