Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa mahāyañño paccupaṭṭhito hoti, pañca ca usabhasatāni pañca ca vacchatarasatāni pañca ca vacchatarisatāni pañca ca ajasatāni pañca ca urabbhasatāni thūṇūpanītāni honti yaññatthāya.
Now at that time a big sacrifice had been set up for King Pasenadi of Kosala. Bulls, bullocks, heifers, goats and rams—five hundred of each—had been led to the pillar for the sacrifice.
Yepissa te honti dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi daṇḍatajjitā bhayatajjitā assumukhā rudamānā parikammāni karonti.
His bondservants, servants, and workers did their jobs under threat of punishment and danger, weeping with tearful faces.
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pavisiṁsu.
Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms.
Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening.
“idha, bhante, rañño pasenadissa kosalassa mahāyañño paccupaṭṭhito hoti, pañca ca usabhasatāni pañca ca vacchatarasatāni pañca ca vacchatarisatāni pañca ca ajasatāni pañca ca urabbhasatāni thūṇūpanītāni honti yaññatthāya.
Yepissa te honti dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi daṇḍatajjitā bhayatajjitā assumukhā rudamānā parikammāni karontī”ti.
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha recited these verses:
“Assamedhaṁ purisamedhaṁ,
“Horse sacrifice, human sacrifice,
sammāpāsaṁ vājapeyyaṁ;
the ‘casting of the yoke-pin’, the ‘royal soma drinking’,
Niraggaḷaṁ mahārambhā,
and the ‘unimpeded’—
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,
Etaṁ sammaggatā yaññaṁ,
and various creatures are not killed.
upayanti mahesino.
Etaṁ yajetha medhāvī,
A clever person should sacrifice like this,
eso yañño mahapphalo;
for this sacrifice is very fruitful.
Etañhi 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.”
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
At Sāvatthī.
Now at that time a big sacrifice had been set up for King Pasenadi of Kosala. Bulls, bullocks, heifers, goats and rams—five hundred of each—had been led to the pillar for the sacrifice.
His bondservants, servants, and workers did their jobs under threat of punishment and danger, weeping with tearful faces.
Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms.
Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening.
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha recited these verses:
“Horse sacrifice, human sacrifice,
the ‘casting of the yoke-pin’, the ‘royal soma drinking’,
and the ‘unimpeded’—
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.
A clever 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.”
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa mahāyañño paccupaṭṭhito hoti, pañca ca usabhasatāni pañca ca vacchatarasatāni pañca ca vacchatarisatāni pañca ca ajasatāni pañca ca urabbhasatāni thūṇūpanītāni honti yaññatthāya.
Yepissa te honti dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi daṇḍatajjitā bhayatajjitā assumukhā rudamānā parikammāni karonti.
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pavisiṁsu.
Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“idha, bhante, rañño pasenadissa kosalassa mahāyañño paccupaṭṭhito hoti, pañca ca usabhasatāni pañca ca vacchatarasatāni pañca ca vacchatarisatāni pañca ca ajasatāni pañca ca urabbhasatāni thūṇūpanītāni honti yaññatthāya.
Yepissa te honti dāsāti vā pessāti vā kammakarāti vā, tepi daṇḍatajjitā bhayatajjitā assumukhā rudamānā parikammāni karontī”ti.
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
“Assamedhaṁ purisamedhaṁ,
sammāpāsaṁ vājapeyyaṁ;
Niraggaḷaṁ 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;
Etaṁ sammaggatā yaññaṁ,
upayanti mahesino.
Etaṁ yajetha medhāvī,
eso yañño mahapphalo;
Etañhi yajamānassa,
seyyo hoti na pāpiyo;
Yañño ca vipulo hoti,
pasīdanti ca devatā”ti.