Udāyīsutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.40

Numbered Discourses 4.40

4. Cakkavagga

4. Situations

Udāyīsutta

With Udāyī

Atha kho udāyī brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho udāyī brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Udāyī the brahmin went up to the Buddha, … and asked him,

“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?

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;

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?

Evarūpañhi, brāhmaṇa, nirārambhaṁ yaññaṁ upasaṅkamanti arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannāti.

Abhisaṅkhataṁ nirārambhaṁ,

Well-prepared and non-violent,

yaññaṁ kālena kappiyaṁ;

a sacrifice that’s allowable and timely,

Tādisaṁ upasaṁyanti,

is attended by

saññatā brahmacārayo.

disciplined spiritual practitioners.

Vivaṭacchadā ye loke,

The Buddhas—
who have cast off the world’s veil,

vītivattā kulaṁ gatiṁ;

passing beyond time and rebirth—

Yaññametaṁ pasaṁsanti,

praise this sacrifice,

buddhā yaññassa kovidā.

as they are expert in sacrifice.

Yaññe vā yadi vā saddhe,

When you’ve prepared a suitable offering,

habyaṁ katvā yathārahaṁ;

whether as sacrifice or for ancestors,

Pasannacitto yajati,

sacrifice it with confident heart,

sukhette brahmacārisu.

in the fertile field of spiritual practitioners.

Suhutaṁ suyiṭṭhaṁ suppattaṁ,

When it’s well-gotten, well-offered,
and well-sacrificed,

Dakkhiṇeyyesu yaṁ kataṁ;

to those worthy of a religious donation,

Yañño ca vipulo hoti,

a sacrifice is truly abundant,

Pasīdanti ca devatā.

and even the deities are pleased.

Evaṁ yajitvā medhāvī,

When an intelligent, faithful person,

saddho muttena cetasā;

sacrifices like this, with a mind of letting go,

Abyābajjhaṁ sukhaṁ lokaṁ,

that astute one is reborn

paṇḍito upapajjatī”ti.

in a happy, pleasing world.”

Dasamaṁ.

Cakkavaggo catuttho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Cakko saṅgaho sīho,

Pasādo vassakārena pañcamaṁ;

Doṇo aparihāniyo patilīno,

Ujjayo udāyinā te dasāti.