Sīlavīmaṅsajātaka

Suttapiṭaka · Khuddakanikāya · Jātaka (1) · Vol. 27 · Section 618

[618] "Virtue (sīla) indeed, so it is said, is a lovely thing; virtue is unsurpassed in the world. Behold: the serpent (nāga) of dreadful venom is not killed, because it is 'virtuous.'"

English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.