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with their vocabularies and rituals, their phonology and etymology, and as the fifth, the legends; a master of grammar, skilled in natural philosophy and the marks of a great man... ...and his brahmin chaplain is not virtuous, of mature virtue, endowed with mature virtue... ...and his brahmin chaplain is not wise, skilled, intelligent, first or second among those who hold the ladle, yet your majesty the king offers such a great sacrifice.’ . Even so, for your majesty, there is no righteousness in the king's conduct. But for your majesty, the royal brahmin, wise, skilled, intelligent, first or second among those who lift up their hands. By this, your majesty, let the king know: Let your majesty sacrifice, let your majesty prepare, let your majesty rejoice, let your majesty purify your inner mind. By these sixteen aspects, brahmin, the royal brahmin instructed, incited, encouraged, and gladdened the mind of King Mahāvijita as he performed the great sacrifice. 345. In that sacrifice, brahmin, neither cows were slain, nor goats and sheep were slain, nor chickens and pigs were slain, nor various living beings met with destruction, nor trees were cut down for sacrificial posts, nor kusa grass was mown for the sacrificial grass. And those who were his slaves, or servants, or workers, they did not perform their tasks threatened by clubs, nor threatened by fear, nor with tearful faces, weeping. But those who wished, they performed; those who did not wish, they did not perform. What they wished, that they performed; what they did not wish, that they did not perform. And that sacrifice was completed with ghee, oil, fresh butter, curds, honey, and molasses. 346. Then, brahmin, the attendant khattiyas, both townspeople and country folk, the attendant ministers, both townspeople and country folk, the great brahmin householders, both townspeople and country folk, the attendant householders, both townspeople and country folk, taking abundant wealth, approached King Mahāvijita and said this: "This, lord, is abundant wealth brought for the king's sake. Let the king accept it." "Enough, sirs, this abundant wealth of mine has been acquired by righteous tribute. Let that be yours, and bring more than this." Rejected by the king, they withdrew to one side and deliberated thus: "It is not proper for us to take these riches back again." sirs, we will return to our own homes. King Mahāvijita is performing a great sacrifice, let us be his followers in the sacrifice. 347. “Then, brahmin, to the east of the sacrificial enclosure, the khattiyas, both townsmen and country folk, who were followers, sent forth gifts. To the south of the sacrificial enclosure, the ministers and councillors, both townsmen and country folk, sent forth gifts. To the west of the sacrificial enclosure, the great brahmin householders, both townsmen and country folk, sent forth gifts. To the north of the sacrificial enclosure, the householders and treasurers, both townsmen and country folk, sent forth gifts. “And in those sacrifices, brahmin, no cattle were slain, no goats or sheep were slain, no chickens or pigs were slain, no various living beings were brought to destruction, no trees were cut down for sacrificial posts, no kusa grass was plucked for sacrificial strew. And those who were their slaves, or servants, or workers, they did not perform their tasks under threat of punishment, or threat of fear, or with tearful faces, weeping. Rather, those who wished, they performed; those who did not wish, they did not perform. What they wished, that they performed; what they did not wish, that they did not perform. And those sacrifices were completed with ghee, oil, fresh butter, curds, honey, and molasses. “Thus, these are the four parties of approval, King Mahāvijita endowed with eight factors, the brahmin purohita endowed with four factors; these three kinds, brahmin, are called the threefold perfection of sacrifice, with sixteen requisites.” 348. When this was said, those brahmins were boisterous, with loud and great shouts – “Oh, the sacrifice! Oh, the perfection of the sacrifice!” But the brahmin Kūṭadanta remained silent. Then those brahmins said to the brahmin Kūṭadanta – “Why, sir Kūṭadanta, do you not approve of the good words of the recluse Gotama as good words?” “Sirs, I do not disapprove of the good words of the recluse Gotama as good words. I give. His head would split, who would not approve the well-spoken words of the ascetic Gotama as well-spoken. Moreover, sir, it occurs to me thus: the ascetic Gotama does not say, 'Thus have I heard,' or 'Thus it should be'; but the ascetic Gotama speaks thus: 'Thus it was then, thus it was there.' It occurs to me, sir, thus: 'Surely the ascetic Gotama at that time was a king of a great realm, or a brahmin chief priest who performed that sacrifice.' Does Master Gotama remember having performed or having caused to be performed such a sacrifice, and after the breaking up of the body, after death, reappearing in a good destination, a heavenly world?" "I remember, brahmin, having performed or having caused to be performed such a sacrifice, and after the breaking up of the body, after death, reappearing in a good destination, a heavenly world. I, at that time, was the brahmin chief priest who performed that sacrifice." The Constant Gift, the Auspicious Sacrifice "Is there, Master Gotama, another sacrifice which is less troublesome and less laborious, but of greater fruit and greater benefit, than this sacrifice with its threefold perfection and sixteen requisites?" "There is, brahmin, another sacrifice which is less troublesome and less laborious, but of greater fruit and greater benefit, than this sacrifice with its threefold perfection and sixteen requisites." "Which, then, Master Gotama, is that sacrifice which is less troublesome and less laborious, but of greater fruit and greater benefit, than this sacrifice with its threefold perfection and sixteen requisites?" "Those constant gifts, brahmin, those auspicious sacrifices, which are given to virtuous monastics; this, brahmin, is a sacrifice which is less troublesome and less laborious, but of greater fruit and greater benefit, than this sacrifice with its threefold perfection and sixteen requisites." and of greater benefit.” “What, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause, why that constant giving, that continuous sacrifice, with these three kinds of sacrificial accomplishment, with sixteen requisites, is of lesser trouble, of lesser exertion, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit?” “Brahmins, Arahants or those who have entered the path to Arahantship do not approach such a sacrifice. Why is that? Here, brahmin, blows with sticks are seen, and seizing by the throat. Therefore, Arahants or those who have entered the path to Arahantship do not approach such a sacrifice. But those constant givings, those continuous sacrifices, which are given to virtuous renunciants; such a sacrifice, brahmin, Arahants or those who have entered the path to Arahantship do approach. Why is that? Here, brahmin, blows with sticks are not seen, nor seizing by the throat. Therefore, Arahants or those who have entered the path to Arahantship do approach such a sacrifice. This, brahmin, is the reason, this is the cause, why that constant giving, that continuous sacrifice, with these three kinds of sacrificial accomplishment, with sixteen requisites, is of lesser trouble, of lesser exertion, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit.” “Is there, good Gotama, another sacrifice which, compared to this sacrifice with its three kinds of sacrificial accomplishment and sixteen requisites, and compared to this constant giving, this continuous sacrifice, is of lesser trouble, of lesser exertion, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit?” “There is, brahmin, another sacrifice which, compared to this sacrifice with its three kinds of sacrificial accomplishment and sixteen requisites, and compared to this constant giving, this continuous sacrifice, is of lesser trouble, of lesser exertion, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit.” “What then, good Gotama, is that sacrifice which, compared to this sacrifice with its three kinds of sacrificial accomplishment and sixteen requisites, and compared to this constant giving, this continuous sacrifice, is of lesser trouble, of lesser exertion, of greater fruit, and which is of greater benefit? "Indeed, brahmin, whoever makes a monastery for the Sangha of the four directions, this, brahmin, is a sacrifice less troublesome, less laborious, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit than this sacrifice with its threefold accomplishment, its sixteen requisites, and its constant, suitable offering." 351. "Is there, then, Master Gotama, another sacrifice less troublesome, less laborious, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit than this sacrifice with its threefold accomplishment, its sixteen requisites, its constant, suitable offering, and this gift of a monastery?" "Indeed there is, brahmin, another sacrifice less troublesome, less laborious, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit than this sacrifice with its threefold accomplishment, its sixteen requisites, its constant, suitable offering, and this gift of a monastery." "Which, then, Master Gotama, is that sacrifice less troublesome, less laborious, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit than this sacrifice with its threefold accomplishment, its sixteen requisites, its constant, suitable offering, and this gift of a monastery?" "Indeed, brahmin, whoever with a confident heart goes for refuge to the Buddha, goes for refuge to the Dhamma, goes for refuge to the Sangha; this, brahmin, is a sacrifice less troublesome, less laborious, of greater fruit, and of greater benefit than this sacrifice with its threefold accomplishment, its sixteen requisites, its constant, suitable offering, and this gift of a monastery." 352. "Is there, then, Master Gotama, another sacrifice