大方便佛報恩經 2.30

2.30

『爾時施主重自撿校，即入家中，次第案行，見一井水而覆蓋頭。問諸人言：「此是何井？」家人答言：「此是施主於小兒時養三毒蛇，穿此一井，安置其中。此井是毒蛇住處，水亦是毒，飲者殺人。」施主見已，問作使言：「汝等先作食時，不取此井水用作食也？」作使答言：「飲食猥多，當時運急，汲取此水，用作飲食。」大施主言：「怪哉！怪哉！如我今者，愚癡無智，云何養此毒蛇，作此毒井？」告語妻子：「速往填塞！中三毒蛇者，為吾燒殺！」是時，作使速往除滅。

"Then the donor investigated once more for himself. He entered the house, went about inspecting in sequence, and saw a well whose top was covered. He asked the people: 'What well is this?' The family members replied: 'When the donor was a child, he reared three venomous snakes and dug this one well to keep them in it. This well is the dwelling place of the venomous snakes; its water is also poisonous, and whoever drinks it is killed.' Having seen it, the donor asked the laborers: 'When you prepared the food earlier, did you not take water from this well to prepare the food?' The laborers replied: 'The food and drink were so abundant, and at that time the work was urgent, so we drew this water to make the food and drink.' The great donor said: 'How monstrous! How monstrous! How foolish and devoid of wisdom I was! Why did I rear these venomous snakes and make this poisoned well?' He said to his wife and children: 'Go quickly and fill it in! As for the three venomous snakes within, burn them to death for me!' Thereupon, the laborers quickly went and destroyed them.