47(4)Sacrifice
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthiī in Jeta's.Grove,Anāthapindika's Park. Now on that occasion the brahmin Uggatasarira had made arrangements for a great sacrifice.
Five hundred bulls had been led to the post
Mp says that thūṇā is the sacrificial post itself:yupasainkhatam thinam. for the sacrifice.Five hundred bullocks...Five hundred heifers...Five hundred goats...Five hundred rams had been led to the post for the sacrifice.Then the brahmin Uggatasarira approached the Blessed One
and exchanged greetings with him.
When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk,he sat down to one side
and said to the Blessed One:
"I have heard,Master Gotama,that the kindling of the sacrificial fire and the raising of the sacrificial post are of great fruit and benefit."
"I too,brahmin,have heard this."
A second time...A third time the brahmin Uggatasarira said to the Blessed One:
"I have heard;Master Gotama,that the kindling of the sacrificial fire and the raising of the sacrificial postare of great fruit and benefit."
"I too,brahmin,have heard this."
"Then [42]Master Gotama and I are in complete and total agreement."
When this was said,the Venerable Ananda said to the brahmin Uggatasarira:
"Brahmin,Tathagatas should not be asked thus:
'I have heard,Master Gotama,that the kindling of the sacrificial fire and the raising of the sacrificial post are of greatfruit and benefit.'
Tathāgatas should be asked:
'Bhante,I want to kindle the sacrificial fire and raise the sacrificial post.
Let the Blessed One exhort me
and instruct me in a way that will lead to my welfare and happiness for a long time.'"
Then the brahmin Uggatasarira said to the Blessed One:
"Master Gotama,I want to kindle the sacrificial fire and raise the sacrificial post.
Let Master Gotama exhort me
and instruct me in a way that will lead to my welfare and happiness for along time."
"Brahmin,one kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post,even before the sacrifice,raises three knives that are unwholesome and have suffering as their outcome and result.
What three?
The bodily knife,the verbal knife,and the mental knife.
"Brahmin,one kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post,even before the sacrifice,arouses such a thought as this:
'Let so many bulls be slain in sacrifice!Let so many bullocks...so many heifers...so many goats...so many ramsbe slain in sacrifice!'
Though he [thinks],'Let me do merit,'he does demerit.Though he [thinks],'Let me do what is wholesome,'he does what is unwholesome.Though he [thinks],'Let me seek the path to a good destination,'he seeks the path to a bad destination.
One kindling the sacrificial fire and [43]raising the sacrificial post,even before the sacrifice,raises this first knife,the mental one,which is unwholesome and has suffering as its outcome and result.
"Again,brahmin,one kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post,even before the sacrifice,utters such speech as this:
'Let so many bulls be slain in sacrifice!Let so many bullocks...so many heifers...so many goats...so many rams be slain in sacrifice!'
Though he [thinks],'Let me do merit,'he does demerit.Though he [thinks],Let me do what is wholesome,'he does what is unwholesome.Though he [thinks],'Letme seek the path to a good destination,'he seeks the path to a bad destination.
One kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post,even before the sacrifice,raises this second knife,the verbal one,which is unwholesome and has suffering as its outcome and result.
"Again,brahmin,one kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post,even before the sacrifice,first undertakes the preparations to slay the bulls in sacrifice.He first undertakes the preparations to slay the bullocks in sacrifice...to slay the heifers in sacrifice...to slay the goats in sacrifice...to slay the rams in sacrifice.
Though he [thinks],'Let me do merit,'he does demerit.Though he [thinks],Let me do what is wholesome,'he does what is unwholesome.Though he [thinks],Let me seek the path to a good destination,'he seeks the path to a bad destination.
One kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post,even before the sacrifice,raises this third knife,the bodily one,which is unwholesome and has suffering as its outcome and result.
"Brahmin,one kindling the sacrificial fire and raising the sacrificial post,even before the sacrifice,raises these three knives that are unwholesome and have suffering as their outcome and result.
(1)-(3)"There are,brahmin,these three fires that should be abandoned and avoided and should not be cultivated.
What three?
[44]The fire of lust,the fire of hatred,and the fire of delusion.
(1)"And why should the fire of lust be abandoned and
avoided and not be cultivated?
One excited by lust,overcome
by lust,with mind obsessed by it,engages in misconduct by
body,speech,and mind.
As a consequence,with the breakup
of the body,after death,he is reborn in the plane of misery,in
a bad destination,in the lower world,in hell.
Therefore this
fire of lust should be abandoned and avoided and should not
be cultivated.
(2)-(3)“And why should the fire of hatred...
...
...
...
...the fire of delusion be abandoned and avoided and not be cultivated?
One who is deluded,overcome by delusion,with mind obsessedby it,engages in misconduct by body;speech,and mind.
As aconsequence,with the breakup of the body,after death,he isreborn in the plane of misery,in a bad destination,in the lowerworld,in hell.
Therefore this fire of delusion should be abandoned and avoided and should not be cultivated.
"These are the three fires that should be abandoned and avoided and should not be cultivated.
(4)-(6)"There are,brahmin,these three fires that should be properly and happily maintained,having honored,respected,esteemed,and venerated them.
What three?
[45]The fire of those worthy of gifts,the householder's fire,and the fire of those worthy of offerings.
(4)"And what is the fire of those worthy of gifts?
One's mother and father are called the fire of those worthy of gifts.
For what reason?
Because it is from them that one has originated and come to be.
Ce and Be atohayam(Eeato 'yam),brahmana,ahuto sambhuto.Mp glosses:atohayan ti ato hi matapitito ayam ahuto ti agato.There seems to be a word play here between ahuta as representing abhuūta,"originated,"and as past participle of ajuhati,"offered, sacrificed."See DOPsv ahuta³and ahuta². Therefore,this fire of those worthy of gifts should be properly and happily maintained,having honored,respected,esteemed,and venerated it.(5)"And what is the householder's fire?
One's children,wife,slaves,servants,and workers are called the householder's fire.
Therefore,this householder's fire should be properly and happily maintained,having honored,respected,esteemed,andvenerated it.
(6)"And what is the fire of those worthy of offerings?
Those ascetics and brahmins who refrain from intoxication and heedlessness,who are settled in patience and mildness,who tame themselves,calm themselves,and train themselves for nibbāna are called the fire of those worthy of offerings.
Therefore;this fire of those worthy of offerings should be properly and happilymaintained,having honored,respected,esteemed,and venerated it.
"These,brahmin,are the three fires that should be properly and happily maintained,having honored,respected,esteemed,and venerated them.
(7)"But,brahmin,this wood fire should at certain times be ignited,at certain times be looked upon with equanimity,at certain times be extinguished,and at certain times be put aside."
When this was said,the brahmin Uggatasarīra said to the Blessed One:
"Excellent,Master Gotama!
Excellent,MasterGotama!..:[as in 6:38].….Let Master Gotama consider me a lay follower who from today [46]has gone for refuge for life:
Master Gotama,I set free the five hundred bulls and allow them to live.I set free the five hundred bullocks and allow them to live.I set free the five hundred heifers and allow them to live.I setfree the five hundred goats and allow them to live.I set free the five hundred rams and allow them to live.
Let them eat greengrass,drink cool water,and enjoy a cool breeze."