Ujjayasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.39

Numbered Discourses 4.39

4. Cakkavagga

4. Situations

Ujjayasutta

With Ujjaya

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 don’t praise 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 do praise that kind of non-violent sacrifice; for example, a regular gift as a 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 grand, 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.