經律異相 42.11

42.11

昔石室城內有三居士。一名闍利。二名晡陀滿。三名婆波那。此三人親兄弟也。多財寶象馬七珍。有一婆羅門。持伊羅鉢龍齋。冀望富貴。龍現身語婆羅門。汝今何為勤苦。斷穀除味在此持齋。為何所求。婆羅門曰。冀望大富。龍曰。吾有二號。一名伊羅鉢。二名財無厭。既名無厭。復從吾求耶。婆羅門曰。設不惠者便即命終。龍出紫磨好金以報之。城門有豪富長者。出自天竺。汝以金與從求財物。長者見之告語。藏隱勿令人見。告其五親。飲食歡娛藏金庫內。庫內雜物盡復入地。還彼龍庫。左右七家財物如是。三居士聞之。自相謂言。我等三家以法所獲財致不枉。濫五家所奪。國人聞之謂為誇談。共集三家。問居士曰。卿以法獲財致不濫失。何以為證。時三居士各出十斤金。分為六段。將諸人民及七家失物主。往至龍泉以金投水。水皆涌沸猶如鑊湯。龍王驚懼。即遣龍女出金還之。報謝使還。從法得者以理成辦。終不為五家所侵。欺非法藏財者如彼七家（出比方世利經）。

Formerly, inside the city of Śilāveśma, there were three householders. The first was named Jāli, the second was named Pūtina, and the third was named Bhāvana. These three were full brothers. They possessed abundant riches and valuables—elephants, horses, and the seven gems. There was a brāhmaṇa who kept the dragon Elāpatra's fast in the hope of wealth and status. The dragon manifested his body and said to the brāhmaṇa: "Why do you now toil so bitterly, abstaining from grains and renouncing flavours to keep this fast here? What is it you seek?" The brāhmaṇa said: "I hope for great wealth." The dragon said: "I have two names. The first is Elāpatra; the second is Insatiable of Wealth. Given that my name is Insatiable, do you still seek from me?" The brāhmaṇa said: "If you do not bestow it, I shall immediately perish." The dragon brought forth fine jambūnada gold to give to him, saying: "At the city gate there is a rich and noble elder who came from India. Take this gold and give it to him to ask for wealth and goods." The elder saw it and said to him: "Conceal it and do not let anyone see it." He told his five relations, made feast and made merry, and hid the gold in his treasury. The various articles in the treasury entirely sank back into the earth, returning to that dragon's treasury; and likewise it happened to the goods and riches of the seven neighbouring households. Hearing of this, the three householders said among themselves: "The riches acquired by our three households in accordance with Dharma will not end unjustly, nor be snatched away at random by the five adversaries." When the people of the state heard this, they regarded it as boastful talk. They gathered together at the three houses and asked the householders: "You say that because you acquired your wealth in accordance with Dharma it will never be unjustly lost: what proof can you show?" Then the three householders each produced ten catties of gold, divided it into six portions, and led the people along with the owners of the lost goods of the seven houses to the dragon spring, where they cast the gold into the water. The water all surged and boiled like a cauldron of boiling soup. The dragon king was terrified, and at once dispatched a dragon maiden to bring forth the gold and return it, apologizing and sending them back. What is obtained from the Dharma is accomplished through principle, and in the end cannot be encroached upon by the five adversaries; but those who fraudulently hoard wealth against the Dharma are like those seven households. (Extracted from the Bifang shili jing)