Text:
The companion replied, "This water contains bugs and the precepts do not permit drinking such water. I would rather die of thirst than violate the precepts in order to stay alive." After this incident he died of thirst. When the Bhikshu who had drunk the water reached the place where the Buddha was residing, he bowed and said to the Buddha, "Your disciple was travelling in the company of another Bhikshu who perished of thirst on the road. I hope the Buddha will be compassionate and rescue him."

Commentary:
The companion replied, "This water contains bugs." He was in effect saying, "I won't drink it." The Buddha had said, "When I look at a bowl of water, I can see 84,000 bugs in it." Although there were no microscopes or other such devices in those days, the Buddha could see the tiny bugs (germs) in the water. So the Buddha set up a precept that forbids Bhikshus from drinking water with bugs in it. Thus the other Bhikshu said, "The precepts do not permit drinking such water. I would rather die of thirst than violate the precepts in order to stay alive."

After this incident he died of thirst. After his companion was done speaking, the first Bhikshu didn't say anything else, but simply drank all the water himself. Because the weather was hot and dry and the second Bhikshu was so thirsty, he died. When the Bhikshu who had drunk the water reached the place where the Buddha was residing, he bowed and said to the Buddha, "Your disciple was travelling in the company of another Bhikshu who perished of thirst on the road. I hope the Buddha will be compassionate and rescue him."

Text:
The Buddha said to the Bhikshu who had drunk the water, "Because he stringently maintained the precepts and was so firm in his faith that he would not violate the Shila even in the face of death, he received the awesome power of the Buddhas and arrived here before you. He has already seen the Buddha and heard the Dharma. He is a Bhikshu who has true faith."

Commentary:
When the Bhikshu who had drunk the water with bugs in it asked the Buddha to save his companion, he was doing it out of a good heart and in the spirit of practicing the Bodhisattva Way. The Buddha said to the Bhikshu who had drunk the water, "Because he stringently maintained the precepts and was so firm in his faith... This refers not only to faith in the precepts, but to faith in the Buddha, faith in the Dharma, and faith in the Sangha. So this shows the importance of faith. To believe, you must have faith. This Bhikshu had such faith in the precepts that he would not violate the Shila--the precepts--even in the face of death, he received the awesome spiritual power of the Buddhas, which saved him and brought him here. You thought he died, but he arrived here before you. He has already seen the Buddha and heard the Dharma. He is a Bhikshu who has true and firm faith in the precepts."