佛說觀佛三昧海經 10.33

10.33

"Furthermore, Ānanda! For example, there was a person of meager merit who was poor and destitute, relying on the wealthy and noble to preserve his life. At that time, there was a prince who happened to go out on an excursion holding a great treasure vase, inside of which was hidden the king's seal and ribbons. Then the poor man feigned closeness, took the king's treasure vase, held it up, and fled. When the prince realized this, he dispatched six great soldiers riding six black elephants, holding sharp swords in their hands, to swiftly pursue him. The man holding the vase ran into a marsh of deep grass and barren wilderness. He saw that the wild marsh was full of poisonous snakes, spitting venom from all four sides to suck the life from the bearer of the vase. The poor man was panicked and terrified, running frantically east and west, but the snakes pursued him, leaving him nowhere to hide. In the barren marsh he saw a great tree, lush and spreading, which pleased him greatly; bearing the treasure vase on his head, he climbed up into the tree. After he had climbed the tree, the six soldiers riding the elephants, swift as the wind, soon arrived. When the poor man saw them, he swallowed the king's precious seal, held the vase crowned upon his head, and covered his face with his hands, for out of greed and attachment he could not bear to see them. At that time, the six black elephants coiled their trunks around the tree and pulled it down to the ground. The poor man fell to the ground, his body shattered and destroyed, with only the gold seal remaining intact; and the treasure vase emitted light, upon seeing which the snakes all scattered and fled."