A peddler was selling earthen basins by the roadside. As he knocked on them to demonstrate their quality, he chanted, "Earthen basins, round and sound, beautiful and strong. Just hear this ring, a superior thing!" However, while knocking, one basin cracked and shattered into pieces.
The onlookers burst into laughter. Without a second thought, the peddler tossed the fragments into a nearby paddy field. An experienced farmer from the crowd immediately protested, "How dare you throw that into my field? It will impede the growth of my crops!"
The peddler promptly tried to explain, "It's nothing to worry about. The fragments will turn to powder as soon as they absorb water."