[156] Then the Blessed One, stepping off the road, approached the foot of a certain tree; having approached, he sat down on the seat that had been prepared. Seated, the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Come now, Ānanda, fetch me drinking water from that well."
When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, just now that well has been filled with grass and chaff up to its very mouth by the brahmin householders of Thūna, with the thought: 'Let not the shaveling ascetics drink the water.'"
A second time the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Come now, Ānanda, fetch me drinking water from that well." A second time the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, just now that well has been filled with grass and chaff up to its very mouth by the brahmin householders of Thūna, with the thought: 'Let not those shaveling ascetics drink the water.'"
A third time the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Come now, Ānanda, fetch me drinking water from that well." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One, and taking the bowl he went to that well.
Then, as the Venerable Ānanda was approaching, that well disgorged all the grass and chaff from its mouth and stood filled with clear, unturbid, limpid water up to its very mouth — as if it were overflowing.
Then it occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: "It is wonderful indeed, sir! It is marvellous indeed, sir — the Tathāgata's great psychic power and great majesty! For this well, as I was approaching, disgorged all the grass and chaff from its mouth and now stands filled with clear, unturbid, limpid water up to its very mouth — as if it were overflowing."
Taking the drinking water in the bowl, he approached the Blessed One; having approached, he said to the Blessed One: "It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is marvellous, venerable sir — the Tathāgata's great psychic power and great majesty! For this well, venerable sir, as I was approaching, disgorged all the grass and chaff from its mouth and stood filled with clear, unturbid, limpid water up to its very mouth — as if it were overflowing. Let the Blessed One drink the water! Let the Well-Farer (Sugata) drink the water!"
Then the Blessed One, having understood the meaning of this, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
"What would one do with a well
if there were waters at all times?
Having cut craving (taṇhā) off at the root,
in search of what should one wander?"
The ninth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.