AN 4.40

Udāyīsutta

Atha kho udāyī brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho udāyī brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “bhavampi no gotamo yaññaṁ vaṇṇetī”ti? “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.

With Udāyī

Then Udāyī the brahmin went up to the Buddha, … and asked him, “Does the worthy Gotama praise sacrifice?” “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 don’t praise that kind of violent sacrifice.

Yathārūpe 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.

But take the kind of sacrifice where cattle, goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, and various kinds of creatures are not slaughtered. I do praise that kind of non-violent sacrifice; for example, a regular gift as a propitious sacrifice.

Abhisaṅkhataṁ nirārambhaṁ, yaññaṁ kālena kappiyaṁ; Tādisaṁ upasaṁyanti, saññatā brahmacārayo.

Well-prepared and non-violent, a sacrifice that’s allowable and timely, is attended by disciplined spiritual practitioners.

Vivaṭacchadā ye loke, vītivattā kulaṁ gatiṁ; Yaññametaṁ pasaṁsanti, buddhā yaññassa kovidā.

The Buddhas—who have cast off the world’s veil, passing beyond time and rebirth— praise this sacrifice, as they are expert in sacrifice.

Yaññe vā yadi vā saddhe, habyaṁ katvā yathārahaṁ; Pasannacitto yajati, sukhette brahmacārisu.

When you’ve prepared a suitable offering, whether as sacrifice or for ancestors, sacrifice it with confident heart, in the fertile field of spiritual practitioners.

Suhutaṁ suyiṭṭhaṁ suppattaṁ, Dakkhiṇeyyesu yaṁ kataṁ; Yañño ca vipulo hoti, Pasīdanti ca devatā.

When it’s well-gotten, well-offered, and well-sacrificed, to those worthy of a religious donation, a sacrifice is truly abundant, and even the deities are pleased.

Evaṁ yajitvā medhāvī, saddho muttena cetasā; Abyābajjhaṁ sukhaṁ lokaṁ, paṇḍito upapajjatī”ti.

When an intelligent, faithful person, sacrifices like this, with a mind of letting go, that astute one is reborn in a happy, pleasing world.”