1Then 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 Master Gotama praise sacrifice?”

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“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 have entered the path to perfection will attend such a violent sacrifice.

2But 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 ongoing family sacrifice. Why is that? Because perfected ones and those who have entered the path to perfection will attend such a non-violent sacrifice.

3Horse sacrifice, human sacrifice,
the sacrifices of the ‘stick-casting’,
the ‘royal soma drinking’, and the ‘unbarred’—
these huge violent sacrifices yield no great fruit.

4The great sages of good conduct
don’t attend sacrifices
where goats, sheep, and cattle,
and various creatures are killed.

5But the great sages of good conduct
do attend non-violent sacrifices
of regular family tradition,
where goats, sheep, and cattle,
and various creatures aren’t killed.

6An 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.”

1Atha 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?

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"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.

2Yathārūpe 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.

3Assamedhaṁ purisamedhaṁ,
Sammāpāsaṁ vājapeyyaṁ niraggaḷaṁ;
Mahāyaññā mahārambhā,
Na te honti mahapphalā.

4Ajeḷakā ca gāvo ca,
vividhā yattha haññare;
Na taṁ sammaggatā yaññaṁ,
upayanti mahesino.

5Ye ca yaññā nirārambhā,
yajanti anukulaṁ sadā;
Ajeḷakā ca gāvo ca,
vividhā nettha haññare;
Tañca sammaggatā yaññaṁ,
upayanti mahesino.

6Etaṁ yajetha medhāvī,
eso yañño mahapphalo;
Etaṁ hi yajamānassa,
seyyo hoti na pāpiyo;
Yañño ca vipulo hoti,
pasīdanti ca devatā"ti.

Navamaṁ.