Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Atha kho ujjayo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then Ujjaya the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho ujjayo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:
“bhavampi no gotamo yaññaṁ vaṇṇetī”ti?
“Does the worthy Gotama praise sacrifice?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ yaññaṁ vaṇṇemi;
“Brahmin, I don’t praise all sacrifices.
na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ yaññaṁ na vaṇṇemi.
Nor do I criticize all sacrifices.
Yathārūpe kho, brāhmaṇa, yaññe gāvo haññanti, ajeḷakā haññanti, kukkuṭasūkarā haññanti, vividhā pāṇā saṅghātaṁ āpajjanti;
Take the kind of sacrifice where cattle, goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, and various kinds of creatures are slaughtered.
evarūpaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sārambhaṁ yaññaṁ na vaṇṇemi.
I criticize that kind of violent sacrifice.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Evarūpañhi, brāhmaṇa, sārambhaṁ yaññaṁ na upasaṅkamanti arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā.
Because neither perfected ones nor those who are on the path to perfection will attend such a violent sacrifice.
Yathārūpe ca kho, brāhmaṇa, yaññe neva gāvo haññanti, na ajeḷakā haññanti, na kukkuṭasūkarā haññanti, na vividhā pāṇā saṅghātaṁ āpajjanti;
But take the kind of sacrifice where cattle, goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, and various kinds of creatures are not slaughtered.
evarūpaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, nirārambhaṁ yaññaṁ vaṇṇemi, yadidaṁ niccadānaṁ anukulayaññaṁ.
I praise that kind of non-violent sacrifice; for example, a regular gift as an propitious sacrifice.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Evarūpañhi, brāhmaṇa, nirārambhaṁ yaññaṁ upasaṅkamanti arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannāti.
Because perfected ones and those who are on the path to perfection will attend such a non-violent sacrifice.
Assamedhaṁ purisamedhaṁ,
Horse sacrifice, human sacrifice,
Sammāpāsaṁ vājapeyyaṁ niraggaḷaṁ;
the sacrifices of the ‘casting of the yoke-pin’,
Mahāyaññā mahārambhā,
the ‘royal soma drinking’, and the ‘unbarred’—
Na te honti mahapphalā.
these huge violent sacrifices yield no great fruit.
Ajeḷakā ca gāvo ca,
The great sages of right comportment
vividhā yattha haññare;
don’t attend sacrifices
Na taṁ sammaggatā yaññaṁ,
where goats, sheep, and cattle,
upayanti mahesino.
and various creatures are killed.
Ye ca yaññā nirārambhā,
But the great sages of right comportment
yajanti anukulaṁ sadā;
do attend those sacrifices
Ajeḷakā ca gāvo ca,
that are non-violent and propitious,
vividhā nettha haññare;
where goats, sheep, and cattle,
Tañca sammaggatā yaññaṁ,
and various creatures are not killed.
upayanti mahesino.
Etaṁ yajetha medhāvī,
An intelligent person should sacrifice like this,
eso yañño mahapphalo;
for this sacrifice is very fruitful.
Etaṁ hi yajamānassa,
For a sponsor of sacrifices like this,
seyyo hoti na pāpiyo;
things get better, not worse.
Yañño ca vipulo hoti,
Such a sacrifice is truly abundant,
pasīdanti ca devatā”ti.
and even the deities are pleased.”
Navamaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Then Ujjaya the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:
“Does the worthy Gotama praise sacrifice?”
“Brahmin, I don’t praise all sacrifices.
Nor do I criticize all sacrifices.
Take the kind of sacrifice where cattle, goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, and various kinds of creatures are slaughtered.
I criticize that kind of violent sacrifice.
Why is that?
Because neither perfected ones nor those who are on the path to perfection will attend such a violent sacrifice.
But take the kind of sacrifice where cattle, goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, and various kinds of creatures are not slaughtered.
I praise that kind of non-violent sacrifice; for example, a regular gift as an propitious sacrifice.
Why is that?
Because perfected ones and those who are on the path to perfection will attend such a non-violent sacrifice.
Horse sacrifice, human sacrifice,
the sacrifices of the ‘casting of the yoke-pin’,
the ‘royal soma drinking’, and the ‘unbarred’—
these huge violent sacrifices yield no great fruit.
The great sages of right comportment
don’t attend sacrifices
where goats, sheep, and cattle,
and various creatures are killed.
But the great sages of right comportment
do attend those sacrifices
that are non-violent and propitious,
where goats, sheep, and cattle,
and various creatures are not killed.
An intelligent person should sacrifice like this,
for this sacrifice is very fruitful.
For a sponsor of sacrifices like this,
things get better, not worse.
Such a sacrifice is truly abundant,
and even the deities are pleased.”
Atha kho ujjayo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho ujjayo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“bhavampi no gotamo yaññaṁ vaṇṇetī”ti?
“Na kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ yaññaṁ vaṇṇemi;
na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ yaññaṁ na vaṇṇemi.
Yathārūpe kho, brāhmaṇa, yaññe gāvo haññanti, ajeḷakā haññanti, kukkuṭasūkarā haññanti, vividhā pāṇā saṅghātaṁ āpajjanti;
evarūpaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sārambhaṁ yaññaṁ na vaṇṇemi.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Evarūpañhi, brāhmaṇa, sārambhaṁ yaññaṁ na upasaṅkamanti arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā.
Yathārūpe ca kho, brāhmaṇa, yaññe neva gāvo haññanti, na ajeḷakā haññanti, na kukkuṭasūkarā haññanti, na vividhā pāṇā saṅghātaṁ āpajjanti;
evarūpaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, nirārambhaṁ yaññaṁ vaṇṇemi, yadidaṁ niccadānaṁ anukulayaññaṁ.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Evarūpañhi, brāhmaṇa, nirārambhaṁ yaññaṁ upasaṅkamanti arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannāti.
Assamedhaṁ purisamedhaṁ,
Sammāpāsaṁ vājapeyyaṁ niraggaḷaṁ;
Mahāyaññā mahārambhā,
Na te honti mahapphalā.
Ajeḷakā ca gāvo ca,
vividhā yattha haññare;
Na taṁ sammaggatā yaññaṁ,
upayanti mahesino.
Ye ca yaññā nirārambhā,
yajanti anukulaṁ sadā;
Ajeḷakā ca gāvo ca,
vividhā nettha haññare;
Tañca sammaggatā yaññaṁ,
upayanti mahesino.
Etaṁ yajetha medhāvī,
eso yañño mahapphalo;
Etaṁ hi yajamānassa,
seyyo hoti na pāpiyo;
Yañño ca vipulo hoti,
pasīdanti ca devatā”ti.
Navamaṁ.